Park Home owners..

Hello there, was wondering if anyone on here lives on a Retirement residential park Home site ? If so, are you having a problem with you community charge , were in Mid Wales, and were reassest some months ago. We just cannot come to terms with what out local assessment Officer came up with. We have always been in 'A' band..now were changed to 'B' THIS I can to some extent understand.

However..The council letter we have recieved tells us the reason for the extra rating is as follows.
We are being charged for the value of the Home, based on the purchase price we paid five years ago..ok thats the reasonable part..BUT we are then told we have to ADD an additional £15,000 to the present valuation as the property is classed as FREEHOLD..

We have tried and tried to explain to the department that NONE of the Homes on this site are 'freehold' and have Informed them on many occasions that we all pay a monthly figure to the site owner for the 'rental' of the land our homes stand on.. So HOW are we freehold??? Can we therefore tell the site owner that were paying our ground rent to the council now ? and refuse to pay the site owner the monthly fee ? I dont think so.. I cannot see the logic of the council that says we are 'freehold' when we have always paid 'ground rent ' !! HELP please..NO ONE here has gained any satisfaction at all from Coucil officers or local MPs..Is anyone else suffering this confusing and expensive piece of leglislation ?
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Comments

  • Is it because although you don't own the land, the Home actually belongs to you and you could in theory have it removed and put somewhere else?
    (AKA HRH_MUngo)
    Member #10 of £2 savers club
    Imagine someone holding forth on biology whose only knowledge of the subject is the Book of British Birds, and you have a rough idea of what it feels like to read Richard Dawkins on theology: Terry Eagleton
  • msmo_2
    msmo_2 Posts: 30 Forumite
    Maybe thats it, and thanks for the reply..however..If we DID move the home..unsited..Its worth very little.. but who knows..Ill just keep taking the pills :)
  • msmo_2
    msmo_2 Posts: 30 Forumite
    Up a mountain in Spain sounds Inviting :)
  • missile
    missile Posts: 11,763 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 10,000 Posts Name Dropper Photogenic
    I guess you have tried appealing the valuation? Details of how and where to appeal should be printed on your Council Tax Statement.

    See this thread http://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/showthread.html?t=278090
    "A nation's greatness is measured by how it treats its weakest members." ~ Mahatma Gandhi
    Ride hard or stay home :iloveyou:
  • msmo_2
    msmo_2 Posts: 30 Forumite
    Over and over again Missle, thanks anyway...
  • missile
    missile Posts: 11,763 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 10,000 Posts Name Dropper Photogenic
    I should have thought there was an appeals procedure? I don't think it is right that council can revalue from band A to B on a whim. I would agree that a mobile home without a site has little value and perhaps an independent valuation to confirm this would aid your case. Maybe worth getting solicitor to argue your case. Then the council might take more notice. You could form a residents assosciation to share the cost.
    "A nation's greatness is measured by how it treats its weakest members." ~ Mahatma Gandhi
    Ride hard or stay home :iloveyou:
  • Optimist
    Optimist Posts: 4,557 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture
    I think you have fallen foul of the new ratings procedure which has started in Wales but this wonderful government were scared to implement in England for the moment as they were worried about votes.

    Just an idea but they are possibly charging you as freehold because park homes have a certain security of tenure as afforded by the Mobile homes act 1983. I would suggest firstly phoning the VOA on 0845 600 1748 if your not happy with the answer raise a formal appeal.
    http://www.voa.gov.uk/council_tax/informal-appeals/appeals-and-enquiries-progress.htm
    "The whole problem with the world is that fools and fanatics are always so certain of themselves, but wiser people so full of doubts."

    Bertrand Russell. British author, mathematician, & philosopher (1872 - 1970)
  • bebee_2
    bebee_2 Posts: 348 Forumite
    MSMO -

    have sent you lots of details of who to contact via personel message.

    to any other people in Park homes and are not aware their is possible help
    via the below:


    NAPHR (national assoc of park home residents)
    Flat B
    38 Abergele Road
    Colwyn Bay
    LL29 7PA
    Contact is a Jim Winchester membership is £3.00 per annum to all new members.
    Also are you aware that thier is a Park Home Magazine that is published and that they have a Legal Dept that are helpful and would advise you if they could reslove or help you with problems or disputes
    Hope this helps

    (information via family member residing in a Park Home)
    £2 Pig has £86 in his Tummy. I am seriuosly Become a O/S Saver
  • EdInvestor
    EdInvestor Posts: 15,749 Forumite
    Optimist wrote: »
    Just an idea but they are possibly charging you as freehold because park homes have a certain security of tenure as afforded by the Mobile homes act 1983.

    This suggests they are more akin to leasehold than freehold.
    Trying to keep it simple...;)
  • msmo_2
    msmo_2 Posts: 30 Forumite
    Thank you so much for your answers to my question, I am pursuing all possiblities.
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