PANORAMA: The Mobile Home/Caravan Park Swindle

[@lizmacrae4970]

My friend who lives in a mobile home on the isle of wight has to move out for a period of time every year when the site is shut…but what was really shocking was that the site was closed during covid and she had to move out for months but was charged for electricity she had not used…£650 …

[@ancientbriton8262]

Yep that’s how they work, the issue is if you are resident and it is your main home you are liable to pay rates to the council. Often the site licences does not permit full time residents, although the liars at the park will tell you, to optain a sale that you can stay all year round. The whole thing is dishonesty and criminality.

[@andrearoyd2942]

re: your friend on the IOW: That is because it is a HOLIDAY site and not a residential. You can't live on holiday site! That simple, you are expected to show proof that you have a permanent home& pay council tax

[@lizmacrae4970]

@@andrearoyd2942 yes she is aware…it was the electricity charge when it could not be occupied and therefore none was used….although it was peddled to her as permanent as the lodge was in a residential part of the property…

[@andrearoyd2942]

@@lizmacrae4970 Sorry to read your friend had all this trouble, we have static on a site with 52 weeks opening, but we are only a holiday contract, therefore, we have show we have another permanent residence and show our council tax payment. But sadly there are crooks around. A lot of these sites change hands as has ours about three years ago, now, at the moment is in bankruptcy !! :( Equally the sites change hands frequently between dubious people.

[@philipdawson3660]

Was,this park in perown way Sandown bac

[@bigearedmouse17]

A Broken System, One of many in the U.K.

[@bobjames6622]

It's NOT a broken system. It's just that most people don't bother to do their own due diligence. More fool them.

[@bobjames6622]

@kensukadventures628 When it comes to large amounts of money, ALL humans lie. I should know; I used to work in debt management and debt collection. When it comes to money the default position is that you should EXPECT to be lied to as a matter of routine. That is why you ALWAYS undertake your own, comprehensive, due diligence. If somebody doesn't, then more fool them.

[@EMEL-hr4ut]

I was a solicitor and a mobile home buyer approached me and I felt discouraged from getting involved and i was told it was a sale under the mobile homes act 1983 and there was no need for solicitors. I still read all the documents available for a small fee but you were not allowed ask much questions like with a land registry property sale and all correspondence had to be via the site owners (presumably acting as selling agensts) not with those selling. I was very surprised this went on. You were viewed as a potential nuisance and unnecessary trouble maker.

[@Leo-gt1bx]

@@bobjames6622 Nonsense

[@bobjames6622]

@@Leo-gt1bx Looks like we've found the intellectual. LOL!

[@PeterUn-h1i]

I don't understand why you would pay over this sort of money without legal advice. Its a massive gamble

[@PeterUn-h1i]

I mean if you buy a car you get it checked make sure no out standing money or not been in a crash so why not a home

[@PeterUn-h1i]

@@athena-iv3yt such a shame they didn't have someone that would question things

[@melanieah5501]

​@@PeterUn-h1iThe victims almost need a consortium, like the Post Office & Alan Bates did.

[@Mounhas]

I imagine many are told “don’t bother with that expense” or have it inspected.

[@G58]

Thank goodness there aren’t far bigger problems with people’s health having been coerced into unsafe and ineffective chemistry experiments. Because if there was, we can all be assured that the BBC’s Panorama would investigate. After all, that’s the responsibility of publicly funded broadcasting isn’t it…?

[@camptube7621]

This is sad, but you should not lay out £100k+ without using a solicitor.

[@holidayparkaction2758]

Why would you think selling a property like thhat, the nice smiling, pleasent salesman, would be lieing through his teeth. HIndsight very rarely does any good.

[@TheMrSafeTheFirst]

Exactly. LWYRUP

[@johnathandaviddunster38]

And watch out for dodgy solicitors!!!!!!😢

[@13woolley]

Maybe around thirty thousand, people who are desperate for houses

[@1t_wasnt_me]

@@johnathandaviddunster38 You are MUCH less likely to encounter a dodgy solicitor than a dodgy salesman

[@JodyLSumrall]

Impressive Investigative reporting; well done.

[@Hello-hellowearethebillyboys]

Panorama are liars really bad. Watch panodrama that’ll be worth a watch to see how these conmen try and outsmart conmen and companies.

[@c.t5136]

Who benefitted from the £75,000 fine? That's criminal too. Surely a percentage of that should go towards compensation for the victim.

[@thedandyhighwayman]

The council.

[@roberthiggins6401]

Exactly. Nothing to the msm or woman out of pocket. Another scam. At the end of the day if a site is open all year round I don't see a problem with living there all year round. So these pointless laws are just that, pointless! Why should the council make money off of the site owner yet the caravan owner gets f all when they're the one that's been taken advantage of far more than some words written on a piece of paper. Seems to me that the freud is generally levied at the little man, woman so to speak.

[@Ramblingpete]

All of it man disgusting and makes fine bigger for residents 👍🏿 to share 🤪

[@Ramblingpete]

Some people get a real buzzzzzzzzzz from scamming people scum bags 100 percent

[@Ramblingpete]

Your home is empty and waiting for the next victim the owner can’t go wrong cash cash cash and more cash the council could compulsory by and reap all the ground rent no brainer

[@kass794]

Paying £100k+ I do checks and not just take the word from the seller

[@holidayparkaction2758]

Why would you think selling a property like thhat, the nice smiling, pleasent salesman, would be lieing through his teeth. HIndsight very rarely does any good.

[@riverdeep399]

​@@holidayparkaction2758 because he WANTS something from you. Why wouldn't he lie?

[@1t_wasnt_me]

@@holidayparkaction2758 Can you not think of anything else to say, you've used this reply already. No-one is talking about 'hindsight' except you, the comments that you're berating are talking about people using an increasingly rare attribute these days, it's called "Common sense & fore sight" and the people YOU are protecting don't seem to have those attributes, if they did, they would also benefit from hindsight as well!

[@DarknessCornered]

Haven't people seen Snatch.. then they'd know what would happen when you buy a caravan off a pikey

[@djtonylee]

@@holidayparkaction2758are you serious? Anyone with a brain would not take someones word for it while handing over 100k. There is a reason people have solicitors involved when buying homes.

[@neilthehermit4655]

If anyone wants to read more about this, back issues of Private Eye have many articles.

[@EMEL-hr4ut]

Private eye won't poke their eye into those who would poke it out for them. Haven't written anything worthwhile since paul foot was topped

[@andrearoyd2942]

Perhaps Panorama ought to look into the Robert Lee Bull, aka Royale resorts & life. A man who was a bankrupt. Then went on over 4 years to acquire about 60 sites NOW insolvent and in administration to a tune of £1 billion. Why did lenders throw money at this man? There's a merry-go-round of these sites from one owner to another! Now what for those sites waiting to be acquired? Why did lender loan far in excess of their value?

[@terencejay8845]

'Wherever there is a fortune, there is a crime.'

[@noramartin96]

And the TV personalities paid to promote these sites

[@1t_wasnt_me]

@@noramartin96 Stop spouting pathetic nonsense. It's nothing to do with the tv personalities, they are doing their job, they are being paid to advertise a product/item, not investigate it. If stupid people want to throw their hard earned cash away by not carrying out their own due diligence, then they only have themselves to blame when something goes wrong, END OFF!

[@lyndabennett1ify]

Yes, I'm a victim of Royale. I believe his lawyers are also in on the fraud

[@juliebrooke6099]

It would make sense for councils to buy some of these parks or set them up to provide affordable housing in their area and ensure they are properly run.

[@Bebedollie]

That's a great idea

[@janingram1076]

Except councils are selling them off to travellers, aka havering atte bower for one

[@Leo-gt1bx]

Not profitable enough.

[@christineedmondson5851]

It's not just these site owners named who sell park homes/caravans without the proper residential licence or squeezes more on than they're permitted! Due diligence is needed. Check with the local council and check whether they have a residential licence and for how many! If it says holiday, that's exactly what it means holiday. Without residential licence buyers haven't got a leg to stand on if the local council decide to enforce their regulations. you're going to be homeless and out of pocket.

[@melanieah5501]

Isn't this role of the Solicitor ?

[@Mounhas]

@@melanieah5501. For these large amounts of money and being a potential home, most emphatically yes.

[@DavidJohnson-yg8qm]

Have you ever bought a mobile home on a site? The site owners do the transactions. Direct sales between individuals is not permitted. What people fail to realise is, this is not the USA and these are holiday homes not permanent sites. Also under many terms and conditions a 10 year old caravan can be evicted because it is too old.

[@EMEL-hr4ut]

People go into these with their eyes open. I dealt with these and everyone knew the score and liked to say ah everyone does it. They cannot evict us all. Fair play. Let's get on with our lives.

[@joedennehy386]

Or just use your solicitor

[@dottieland7061]

Stay away from Alfie best, his dodgy practices made my best friend commit suicide as he refused to help her. All he thinks about is money.

[@justinefleming7756]

Here here,we lived on one of his parks,it was awful,I never wanted to go home to the park,loads of unhappy folk to on the park,so sad.

[@dalderson7054]

For 125k you could have bought a house in the north east of England that would be still there in decades to come. Park homes have a shelf life in the end.

[@Bluebird19-ll8su]

Whereabouts in the North East would you recommend to get affordable homes?

[@djtonylee]

@@Bluebird19-ll8sufor 100k? Pretty much anywhere in the north of england…

[@andrewhaines3259]

That doesn't help anyone living in Oxfordshire!

[@TheMilford99]

Handy for the Pakistani rape gang activity, then and now.

[@kimparker4055]

Stay away from BILLING AQUADROME IN NORTHAMPTONSHIRE.

[@tarat26]

Why is this?

[@bfyrth]

I would have stayed away on that Name alone

[@eliotmansfield]

@@tarat26floods

[@philipb867]

and it stinks there too!

[@leebob4654]

Flood central

[@Buddhavibez]

Why would anyone buy a caravan if they couldn’t live in it full time. Ridiculous

[@bobstirling6885]

Because they see it as a cheap alternative to a house and are often allowed by the park owners to abuse the conditions of the licence.

[@melanieah5501]

Maybe they have only £120k but at 65 they don't want the burden of a mortgage.

[@holidayparkaction2758]

Why would you think selling a property like thhat, the nice smiling, pleasent salesman, would be lieing through his teeth. HIndsight very rarely does any good.

[@PatIsaac-w7z]

They are called leisure homes so classed as second homes rather than just a static. You can get a static and put on your own land at half the price but you’re paying to rent the land and all the facilities. Same as buying a second home but it’s not your land

[@Fawkdesign]

Only a dirty roma

[@Andrew-ki5jz]

The council also are far too controlling in people's lives, especially with budget living preventing them from living in their own HOMES anytime they like, this law needs to be changed

[@longbar2344]

yet they ignored the roads graffiti vandalism/abandoned houses

[@jamesfoote8916]

That is not right. Planning was given for a holiday park. Imagine if you lived next to it and except in summer the roads may be busier but not to bad. If people live there full time then the roads and amenities will be used just like any housing development but the infrastructure may well not be in place suitable for holidays not for residents. I read one persons comment where maybe on all residential the people buying the Caravan get to keep the land as well having someone else owning the land that your Caravan is on is really not acceptable and to all purchases should be done through a solicitor

[@davidellis279]

I looked into purchasing one of these mobile homes a few years ago after visiting a friend who had hired one for a few months,it was lovely and very cosy and ideal for what I wanted. After making inquiries about prices Ect. and then asked about the fees for living there,they were downright theft and increased annually. After careful consideration I decided not to bother and bought a bungalow instead after being told they were for holiday use only but nobody will bother if you live there the year round, thank God I did my homework and decided not to purchase.

[@OH2023-cj9if]

Etc, not "ect".

[@dizzydevil547]

@@OH2023-cj9if dont be a grammar nazi please! i make the same mistake often with ETC and ECT ... NOT everybody has a degree in journalism or writing engish properly ...some folks also have varying degress of dislexia so when typing / wrting stuff down they often spell things wrong ! I know i do! to pick up on that one thing to me IS being petty and a grammar nazi in my book not on at all sorry to say! 😉 BUT that's just my view on it!

[@Kiinell]

This is frustrating, because all of these people bought property without any legal advice. Absolutely crazy.

[@SuperKnuckler]

you dont need solicitor there bigger villains than the site owners it plainly states on document several times holiday use how plain do you want it

[@whatiexperiencedat6919]

My husband and I nearly got caught by park owners about 10 years ago. They promise so much verbally but don't live up to those promises. For example, they say you can sell up whenever and to whoever. When the time comes you have to the Park's permission and they tell the potential new owner that they will be moving the caravan to a less desirable plot.

[@stuartstravels1640]

My late Father and I had a caravan on a park in Scotland for a number of years!. My advice to anyone considering buying one is to forget about it!. We had nothing but trouble!. If we weren’t being bullied by nasty neighbours, we were being bullied by the park manager!. You had no rights whatsoever, and they could put you off site at a moment’s notice!. Thankfully we never lived there, and we had the security of a permanent home!. We eventually gave the van back to them and walked away!. I’ve seen people sell their vans back to the park for peanuts, only to see a sign for twice the amount the previous owner got paid for it a week later!. They are money pits!. I’ve owned a touring caravan for a few years now, and I’ve never been happier!.

[@andipeters743]

I very nearly bought one in Somerset about six years ago but I asked for a copy of the contract in advance which on reading thoroughly put me off. You have practically NO rights if the owner decides that they don't want you there, regardless of what you've spent.

[@OH2023-cj9if]

This has happened in the North West. There is a park that was saying caravans had to be no more than a few years old. The owners evicted people unless they bough new homes! They're only for holidays.

[@meglomania2001]

Simple solution is to allow the residents to own the land they live on.

[@bobstirling6885]

But they are not residents, that's the whole point....it is holiday occupation on a licence....

[@kubhlaikhan2015]

You're still vulnerable to planning regulations and other disputes whether you own a freehold or not.

[@CarlosAlberto-ii1li]

@@bobstirling6885 Before you buy, look. does the sign outside say HOLDAY PARK or RESIDENTIAL PARK. Then you have all your answers.

[@tjfSIM]

@@kubhlaikhan2015It’s never a good idea to invest that sort of money in a home if you don’t also have the freehold (or a share of it).

[@1t_wasnt_me]

@@kubhlaikhan2015 NOT-IF-YOU-FOLLOW-THE-RULES, like 300,000+ other caravan/mobile home owners in the UK

[@100SteveB]

It's the lack of enforcement from councils that lets these park owners get away with this. Regular checks would soon reveal what is really going on. But councils turn a blind eye for years on end.

[@EMEL-hr4ut]

And rightly so. One good thing I could say about councils. Leave well alone. No one outside the sites is complaining.

[@kubhlaikhan2015]

The gypsy billionaire is right about one thing - with house prices and rents sky high, the country needs caravan parks. Most of the problems stem from our outdated and reactionary planning rules. Councils are often grossly unreasonable and as a result developers frequently break the rules and poor residents end up facing the bills. I live in a fairly small village which has several house owners terrified to sell their properties because previous owners didn't apply for planning permission. In fact, I live in a 400 year old listed building I have an opportunity to buy but internal alterations were almost certainly unapproved. I can't take the risk and nor can any other buyer - and as a result the building is decaying into the ground.

[@jasper8252]

Like America with there trailer parks

[@kubhlaikhan2015]

@@jasper8252 Better than a 10 year planning nightmare, bus shelter, shop doorway or multistorey carpark. Our "leaders" have no idea what reality is and our kids have no idea what they're up against.

[@noramartin96]

Councils could easily buy these types of sites and build affordable rentable property for people to live in not leave he door open to scammers to steal working class people of their hard earned money . Rotten stinking society we live in

[@melanieah5501]

Those saying this Report does not show happy owners, it is an investigative Documentary, it interviews both unhappy owners and the man himself Mr flash pants Best. The issue is these owners have little to no rights, they've fallen into a trap and no doubt talked to like trash. Some of them are almost in tears, that cannot be right. Their £120k they spent without a solicitor, well how many conveyancers do u see touting the buisness of buying & selling of mobile homes? I certainly haven't seen any ad's. Maybe they had only £120k and maybe this was all they had without the burden of a mortgage esp the pensioners. Do u know how mistreat Pensioners & and vulnerable people get treat by authority? Bucket loads. I do not believe for one moment that Alfie Best has not canvassed council officials, as its rife in property and land deals. These ppl literally have none to little rights, i bet nobody is taking their grievances seriously! Perhaps "panorama" was the only chance given for them to vent their frustrations. Alfie came across as a typical hard-nosed businessman and i've watched him on the James English vid displaying disguisting amounts of wealth. Draw ur own conclusions.

[@longbar2344]

bet if travellers or illegals lived on the sites with stuff built with no planning permission they would get ignored

[@majordelays4909]

1000%

[@abeonthehill166]

Is that because they tend to be violent and have a “ who gives a fuc* “ attitude to the law i wonder ?

[@veganvivjones4655]

@@abeonthehill166 An attitude we must all learn to adopt, in my opinion, in order to save ourselves from the globalists' end goal. Gary Waterman has just exposed the massive Companies House scandal, involving politicians past and present: B-liar, Cameron, Sunak, Starmer, Khan etc., etc., all involved. All 650 MPs have been put on notice (several times) but, interesting, none have responded. All links back to Ghislaine and Robert Maxwell, Max Clifford, Jeffrey Epstein and others, all connected to child stealing by the state, human trafficking, fake bank accounts produced by the banks themselves and money laundering on an industrial scale. The scandal featured here is, no doubt, linked to the far bigger picture currently being revealed. When the dam breaks, this will knock the Panama Papers into a cocked-hat.

[@beastylad7418]

Good point’ I wonder how many so called travellers pay Poll tax and live permanently on their site? Oh and the site owner is a traveller ‘ 😅😂 ffs the council won’t be knocking he’s door anytime soon. 🤣

[@amandadonegan2137]

Dell Farm? Remember?

[@tridens6708]

Today an news article on my local paper the local caravan park Haven An owner paid £180.000 for caravan sold it 18 months later back to Haven they offered him £23.000 18 months later I the end they sold it for £33.000 to the park discusting 😢

[@SuperKnuckler]

they could of lived in a 5 star hotel getting everything done plus utilities and not cost that

[@bobstirling6885]

Clearly says there's no residential licence a number of times....if that's not a red flag then what is? You wouldn't buy a house without a solicitor, but they are happy to spend £200k on a holiday home without residential permission....

[@noramartin96]

Sadly people are blinded by the dream, glossy brochures and videos.Quite often your advice to seek legal advice before proceeding is ignored

[@SuperKnuckler]

@@noramartin96 you dont need solicitor there bigger villains than the site owners it plainly states on document several times holiday use how plain do you want it

[@JazzFunkNobby1964]

I had a static on a holiday site. The site closed every year for two months, Jan and Feb. Everything is in the annual contract that you sign. There has to be a legal contract. Quite clearly some of these owners didn't read the contract. Who's fault is that? I left on bad terms and would never do it again. The contract is heavily weighted in favour of the site owner. I did it because I was desperate for somewhere to live that I could afford. Had seven happy years then covid happened. The Councils know that people live full time on the sites but do nothing because they would have to rehouse people if evicted.

[@hollownation]

The real crime here is the prices absolutely disgusting they are probably not paying more than 20 30 thousand then selling them to people 120,000 plus

[@lyndabennett1ify]

This is true

[@janingram1076]

That is cheap some parks are selling at well over £200,000

[@laylah150]

At that point why don't the potential customers buy non-caravan homes? £120K that's a decent deposit for any house in inner London. ​@janingram1076

[@telstar32]

I feel very sad for those involved, but why on earth would you shell out thousands of pounds without taking any legal advise first.

[@SuperKnuckler]

why pay for legal advice when its stated on document holiday use i wouldnt have gone near it a fool and his money is easy parted

[@theresacrossman2155]

I would suggest the local councils recognise that human beings are all intitled to live the way they feel content with,the reason councils have these ridiculous laws is to not loose their valuable income from taxes,made up rules to obtain revenue so to blame it on caravan parks is all very convenient. Every human has the right your human rights to live by their choice .... but its not only the caravan parks cashing in is it

[@garethwilliams2147]

200k for a tin and wooden box no thanks

[@1t_wasnt_me]

Tin & wood? You'd be lucky, the majority are just fibreglass & UPVC with bits of laminate thrown in.

[@Gazr965]

Tin !? Tin would be very expensive, some exteriors are aluminium or zinc plated steel sheet with a powder coating colour or painted

[@Bebedollie]

200k can be a down payment on a nice house 🏠 somewhere with a yard and stuff

[@Gazr965]

@@Bebedollie Yes, not just what is basically a glorified shed😎

[@Lostsome]

@@Bebedollie😂in south moor up near Durham u will buy full street 😂 for 200 k

[@steve-r-collier]

theres a leasehold reform bill going through parliament this year supposedly although the greedy rich landowners will try and stop it.

[@phann860]

They certainly will, especially the Duke of Westminster and the the nit wit in the North, "Duke of Northumberland". The government should remove the exemption from death duties these people enjoy because supposedly everything is in trust.

[@tonyrobinson362]

Apparently it's going to take 20yrs to alter the leasing laws, Its been on the news today, 20yrs!

[@steve-r-collier]

@@tonyrobinson362 why am i not surprised..bunch of scam merchants!

[@onlyme8117]

Are the site owners Gypsies

[@CarlosAlberto-ii1li]

Yes, he is.

[@longbar2344]

pikes yes

[@KarenaDashfield]

Yes, another section of society who flaunt the laws, get away with it and make billions. They've come a long way from scratching a living selling pegs and bunches of heather on doorsteps.

[@Desertfox124]

Yes dossier s

[@russellcolverson6916]

Lots of tarmac...

[@dayleedwards3521]

Stupid laws from the council is the problem here.

[@johnkerr7286]

And the site owner was telling them (wink) that he was turning a blind eye, then they dob themselves in it, they must have liked the deal.

[@kojo8770]

If done properly what is the issue with people living on site ? Cheap living i say have more sites for residential but do it properly

[@melanieah5501]

How is it cheap, when they have additional Parc home fees to pay for? I live in house and do not pay fees, just council tax which I think they do too.

[@ancientbriton8262]

As far as Wyldecrest go this is only the tip of the Iceberg, you go there at your peril, it’s not “Live The Dream” but “ Live the Nightmare “.

[@gnome691]

The film Snatch, is a good reference for this sort of thing

[@adambarton9326]

Forced off-site less than 2yrs after we purchased. lost over half of its value. fees increased by over £1200 over 2yrs. Cost £2950 just to disconnect from site. Harrison's

[@charvais]

What's not been discussed in this Doc is the cost of Leasing the land, in some cases £10,000 a year ! How are people affording that much while the land owner is driving around in a Rolls Royce, paid for with their money...

[@seanrm]

Some of these "mobile homes" are lovely - better quality than many bricks 'n mortar new builds, and certainly nicer than the post-war prefabs that many still live in - and love. I know this video is about swindlers, but with careful planning there is potentially a partial solution to the housing crisis here.

[@camptube7621]

I agree. I may retire to one of these and spend a month at my kids’ once a year. There are some lovely sites. But of course I will check with solicitors and the council.

[@melanieah5501]

Mobile home like cars depreciate.

[@andrewwinstanley8217]

Don’t forget that you have to pay rent on your initial price to buy the caravan. Once you’re in, they have free reign to charge you what they want.

[@mcfcguvnors]

When they were ten k they were worth it now they are a rip off

[@merineyit]

​@melanieah5501- They do, usually. But, some years ago I got nearly double what I had paid for mine, after 8 happy years of occupying it.

[@davidworsley7969]

These are supposed to be holiday homes, that's why they don't pay council tax-in my experience the owners of the sites are unscrupulous in the way they lie to and exploit the renters-They are very likeable and plausible when you meet them but are squeezing you for every last penny. Would you want a company that is based in a caravan re roofing your house or relaying your drive? These are the swindlers who run these parks.

[@Dave-gp6gq]

My friends Dad bought a caravan on a site after his divorce for £65000 , was a site where you could live there 11 months of the year . After 4 years they told him that there not going to renew his license and he had 2 weeks to remove his caravan or it would be £250 a day storage , they did offer to buy his van back but only for £2000 . So in the end he sold for £1000 just to avoid massive fines and storage and lost everything 😢

[@sparkyt6497]

My late father had one was paying as much in council tax as I was and he had to move out 2weeks of the year.they don’t increase in equity and you don’t own the land .he made a big mistake buying it bless him

[@macraghnaill3553]

I know someone who has just moved from a lodge and had to sell to the site owner at a loss. The site has a 12 month holiday licence but also has around 20 lodges for permanent residential living, although the main website which lists all the residential sites it owns doesn't list this site

[@siadali7673]

Absolutely outrageous situation

[@alidolloso1704]

Why cant the council and the gov just change the law so people can live there permanently. The gov and council constantly complain that they cant house the population, yet they create their own housing problems by their pointless red tape.

[@steve-r-collier]

council are to blame too wth these stupid petty laws..does it really matter if you live there all year round

[@juliebrooke6099]

If you live there full time the council has to take you into account when planning for school places, adult social services, and any other services they have to provide for permanent residents.

[@Gazr965]

I know someone who bought into a mobile home( Hunmanby ) and they looked into it and, yes they state it's 12 months, but you have to be not there for 1 month out of 12 so they just go to Spain for a month, sorted. Gaz Yorkshire.

[@chrysalis4126]

Maybe they should have also interviewed the people who are living there happily with no problems? Would give a more balanced view. Also if everyone living in a caravan park without a residential licence moved out it would increase the local councils housing crisis and I doubt very much if they have the housing available to rehome these people.

[@melanieah5501]

I think the council may be taking back-handers by the likes of the Alfie Bests of this world. I've seen corruption in my local council, local property entrepreneurs drinking with the building control. Even tho the buck stops with the parc owner, I feel councils may turn a "blind eye."

[@johnkerr7286]

I remember selling timeshare, when the media thought it was timescare - met many owners and never met a dissatisfied owner.

[@DS-fo4ed]

It’s the bbc. Don’t expect any balance.

[@peteredwards5364]

At least the bbc made investigations and bought this to our attention.

[@hydorah]

Alfie Best is lying and stitching people up. Stealing their life savings. This program is about what he's doing wrong leaving people in peril of homelessness. Why would a program waste time on pap worshipping a liar? Should the documentary about the Horizon scandal Show Paula Vennells being nice to people? for 'balance'. I hear Hitler was kind to his dogs and folks voted for him. Best has mugged people and HE should pay to make it right, not councils, namely us the tax payer

[@pujapete3665]

everything can change when the park gets new owners.just happened to people living at forest park near cromer norfolk.had to move out and finding it difficult to sell lodge.not me but someone i know.buyers beware

[@ashfly]

When you buy a property always get a solicitor on board.

[@SuperKnuckler]

you dont need solicitor there bigger villains than the site owners it plainly states on document several times holiday use how plain do you want it

[@ashfly]

@@SuperKnuckler Fair play but seeking legal advice is always the best way. There's a lot of money at stake.

[@SuperKnuckler]

@@ashfly IT CLEARLY STATES IN BIG BOULD LETTERS HOLIDAY USE WHY WOULD YOU WANT TO GIVE A SOLICITOR A £1000 PLUS TO READ THAT TO YOU YOUR AS NIAVE AS THE PEOPLE WHO BOUGHT THEM

[@ashfly]

@@SuperKnuckler At least make sure you're covered with legal advice and back up so you can't be shafted. Its not rocket science mate!!!

[@SuperKnuckler]

@@ashfly you dont need legal advice it clearly states holiday homes cant be anymore simpler than that if you can read legal advice cant translate it any other way if you want to waste money on getting a solicitor to tell you what ive just told you you diserve your money taken off you

[@hunyesmith03]

Me and my spouse almost bought one, we were days from closing when we got suspicious and did a ton of digging and found out that the site manager and the agents, and owners had lied to us and that NO residents under 55 could live in the park. We’d asked SOOOO many times, and every time hey’s said “yep, all good, don’t worry” but it wasn’t and we almost lost £125,000, cash… Every penny we had basically. I don’t know what would’ve happened if we sent them the money…

[@hunyesmith03]

I’ll add that our solicitor (that was recommended by the agent) also said it was all fine.

[@carlbarron1186]

Due to UK's extreme shortage of homes UK GOV needs to change the Laws pertaining to Mobile Homes and Caravans to allows all to be reclassified as Residential

[@JoannecTaylor-hu8yh]

Who in the right mind would buy off a pikie

[@johnathandaviddunster38]

What ethnicity are you????..

[@billybonds4449]

@@johnathandaviddunster38 It is irrelevant what her ethnicity is. Her words are quite correct.

[@Bebedollie]

You don't need to call them the p word u obviously know it's disrespectful

[@johnathandaviddunster38]

@@billybonds4449 I can't argue with drunks,religious maniacs, BIGOTS or my wife , you should be ashamed of yourself, just recently the first gypsy got a university degree and unlike you he hasn't got 💩 for brains you and your elk disgust me ..go on on your pike ....!!!*****er c***..

[@johnathandaviddunster38]

@@Bebedollie you can't argue with drunks,religious maniacs, BIGOTS or my wife, these ignorant xenophobic people aren't worth communicating with ...greetings from Nigeria..

[@ImIn-sm9pt]

Hopefully people will see this programme before purchasing a mobile home,in the long run it will cost this these con men simples!

[@bobjames6622]

So she admits she didn't hire a lawyer, and THEN she complains when she gets stung? Not very bright, eh!?

[@banaresali]

millionaire owner owns 90 plots and still has to swindle unsuspecting buyers? what the fruck is wrong with these people. They have to be rotten inside out.

[@christopherfothergil]

Typical reply, was not sold by us. Buyer beware. I would not trust this guy, he is a con man. you dont get to be billionaire by being honest.

[@chel2990]

A gypsy billionaire. If that don't turn you off I don't know what would

[@brightspark4817]

why would you trust a traveler or even buy anything off one

[@andrewstones2921]

I’m sorry but who the hell spends over 100,000 on a mobile home and does not perform any due diligence at all. Mobile homes depreciate rapidly, they may seem cheaper than a regular home but the real cost is much higher unless it’s an older well cared for mobile home and you own the land that it’s on. A fool and their money is easily parted

[@justinefleming7756]

Why wasn't this on prime time tv,when we sold ours,thank god,we had to pay 7 grand to his company just to sell.I will never buy on a park again,and I warn people..DO YOUR HOMEWORK

[@bohy1]

The pineapple in that woman's kitchen 😂 if you know, you know

[@user-Tortured-soul]

Local Councils should take note. There is a, strong need for static sized brick built insulated homes for couples to live in. It wouldn’t cost much to build small homes for couples to rent from the local Councils. So why aren’t they filling the gaps in the market ? This would free up other properties for families who are desperate for council properties.

[@andiharper4498]

Such a successful businessman running such a large company in such a petty way... its simply not worth the aggravation, poor reputation and publicity. I guess its engrained... and his been operating this way all his life, been getting away with it and see's no reason(s) to change.

[@anniemac3075]

There are conmen in every walk of life, 20 years ago I had to find an affordable home to buy for myself & my three cats & was very interested in a small flat until I found out no animals were permitted to live in the building. I told the estate agent I no longer had any interest in it & he tried very hard to persuade me to go ahead with the purchase as 'once you're living there what's anyone going to be able to do about it'.

[@c.t5136]

Some rudimentary maths... 165,000 x 76 = 12,650,000... That's a lot of money made from a few acres. I wonder if HMRC are in the picture? I hope so. Backhanders to planners, too.

[@martyrobson4958]

Rory’s beanie must have planning permission 🤔it wasn’t evicted once😂but on a serious note, good journalism, people be aware,robbing bastards come in many different forms

[@pensans1]

Been going on for years

[@sueharvey4747]

We own a holiday lodge on a holiday park which closes for 6 weeks of the year. Every year we have to provide proof of our permanent residence i.e council tax bill, utilities bill etc. this was clearly explained to us when we purchased. This is our 3rd van on this particular site and we are happy there. Fees are expensive but do include a lot of facilities for both adults and children - I would say a holiday home depreciates like a car and costs increase without a doubt! I feel so sorry for these poor people who have invested their life savings in the purchase of the properties - it would appear that the park owners lied to them to get a sale and as pointed out they only ‘rent’ the plot. It is an unregulated industry and too easy to be taken in by unscrupulous companies/individuals!

[@paulspenceruk1]

Near the end there, the site is open 12 months of the year and people can stay there any time - is stated in the film. What is the legal period of time a resident has to vacant the property for, before their time there is legal? One month a year holiday, two weeks away, one night, Is it 6 months - what is the law between permanent and holiday or retirement time on a site? The laws governing mobile home parks are obviously broken in the UK.

[@tonyrobinson362]

Apparently it cannot be your residential address? What about postal deliveries then?

[@muckle8]

Like everything else in this shitbox country now , a complete and utter rip off .

[@joedennehy386]

None of these people involved a solicitor in the purchase. Pity

[@jennyspence-g3l]

I think Alfie has an answer for everything you won't win!

[@Ramblingpete]

Would anyone go into a shop that said this is a gypsy shop no and no way 👎🏾👎🏾👎🏾

[@marymongan6360]

Breaking good peoples hearts and stealing their hard earned money,,

[@Gazr965]

22 18 The agreement/bill of sale form the lady signed clearly states 'Holiday use only' so she cannot blame the owner on that one. She signed it.

[@ivormectin.3046]

Why can't these people live on these sights should be the question... This country is crying out for accommodation.

[@pupster73]

Thats why Alfie Best has left the country

[@davidcocker8878]

Age 73, it was our dream to buy a Static Caravan on the Coast when we retired, due to the horror stories we bought a Motorhome instead, in 7 years it’s now valued £15k more than we paid for it, amazing how many Motorhome Owners did exactly as we did due to the total crooks running these Sites totally unregulated

[@Depak1959]

Motor homes don’t increase in value

[@jeffsmith2144]

Little brown envelopes 😮. Jackels, the lot of them.

[@graemeedgar7654]

so you gave 125,000K cash to that guy, well enough said.

[@davidcolin6519]

A simple, neat and just solution would be for the councils in question to have every problem park proviisionally "Condemned" on the grounds that the owners are not abiding by their agreements. Fines should match precisely the value paid by the owners, and then taken into public ownership, with rigyhts to live provided for those that have been cheated. Remove the profit motive for the people creating them, provide justice for the victims. At least it would be of some use in reducing the housing crisis.

[@liszaf3976]

Blimey go and live in Russia or China you will be much happier!!!!

[@davidcolin6519]

@@liszaf3976 Why? What an absolutely absurd idea; that people shouldn't be held accountable for knowingly and repeatedly breaking the law! Seriously, I know of plenty of cases where planning permissions have been enforced. WTF is wrong with making enforcement work for the people worst affected? And in what way does enforcing the law have anything to do with Russia or China? I think you must be delighted with blighted Britain if that is your attitude. You're welcome to it.

[@isitme5669]

No planning permission do your homework. Do not believe anything your told buy the seller.

[@lauradavies5346]

You don't buy a house without a solicitor and checking that everything is above broad that's why you engage a solicitor and they costs a lot of money 💰💰💰💰 it's a bottomless pit.😮

[@SuperKnuckler]

you dont need solicitor there bigger villains than the site owners it plainly states on document several times holiday use how plain do you want it

[@ifitistobeitisuptome]

Sorry but anybody that pays £120,000 - £165,000 for a .........CARAVAN!! Really shouldn't be surprised that they end up losing all their money!!

[@robertjones-eb4xo]

It seems most of these residents did not go into all they should have. Iv seen it in House buying , wher the Buyer does not go into Lease etc just take cheaper offer. In this Life you get what you pay for.

[@jasper8252]

He’s a traveller what do you expect 😅

[@noramartin96]

A Gypsey

[@SuperKnuckler]

@@noramartin96 learn how to spell gypsy english way gipsy roma way

[@noramartin96]

@@SuperKnucklertaken you 2 months to pick up a typo error sharp ain't yer.

[@SuperKnuckler]

@@noramartin96 NO ONLY JUST READ IT

[@zen4men]

=================================== £155,000 for a Caravan !!!!!!! __________ Mad! ===================================

[@RebelsInc969]

This is called "FRAUD" but as usual nobody gets done !

[@elizaann1888]

Have to ask, do these problems not come to light when the legal processes are undertaken before purchase? Or do people not bother, if so, therein lies madness.

[@patrickstarnes2355]

It's been like that forever.

[@melanieah5501]

Never makes it right. Think post office scandal.

[@PatIsaac-w7z]

It’s NOT a HOME. It’s a leisure home. You’re not buying the land just renting it. These statics aren’t built to stay in all year round. Your only off park for 6weeks so not very long at all. Surely people need to realise THEY ARENT HOMES!!!! The sites need to make profit from each and every sale wether private or through the park so each van has to make a profit of £10k just for the company then the sales people take home a commission of about 3%. They are allowed to give you a months notice like any landlord to remove your van or update it if it’s too old or looks out of place in the park- like keeping up with the jonses- if they’ve updated then you will have to eventually. On residential parks it’s the same costs just pay council tax so for a home it’s just as expensive as a mortgage. It’s not disgusting because most of the owners are landlords themselves who can throw you out of your rent off them. Same bloody thing just your now complaining because you thought it would be cheaper than buying a house. You can’t cheat them unfortunately. Most parks offer entertainment and swimming pools which you pay for out of the service charge or ground rent. These owners usually have a home or house and this is just a weekend place because they know full well they can afford to do so. You can’t call them HOMES because they are SECOND HOMES!!!! Like a guest bed that isn’t yours regularly.

[@blue_jay31]

So so sick !

[@dh2032]

It's all a scam from the start putting house on wheels and calling it a Caravan, it could never move the wheel, okay its a Caravan, why then does need a plot then, maybe parking by, but theses find never move,

[@diorocks5858]

I was at investor meeting in Bahrain at Investcorp and the theme was give us portfolios to invest in "But don't give us the UK or Syria or you will be kicked out of the meeting"

[@IngenerateIngenue]

If it’s written in black & white on a contract i.e. that lady from Birkenhead, take note. It clearly said it was a holiday residence only and she still thought she could reside there all year because the man she was buying it from ‘told her she could’.

[@crisfiler6128]

Poor David, he's surrounded by vultures after his life savings!!

[@drsyn9616]

What about the BBC Licence scandal 🤬🤬🤬

[@sleepwalker6825]

That's Legal Mugging

[@blukusimmion]

Don't pay, I don't!

[@Mounhas]

Nothing to do with the subject matter.

[@dartskipper3170]

Plenty of other threads about the BBC rip off.