Static Caravan Ground Rent Refund

Johnnyrone70

Hi, this is just a query. 

We have a static caravan holiday home. At the start of the year, we paid the ground rent in full for the 2020-21 season. We have yet to visit the caravan site as it had only just opened for the season. However, the caravan park has now been closed by the government due to the ongoing coronavirus, rightly so.

Would anyone know if we can claim back ground rent seeing as we are not actually allowed in the park, and will not be using the caravan and facilities. 

We have caravan insurance, but I believe this is just for issues with the actual structure and not the site. 

Any advice would be greatly appreciated. 

Davesnave

The ground rent is charged by the park owner for having your caravan there occupying space and for the use of certain services. The caravan is still there, enjoying some or all of the same services, but you're missing because the government have closed such sites.

As it's the government who have caused the problem, not the site owner reneging on some part of your contract with them, it seems any claim would have to be against the government.

As no one knows how long the shut down will last it would be premature to start guessing what your 'losses' might be, but as a tax payer and resident on the edge of a holiday area, I'd not be in favour of reimbursing anyone for their inability to use their second home in the current situation. Sorry!

fabslimmer

Hi,
Just a query really as we are extremely annoyed with Park Dean Resorts and they way they are treating owners.  We received an update letter from them yesterday to say that they would not be issuing any ground rent refunds/discounts for the time that the site has been closed to owners due to the Corona Virus.  Our Ground Rent costs us over £5,000 per year, we have been unable to visit our caravan since March, and it is looking like it could be well into the summer before we may be allowed on site, which we fully appreciate, but all other major caravan sites, including Haven are reimbursing owners on a pro-rata basis some of their site fees.  As a 'Good Will Gesture' like other major operators, this should be their way forward surely?.  This just goes to show that Park Dean Resorts do not respect their owners, and all about the money! We, along with hundreds of other owners would love to see our caravans at some point this year, but know that we have to adhere to government guidelines and not visit.... Some of the lock down restrictions have been lifted but this does not mean that we are able to go to our caravans as yet, July is still a long way off.  Our potential incomes for 2020 is looking like it will be non-existent and a lot of people rely on some sort of income to be able to retain their caravans. How we pay over £5,000 is going to be a dilemma for a lot of owners this year.  If you have any advice or suggestions on how we approach Park Dean as a group of owners it would be very much appreciated.

Davesnave

fabslimmer

fabslimmer said:

 Our potential incomes for 2020 is looking like it will be non-existent and a lot of people rely on some sort of income to be able to retain their caravans. How we pay over £5,000 is going to be a dilemma for a lot of owners this year. 

Maybe the company who run your site are "all about the money," but businesses choose to run their operations in different ways and I think it's very unlikely that the government will interfere to ensure that you can retain your holiday home without hardship. However you look at it, it's a second home and a luxury item, not a necessity.

The Environment Agency is not going to issue refunds to people for the months when they couldn't use their fishing licences this year, nor will the government intervene where people have paid for unusable access to fishing beats, which may run to £thousands. That's just another example of a luxury leisure pursuit where people rent a facility and the monetary arrangements are up to owners.

You can always vote with your wheels when this is over.

mabbit

I think the park owners are wrong here...

(I) The ability of you to visit the park is irrelevant to the argument. The fact that it is illegal for you to visit does not absolve the park from fulfilling their part of the contract you have with them. UnderTUnder normal circumstances therevcould be many reasons for you being unable to visit....a broken leg, unwell, work commitments, in prison...but the park would still need to fulfill its contract by being open.

(Ii )Given (i) the question to ask is "is the park open". If it is not open you are due a refund as the park is not fulfilling its contract.

(iii) The reason for the park being closed is not your concern...it is simply the case that the park is closed .

(iv) The only exception to the argument above would be if you contract includes a specific clause for occasions where the park is forced to be closed for reasons outside of its control...you need to check your contract.

Marvel1

fabslimmer said:

Hi,
Just a query really as we are extremely annoyed with Park Dean Resorts and they way they are treating owners.  We received an update letter from them yesterday to say that they would not be issuing any ground rent refunds/discounts for the time that the site has been closed to owners due to the Corona Virus.  Our Ground Rent costs us over £5,000 per year, we have been unable to visit our caravan since March, and it is looking like it could be well into the summer before we may be allowed on site, which we fully appreciate, but all other major caravan sites, including Haven are reimbursing owners on a pro-rata basis some of their site fees.  As a 'Good Will Gesture' like other major operators, this should be their way forward surely?.  This just goes to show that Park Dean Resorts do not respect their owners, and all about the money! We, along with hundreds of other owners would love to see our caravans at some point this year, but know that we have to adhere to government guidelines and not visit.... Some of the lock down restrictions have been lifted but this does not mean that we are able to go to our caravans as yet, July is still a long way off.  Our potential incomes for 2020 is looking like it will be non-existent and a lot of people rely on some sort of income to be able to retain their caravans. How we pay over £5,000 is going to be a dilemma for a lot of owners this year.  If you have any advice or suggestions on how we approach Park Dean as a group of owners it would be very much appreciated.

Sorry, but considering how much you lot charge over half term it's a bit of a funny statement.

MovingForwards

fabslimmer said:

Hi,
Just a query really as we are extremely annoyed with Park Dean Resorts and they way they are treating owners.  We received an update letter from them yesterday to say that they would not be issuing any ground rent refunds/discounts for the time that the site has been closed to owners due to the Corona Virus.  Our Ground Rent costs us over £5,000 per year, we have been unable to visit our caravan since March, and it is looking like it could be well into the summer before we may be allowed on site, which we fully appreciate, but all other major caravan sites, including Haven are reimbursing owners on a pro-rata basis some of their site fees.  As a 'Good Will Gesture' like other major operators, this should be their way forward surely?.  This just goes to show that Park Dean Resorts do not respect their owners, and all about the money! We, along with hundreds of other owners would love to see our caravans at some point this year, but know that we have to adhere to government guidelines and not visit.... Some of the lock down restrictions have been lifted but this does not mean that we are able to go to our caravans as yet, July is still a long way off.  Our potential incomes for 2020 is looking like it will be non-existent and a lot of people rely on some sort of income to be able to retain their caravans. How we pay over £5,000 is going to be a dilemma for a lot of owners this year.  If you have any advice or suggestions on how we approach Park Dean as a group of owners it would be very much appreciated.

Read the guidance in the dedicated C19 sub-forum relating to holiday parks / static 'vans.

cheryl56

Johnnyrone70 said:

Hi, this is just a query. 

We have a static caravan holiday home. At the start of the year, we paid the ground rent in full for the 2020-21 season. We have yet to visit the caravan site as it had only just opened for the season. However, the caravan park has now been closed by the government due to the ongoing coronavirus, rightly so.

Would anyone know if we can claim back ground rent seeing as we are not actually allowed in the park, and will not be using the caravan and facilities. 

We have caravan insurance, but I believe this is just for issues with the actual structure and not the site. 

Any advice would be greatly appreciat

Davesnave said:

The ground rent is charged by the park owner for having your caravan there occupying space and for the use of certain services. The caravan is still there, enjoying some or all of the same services, but you're missing because the government have closed such sites.

As it's the government who have caused the problem, not the site owner reneging on some part of your contract with them, it seems any claim would have to be against the government.

As no one knows how long the shut down will last it would be premature to start guessing what your 'losses' might be, but as a tax payer and resident on the edge of a holiday area, I'd not be in favour of reimbursing anyone for their inability to use their second home in the current situation. Sorry!

hi at our caravan site we pay around £500 for the rates which is seperate to the site fees and its for water and refuge as we are not using it and it would be for about 4 months

diggingdude

surely the problem is not the site owners, it is that people have bought caravans expecting to rent them out to pay for them and can't afford them themselves.  This isn't the parks problem

Angie145

Static caravan ground rent refund due to Covid 19
I own a static caravan which is on an owners only site (No renting) and in February paid over £3000 ground rent.  This covers the period March 1st 2020 to January 5th 2021.  The site has recently sent a letter out saying hopefully they will be open from July 4th.  They also stated that we wouldn't be getting a refund but they would be taking it off next years ground rent!  Can they do this? What if you don't want to stop another year?  Thank you in advance for your advice.

Davesnave

Angie 145 Have you read the latest guidance in this site regarding static caravan fees? It's in the Covid19 sub forum, not here.