Dear IPHAS and SCOPHRA members,

 

The Directors of IPHAS have had to take the painful decision to terminate IPHAS’s active involvement in Scotland. This is partly due to a diminished membership in Scotland since the pandemic, the growth of our partner agency in Scotland, SCOPHRA (the Scottish Confederation of Park Home Residents Associations) and most importantly, the difference in Scots Law from England which requires additional training for our advisors. IPHAS and SCOPHRA have been in discussions for over a year and SCOPHRA have now agreed to offer all IPHAS Members in Scotland, current and recently lapsed, full honorary membership of SCOPHRA until the next SCOPHRA AGM in May 2023, regardless of when their IPHAS membership expires.

 

We understand that some IPHAS members are already resident on parks who have an association with SCOPHRA membership, and in these cases the member will be covered by that Association membership if they are members of that association. In May next year individual membership of SCOPHRA will become available where no association exists.

 

Membership of IPHAS will continue until next membership renewal but any queries will be redirected to SCOPHRA. SCOPHRA do not operate a telephone service but prefer email contact which as required, is followed up by telephone contact, so members will still enjoy a seamless advice service, but one which is fully au fait with Scots law and regulations.

 

These changes will come into effect from 1^st January 2023 however, the transfer of IPHAS membership details to our partners SCOPHRA will commence before the end of 2022.

 

SCOPHRA staff will contact you directly once the handover has been successfully completed. In the meantime, may we recommend you to the SCOPHRA website – www.scophra.scot.

 

IPHAS would like to thank all our members in Scotland for their outstanding support to IPHAS down the years. Please be assured, IPHAS and SCOPHRA remain fully committed to our partnership and working for the good of park home residents throughout the UK.”

 

Ian Pye, Chairman                                                                              Jim Haluch, Chairman

IPHAS (2021) LTD.                                                                               SCOPHRA

FOR PARK HOME RESIDENTS IN SCOTLAND

The Scottish Confederation od Park Home Residents Associations (SCOPHRA), has kindly forwarded the following information,

This relates to a recent undertaking from Ministers in the Scottish Parliament, just received.

Minsters are very conscious of the pressures the cost crisis are placing on residents of mobile homes and, in particular, the pitch fee uprating issue raised by SCOPHRA in recent campaigning. i.e. that the gap between RPI and CPI is growing, with pitch fees therefore growing faster than pension incomes. We will therefore undertake the required consultation on the impact of moving the basis of pitch fee uprating from RPI to CPI, in time to make the change in the planned 2023 Housing Bill. This change would have a permanent effect, slowing the rate of pitch fee increases in future. While we do have powers to make the change by regulation for future agreements, primary legislation is necessary to have an impact on existing agreements and the Mobile Homes Act 1983 requires consultation in advance of doing this. Further information will be given once plans are in place for consultation.

The Scottish Government is introducing new standards for fire and smoke alarms in all homes in Scotland from February 2022, but this will not apply to park homes. From this date, every (traditional) home must have:

• a smoke alarm in the living room and in circulation spaces such as hallways and landings
• a heat alarm in every kitchen all alarms ceiling mounted and interlinked
• a carbon monoxide alarm where there are fixed combustion appliances such as boilers and wood burners

The new rules mean the standard which currently applies to private rented property and new-builds is being extended to all homes in Scotland.
An enquiry by the Chair of SCOPHRA, (The Scottish Confederation of Park Home Residents Associations), to the Scottish Government on the application of the legislation to park homes brought the response below:

“The new standard will not apply to park homes. The reason is that they are not covered by the definition of house in the legislation.
Simon Roberts Policy Manager: Housing Standards and Quality”

However, SCOPHRA endorses this new level of precautions and urges park home residents, for their own safety, to ensure adequate fire safety. Please check your detectors, ensure the batteries are working, test all detectors regularly and if you do not have a carbon monoxide detector, SCOPHRA recommends you install one. These are available online or from DIY stores.