Mobile home and caravan site licence - Print version

A caravan site licence contains provisions relating to the maintenance and running of the park. The site licence conditions applying to any particular site should be posted for every resident to read at the site.

Eligibility criteria

The Caravan Sites and Control of Development Act 1960 provides that, subject to planning consent and certain exemptions, all caravan sites must be licensed by the Council.

The following are exempted from needing a site licence:

• A caravan sited within the curtilage of a dwelling and its use is incidental to the dwelling. This means it cannot be occupied separately.
• A single caravan sited for not more than two consecutive nights for a maximum of 28 days in any 12 months.
• Up to three caravans on a site of not less than five acres for a maximum of 28 days in any 12 months.
• Sites occupied by exempted organisations such as the Caravan Club.
• Sites of up to five caravans certified by an exempt organisation and which are for members only.
• Sites occupied by the Council. These are usually gypsy sites.
• Sites for temporary and special purposes such as caravan rallies, agricultural and forestry workers, building and engineering sites and travelling salesmen.
• A site for tents only can be used for a maximum of 28 days in any 12 months.

Apply for a caravan and camping site licence

Apply online

Apply for a caravan and camping site licence online [https://www.gov.uk/apply-for-a-licence/caravan-and-camping-site-licence/coventry/apply-1] via the GOV.UK website. An application has to be made to the Council by the park operator.

Before a site licence can be given, the land must have planning permission [/planning] for use as a caravan site.

Charges

Caravan licence charges

Caravan Licence application type	Fee type	Fee
Caravan Site Licence - New Application up to 10 units	Per Application	£370.00
Caravan Site Licence - New Application 11+ units	Per Application	£435.00
Caravan Annual Site Inspection up to 10 units	Per visit	£285.00
Caravan Annual Site Inspection 11+ units	Per visit	£365.00
Caravan Annual Re-inspection (follow up after annual inspection)	Per visit	£115.00
Caravan Licence Transfer	Per licence	£230.00
Variation of Caravan Licence	Per licence	£152.00
Caravan Licence Fit and Proper Check	Per check	£57.00

Supplementary information

A lay-out plan of the site to a scale of not less than 1/500 should be attached showing the boundaries of the site, the positions of caravan standings. Where appropriate roads and footpaths, recreation spaces, toilet blocks, stores and other buildings, fire points foul and surface water drainage, parking spaces and water supply.

Application process

We may wish to inspect the site before we issue a licence and we will then inspect the site annually to assess the condition of each site, to identify any breaches of conditions and observe progress/improvements made to comply with the policy of gradual implementation of any previously required on site changes.

Any site licence will have conditions applied. These are based on the model standards issued by the Secretary of State. Conditions may be varied, supplemented or replaced at any time following consultation with the park operator and the Fire Service. The park operator has the right to appeal against any condition on the grounds that it is unduly burdensome. In addition, as a licensed premise, the licence will not prevent the Fire Service under the The Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005 from making additional requirements or prohibitions.

In normal circumstances your licence will be issued within 30 working days. If you do not hear from us within 30 working days you can assume that the licence has been granted with the Coventry Council Standard Conditions. If we need longer, we will contact you to agree on a time frame.

Right of appeal

Your licence will not be refused if:

• You are the occupier of the site; and
• Your site has appropriate planning permission; and
• You have not had a caravan site licence revoked within the last three years.

You can appeal against the conditions of the site licence to the Magistrates' court [https://www.find-court-tribunal.service.gov.uk/courts/coventry-magistrates-court].

Length of licence

There is no time period given to the licence, however where a time period has been specified in any permission to use the land as a caravan site, the licence will expire at the end of the specified period.

The Council should be informed of changes in management or if a site is sold.

Any new occupier must apply for a transfer of the site licence or a new licence.

Change of circumstances

Transfer a caravan and camping site licence online [https://www.gov.uk/apply-for-a-licence/caravan-and-camping-site-licence/coventry/change-2] via the GOV.UK website.

Alternatively you can notify the Council by letter or e-mail.

Further information

Further information about caravan site licensing on GOV.UK [https://www.gov.uk/caravan-site-licence].

Mobile home residents

Rights of protected mobile home site residents

The Caravan Sites Act 1968 and the Mobile Homes Act 1983 (as amended by the Housing Act 2004), set out the rights and obligations of site owners and park residents. GOV.UK guidance: Mobile Homes: A Guide for Residents and Site Owners [https://www.gov.uk/park-mobile-homes].

Residents cannot be forced to leave the park or have their mobile home removed unless the park owner has given due notice and obtains an eviction order from the court. A court may agree to end the agreement, but can suspend the order to evict for up to 12 months unless it is a council-owned site. It is a criminal offence for anyone to be made to leave without a court order, or to try to make a resident leave by threats, violence, withholding services such as water or gas, or any other sort of harassment.

If physical violence is used contact the police otherwise contact ourselves, Coventry Law Centre [http://www.covlaw.org.uk/clc/contact.html] or Citizens Advice [https://www.coventrycitizensadvice.org.uk/].

Rights of renters of mobile homes

The site owner may not harass renters by committing acts likely to interfere with their peace or comfort or withhold services causing renters to abandon occupation of the caravan.

The rights of the renter will depend on whether they have a licence or a tenancy and the nature of the tenancy. Renters are likely to hold an assured shorthold tenancy even if they have not been given one. Providing renters comply with the terms of tenancy, a landlord cannot evict a renter without giving two months' notice to seek possession of the property. If the renter does not then leave, the park owner must seek a possession order from the courts to require the renter to leave. If the owner is successful, the court may require the renter to pay the cost of the court action.

Mobile homes vary and subject to their permanency (wheels removed and connected to mains services) the Council may be able to improve poor conditions under the Housing, Health and Safety Rating System ( Housing Act 2004).

Gaining permission to make alterations to a mobile home

The site licence will confirm the space that there should be between each caravan - this is in order to reduce the risk of a fire spreading. This means it's important to get permission from the park owner before building any porches, sheds or other structures. Without permission, the park operator could get a court order for the possession of the mobile home. Planning permission [/planning] may also be needed for any changes made.

Report a breach of mobile home site licence

To report a breach of a mobile home licence firstly, contact the site owner. If the site owner refuses to meet with the conditions, contact Environment and Housing Enforcement. We will, in any case, inspect the site once a year to check that the site conditions are met.

Park rules are not covered by the site licence and are an issue between the site owner and resident. Advice may be sought from the Citizens Advice [https://www.coventrycitizensadvice.org.uk/], solicitor or other advisory body.

How to apply for a mobile home and caravan site licence [https://www.coventry.gov.uk/licensing-regulation/mobile-home-caravan-site-licence/6]

Moving of a mobile home by a park operator

If a park operator wants to move a mobile home, they must make an application to the court, unless they wish to move the home due to essential or emergency repairs. The court must be satisfied that the move is reasonable. In addition, the new pitch must be as good as the original pitch and the park operator is liable for any costs incurred during the move.

If the home is to be moved for repairs to the base, the park operator must return the home to its original pitch on completion of the repairs if the resident requires or the court orders.

Buying a mobile home

Before you buy a mobile home

Tenants or owners of mobile homes don't have as many rights as owners or tenants of 'bricks and mortar' homes. This is because different laws apply to mobile homes. Before you buy a mobile home, consider taking legal advice.

Your agreement with the park operator will include 'implied' and 'expressed' terms. The implied terms are what the law says must be included in your agreement; expressed terms are decided by you and your site operator. When a park operator sells you a home, they must give you a written statement setting out all the terms of the agreement at least 28 days before the sale unless you both agree in writing to a shorter time. If this is not done, the express terms of the agreement will not be enforceable by the park owner unless a court, within six months, considers it reasonable to include such a term. If the park owner does not follow this procedure, then they cannot rely on the express terms in the agreement.

Park homes should be built to a British Standard (BS3632). Various schemes exist, such as the Gold Shield [http://www.parkhome-living.co.uk] Ten Year Warranty; to make sure that park homes obey these standards. Make sure that any mobile home you buy is covered by a warranty.

A list of approved caravan, motorhome and caravan leisure home models can be found at the National Caravan Council [https://www.thencc.org.uk/](NCC) website. The NCC has checked these models and approved that they comply with UK legislation and safety regulations. They will carry an NCC approved sticker.

Support organisations

Residents' and resident associations

• Independent Park Home Advisory Service [http://www.iphas.co.uk/]
• National Association of Park Home Residents [https://www.naphr.co.uk/]

Trade associations

• The British Holiday and Homes Park Association [http://www.bhhpa.org.uk/]

Legal advice and information

• Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities [https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/department-for-levelling-up-housing-and-communities]
• Shelter [http://england.shelter.org.uk/]
• Chartered Institute of Arbitrator [http://www.ciarb.org/]

Licensed Caravan Sites Public Register

For information on which data we publish on the public register, and why we have to publish it, please see the Regulatory Services privacy notice [/regulatoryservicesprivacynotice]. Please note that under GDPR, individuals have to specifically opt in to receive marketing correspondence. The publishing of licence holders' addresses on the public register does not constitute consent of the licence holders to be contacted for marketing purposes.

Licensed Caravan Sites Public Register

Site Address	Licence Holder	Licence issue date
Mill Park Caravan Site, Burbages Lane, Coventry, CV6 6AY.	Michael Hodgkins, Wayne Hodgkins, James Hodgkins, Cornelius Hodgkins	23 June 2004
Lady Lane Mobile Home Park, Lady Lane, Langford, Coventry, CV6 6AZ.	Mr Libby Saunders and Mrs Karen Saunders	4 April 2001
New Green Park, Wyken Croft, Coventry CV2 1HS	Tingdene Estates Limited	22 May 2012
Harvest Hill Park Home Estate, Oak Lane, Coventry CV5 9BY	Mr Henry Morrison trading as Morrison Park Homes	13 June 2023
Imperial Stop, Grange Road, Coventry, CV6 6DE.	Adam Jones	11 November 2016