Residential park homes sit under a genuinely distinct legal framework from conventional houses, and the sale commission at the centre of it has become one of the most contested issues in UK housing policy. This guide covers the Mobile Homes Act protections that apply, the three income streams a site owner earns from residents, the pitch fee change that quietly helped owners in 2023, and your actual rights when selling.
Figures below reflect the Mobile Homes Act 1983 as amended, House of Commons Library briefings, Hansard debate records, and a government call for evidence closing May 2026, current to mid-2026. This is general information, not legal advice; a solicitor experienced in park home law should review any specific sale or dispute.
- The legal framework: protected sites
- The site owner's three income streams
- Pitch fees: the 2023 change that helped residents
- The 10% sale commission, and why the burden has tripled
- The 2026 government review: what's actually changed so far
- Your right to sell without the site owner's approval
- Frequently asked questions
1. The legal framework: protected sites
A residential park home site must be licensed by the local authority under the Caravan Sites and Control of Development Act 1960, with conditions covering matters such as the number of homes permitted, spacing, and amenities. Anyone who buys a home on a licensed "protected site" to use as their main residence is entitled to a written agreement under the Mobile Homes Act 1983, which gives them security of tenure for as long as that agreement runs, generally tied to the site's planning permission.
2. The site owner's three income streams
- Sales of new homes when pitches on the site are first occupied.
- Ongoing pitch fees, the rent charged for the land the home sits on, reviewed periodically.
- A commission on resale, charged whenever a resident later sells their own home, once the site is fully occupied and this becomes the main remaining revenue source.
Almost all site operators are a form of business entity rather than an individual, and this three-part income structure is central to understanding why the sale commission, covered below, has become such a persistent point of tension.
3. Pitch fees: the 2023 change that helped residents
Under the Mobile Homes (Pitch Fees) Act 2023, which came into force in England on 2 July 2023, the inflationary measure used to calculate annual pitch fee reviews switched from the Retail Price Index (RPI) to the generally lower Consumer Price Index (CPI). Any pitch fee review notice served on or after that date should be calculated using CPI rather than RPI, which is typically more favourable to residents over time. Wales had already adopted CPI before this change was made in England.
4. The 10% sale commission, and why the burden has tripled
When a park home owner sells, the site owner is currently entitled to a commission of up to 10% of the sale price, set under the Mobile Homes (Selling and Gifting) (England) Regulations 2013. In practice, this is paid by the buyer rather than deducted directly from the seller's proceeds, though it inevitably factors into what a buyer is willing to offer in the first place.
| Year | Sale price | 10% commission | As a share of average salary |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1983 | £12,000 | £1,200 | ~14% |
| 2026 | £160,000 | £16,000 | ~42% |
This comparison, cited in Parliament, captures the core of the ongoing debate precisely: the 10% commission rate has stayed exactly the same since 1983, but as park home values have risen considerably faster than average earnings, the real cost to a seller, measured against typical salaries, has grown from roughly 14% to roughly 42% over the same period. Site owners argue the commission remains a legitimate part of their business model, funding reinvestment in parks; residents' groups argue the charge is poorly understood and increasingly disproportionate to the services actually provided at the point of sale.
5. The 2026 government review: what's actually changed so far
A government call for evidence specifically on the reasons for the sale commission closed on 29 May 2026, with a formal government response still pending at the time of writing. As of mid-2026, the maximum commission rate remains unchanged at 10%. Anyone planning to sell a park home in the near term should keep an eye on any formal government announcement following the review, since a change to the rate, if one comes, would directly affect the sale proceeds on a specific transaction.
6. Your right to sell without the site owner's approval
The Mobile Homes Act 2013 simplified the sale process so that a park home owner doesn't need the site owner's approval to sell to a buyer of their choosing, though the site owner must be informed of the transaction, and a Written Statement setting out the terms is required. For some older agreements specifically, a site owner may apply to a tribunal if there's specific evidence that a proposed buyer doesn't meet the park's rules, but this is a narrow legal route requiring evidence, not a general right for the site owner to interview or reject prospective buyers as they choose.
7. Frequently asked questions
How much commission does a park home owner pay when they sell?
Up to 10% of the sale price, paid to the site owner. Under current rules, this is technically paid by the buyer rather than deducted from the seller's proceeds directly, though in practice it reduces what a buyer is willing to offer, so the seller bears much of the real economic cost either way.
Does the park owner have to approve who I sell my park home to?
No, not generally. The Mobile Homes Act 2013 simplified the sale process so that owners don't need the site owner's approval to sell to a buyer of their choosing, though the site owner must be informed of the transaction. For some older agreements, a site owner can apply to a tribunal if there's specific evidence the proposed buyer doesn't meet the park's rules, but this is a narrow legal route, not a general right to interview or reject buyers.
How are annual pitch fee increases calculated for park homes?
Under the Mobile Homes (Pitch Fees) Act 2023, which came into force on 2 July 2023 in England, pitch fee reviews switched from being calculated using the Retail Price Index (RPI) to the generally lower Consumer Price Index (CPI). Any pitch fee review notice served on or after that date should use CPI. Wales had already adopted CPI before this change.
Is the government going to reduce the 10% park home sale commission?
It's under review, but no change has been made. A government call for evidence on the commission closed on 29 May 2026, with a formal response still pending at the time of writing. The maximum commission rate remains 10% of the sale price for now.
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