Residential Mobile Homes in Scotland - Scottish Government

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
Introduction
1 The Scottish Government commissioned this research to provide an up-to-date picture
on the use of mobile homes as dwellings in Scotland. This research examines the nature of
the mobile home sector in Scotland, and aims to inform how policy can be shaped in the
future.
Context
2 There were two main groups of mobile homes in Scotland that needed to be
considered by the research. The first concerned residents who lived in park homes on
licensed sites, who were covered by a number of different Acts. Secondly, a characteristic of
mobile home living in Scotland was the number of people who live in individual caravans
and mobile homes on unlicensed sites, or sites that were exempt from licensing. There was a
concern that these latter residents, especially those who rent their homes, had very limited
protection under the law with regard to security of tenure and the condition of their homes.
The report used the term ‘park home’ to describe mobile homes on licensed sites. Isolated
units, not located on licensed sites, were described as ‘individual mobile homes’. The
universal term ‘mobile homes’ was used to describe all mobile homes in Scotland.
3 The Housing (Scotland) Act 2006 amends a number of sections of the Mobile Homes
Act 1983. The intention of the new Act is to extend the protection for people who occupy a
mobile home and let a stance from a site operator. The Scottish Government (2006a) noted
that the previous legislation could leave some mobile home owners in a vulnerable position,
so the Act aims to rebalance the rights of mobile home and site owners on issues around
tenancy conditions, security of occupation, and the selling of mobile homes.
Aims and Objectives
4 The aims of the research were to:
• Identify the number, location and composition (including number of units, tenure and
service provision) of licensed mobile homes sites throughout Scotland;
• Where possible, identify unlicensed sites and quantify the extent of isolated single
units, which may be exempt from licensing;
• Explore the reasons why people are living in mobile homes and their length of
residence, looking at factors that have led them into the sector, their previous housing
history and their aspirations for the future, particularly their ability to access
affordable housing;
• Explore the nature and extent of any issues and problems experienced by residents of
mobile homes in connection with their occupation and use of the home;
• Consider the extent to which any problems identified are addressed by the existing
and recently implemented legislation.
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