Advisor Newsletter

DECEMBER NEWSLETTER

Dear Fellow Members,

We at IPHAS (The Independent Park Home Advisory Service) wish you all a very Merry Christmas and all the very best for the future.

During the last few months, we’ve all been busy getting new colleagues trained up to help members with the many varied park home issues that may occur over time. A new computer system was introduced, helping not only the IPHAS team but our valued members as well. This system is far more user friendly and has certainly assisted us when, for example, we communicate with government officials on your behalf.

The telephone of course, will always be available to those who are not computer literate so there will be someone to speak to. Details are in this letter.

Just a few points to remind you,

  • Please ensure you keep your written agreements in a very safe place and your next of kin know where they are and what they are about. Should your Park change hands, on no account, sign any new agreements. The new Park owner takes over your existing agreement with no changes. Should they wish to change anything, they cannot do this without prior agreement with you the residents unless you have agreed to the change. If in doubt seek advice.
  • The Park Owner / Manager may only enter your pitch, having given you 14 days notice in writing, stating the reason why. He / She may of course enter to post letters or to read meters between the hours of 09.00am – 18.00pm or in an emergency.

Please note the IPHAS Help lines will be closed for our team members to have a well-earned break from 16.00pm on the 20th of December 2023 until 10.00am on the 8th of January 2024

Do not agree to any loss of your pitch size, if the Park Owner request`s this to site another home and you agree to it, then you should receive a reduced pitch fee.

The work we at IPHAS do, will continue in helping our members as much as we are able, and we are always working on your behalf both in the team and with the government. Please remember the IPHAS team are volunteers, so sometimes we do have hospital, dental, and doctors’ appointments to keep us going! We do not have an office; we all work from home.

Sometimes it may look as though nothing is happening but, like the duck, not much is happening on the top but plenty going on underneath! Some members donate extra to their membership fee, and we would like to thank you for this as it helps keep the membership fee down, and we are very grateful. We would also like to thank those who pay your fee via Standing Order as this does save us a fee levied on cashing cheques. There is no objection though if you do wish to use cheques.

Our chairman, Ian Pye decided to resign on the 22nd of October 2023 after serving with us for some six years and completing some excellent changes, for which we thank him greatly.

Please remember that RPI has been replaced by CPI from the 2nd July 2023 and the new Pitch Fee Review Form (this can be obtained on www.iphas.live) must be used by your Park owner when notifying you of a Pitch Fee Review. The latest published CPI figure is for October 2023 – 4.6%

Park homes are not equivalent to bricks and mortar, and the procedure for buying and selling a park home is not subject to the usual conveyancing protocols.

The Government fact sheets “Buying a Park Home” and “Selling a Park Home” give some basic guidance to the process involved, Links are shown on our website www.iphas.live to obtain printable copies of these documents and forms.

We have had a few calls from members where their Park owner is threatening to evict them, for whatever reason. Please be assured that this cannot happen without firstly taking the case to the First Tier Tribunal and then it would have to go to Court, so do not worry, but please get advice from IPHAS or a solicitor, should you find yourself in this position.

The Park Homes Warm Home Discount scheme 2023/2024 is NOW OPEN.

Charis`s Park Homes Warm Home Discount scheme enables residents living in a Park Home in England and Wales to apply for a £150 payment to help towards the cost of their energy bills. Use the link shown here to obtain more details. This is on a first come, first serve basis, you may still be able to apply.

https://charisgrants.com/partners/park-homes/

Contacting IPHAS — Important changes – Please note that IPHAS will be changing their telephone contact numbers in 2024. Continue to visit our website at www.iphas.live for up-to-date information.

We are currently on the lookout for more volunteer team members, we require people to work in our Membership and Advice Teams. The roles are varied and interesting. No knowledge of legislation or legal matters are required but it would be helpful if you have some basic skills in the use of computers. IPHAS which was formed in 1993, is held in high regard at Government level. Joining us, you will be playing a significant role in maintaining our large database or providing advice to our members nationwide. There are no set hours, training will be given, you can choose how much of your time you are prepared to give. Please note that whilst these are voluntary roles with no payment, expenses will be met. Any postal communication to should be sent to IPHAS, 19 College Close, Probus, Truro, Cornwall, TR2 4LW. This is the only address for postal communication.

Membership Fee Receipts

We have almost 100 Members with the surname SMITH, 31 BROWN, 53 JONES and 31 WILLIAMS. Please remember to use your membership reference when making payments.These are common errors made when making payments,

People shown on our Bank statement as: Mr. A xxxxxx who paid E6.OO as an annual membership fee (no reference )

Ms. C ABCDEF Grandmas Insurance (no reference)

You each have a Membership number, when you speak to us, we can help find the relevant reference numbers. If you pay by Standing Order your reference will be IND- the abbreviation for your County and 3 numbers (IND-LOND123 for example). If you have paid and not received a membership certificate, one of these could be you. Please contact us to sort things out.

Please use the following Telephone numbers to contact us;

Membership 0800 612 6273

Advice 0800 612 6399

 PLEASE NOTE: The IPHAS team offer information on residents’ rights under mobile home legislation, including buying and selling a home on a residential park. The advice and recommendations given in correspondence or through our telephone services are for information only, and it is for the resident to make his/her own decision on action to be taken. IPHAS team members are not lawyers, they are all volunteers who have PLEASE NOTE: The IPHAS team offer information on residents’ rights under mobile home legislation, including buying and selling a home on a residential park. The advice and recommendations given in correspondence or through our telephone services are for information only, and it is for the resident to make his/her own decision on action to be taken. IPHAS team members are not lawyers, they are all volunteers who have studied the relevant legislation. Team members advice is offered in good faith, but IPHAS cannot be held responsible for the consequences of any action taken by a resident, whether or not it was based on information given by IPHAS. studied the relevant legislation. Team members advice is offered in good faith, but IPHAS cannot be held responsible for the consequences of any action taken by a resident, whether or not it was based on information given by I

17th December 2023