Speculation has been rife about the changes the Chancellor might introduce in the Autumn Budget, and expectations were high for significant adjustments to Inheritance Tax for park owners. The key changes for holiday and residential park owners include the reduction of protection from Inheritance Tax provided by Business Relief and Agricultural Relief, the inclusion of inherited pensions and death benefits payable. Our Head of the Wealth Management Team, Gráinne Staunton provides a summary of the key changes you need to be aware of.

A pitch fee, also known as a site fee, is the amount that a homeowner is required by the agreement to pay to the park owner for the right to station a mobile home on a pitch and for use of the common area of the park and its maintenance.

With the current cost of living crisis and many people feeling the financial strain, some residential park operators have found it more difficult this year to reach agreement with the park homeowners on their annual pitch fee review.

In a recent decision, the Upper Tribunal (Lands Chamber) ruled that an agreement for the mooring of a houseboat was protected by the Mobile Homes Act 1983.

As private landlords place the new calendar on the wall, they may be forgiven for having a slight sense of trepidation. Will 2023 be the year residential tenancy reform finally becomes a reality?

Find out about holiday park pitch fee reviews, how to do them and what to do if you make an error with a pitch fee review

Business-owners will no doubt be well aware of the potentially valuable relief from Inheritance Tax known as Business Property Relief. Where successfully claimed, BPR can shield the full value of a business from the charge to Inheritance Tax.

In 2017, following the implementation of the Mobile Homes Act 2013 the Government undertook a review to consider the effectiveness of the changes made by the Act and to consider the implementation of further legislation within the parks sector.

On residential parks in England, there is a presumption that homeowners’ pitch fees will adjust by the change in the Retail Prices Index (RPI) between review dates. In Wales, the adjustment is by reference to the Consumer Price Index (CPI). Many holiday parks in both countries include RPI as one factor in their reviews.

With effect from 30 June 2022 the Leasehold Reform (Ground Rent) Act 2022 (“the Act”) will come into force restricting payment of ground rents in most residential long leases of a dwelling to a peppercorn (nil).

A recent court case is a useful reminder that personal use of CCTV and video doorbells sometimes falls foul of data protection law.

As we move into the school holidays, we are seeing an increase in instructions for removing unauthorised encampments from land. Given the lack of affordable housing, traveller sites and, now, holiday accommodation in hot spot areas, we expect to see a big rise in unauthorised encampments across popular visitor sites.