A group of around 1,200 caravan owners across the UK are starting legal action against holiday parks they feel misled and “ripped off” them. These members of the Holiday Park Action Group believe they deserve compensation for false claims involving the value of static caravans and for “unfair” increases in annual pitch fees. The action comes after a BBC investigation revealed people losing their pensions, inheritance and life savings as a result of decreased holiday-home value.
One park implicated said its sales contracts were “clear and readily understood,” while another claimed all buyers were given “comprehensive information.” Joanne Horner-Bloomfield, a 65-year-old who relies on food banks after investing £29,995 from her mother’s house sale to purchase a caravan, is amongst the legal action’s participants. The annual pitch fee for 2022 was £2,795. It increased to £3,041 in 2023 and would have been £4,100 by 2024. Horner-Bloomfield discovered she couldn’t afford the caravan after the price increase. She tried to sell it back to park owners, but the caravan was now only worth around £5,000.
The first stage of the case will ask whether annual pitch fee increases detailed in contracts are fair and implementable, with the second stage considering whether parks should have informed buyers of a high likelihood of devaluation if they chose to sell on their caravans. Founder Carole Keeble of the HPAG explained existing regulations don’t prevent holiday parks’ “unfair commercial practices,” calling on governments to improve legislation. It’s hoped compensation will be available for all involved if the High Court approves the compensation being sought for the “disgusting practices” enacted by some park owners
Read the full article from The BBC here: Read More
