Park Home owners..

msmo_2 · 10 March 2007 at 5:04PM

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 ?

seven-day-weekend · 10 March 2007 at 6:32PM

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?

msmo_2 · 12 March 2007 at 3:10PM

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 · 12 March 2007 at 3:12PM

Up a mountain in Spain sounds Inviting

missile · 13 March 2007 at 10:04AM

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

msmo_2 · 13 March 2007 at 3:04PM

Over and over again Missle, thanks anyway...

missile · 13 March 2007 at 6:13PM

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.

Optimist · 13 March 2007 at 8:13PM

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

bebee_2 · 14 March 2007 at 7:04PM

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)

EdInvestor · 15 March 2007 at 11:30AM

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.

msmo_2 · 17 March 2007 at 6:02PM

Thank you so much for your answers to my question, I am pursuing all possiblities.

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Park Home owners..

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