Why, upon selling up, do we have to pay the park owners 15 per cent commission?

• Wednesday, 11 November 2009
• Kathleen Retourne
• 0 Comments

Q I bought my holiday caravan in 2005 which was purely a holiday agreement signed by myself and the previous owners. The caravan is currently on the market for sale as it was the worst thing I could have possibly entered into with the current park owners. Why, upon selling up, do we have to pay the park owners 15 per cent commission? This is a lot of money of which I will not see the result if I sell.
It seem seems that the owners have all the rights and we have no say. My issues are:
On one side the caravans are residential. In our field of seven, all are occupied all year bar November when we all have to be out. Why is this?
Why, if we have just a holiday let, can we not sub-let our own static caravans?
The owners said that the 15 per cent commission was for park development. They do hardly anything - it’s a complete rip off.
In the summer campervans and tents also hook up, while there is not enough provision for rubbish and the park is overrun with rabbits.
I have no path to my caravan. Surely this is something the owners pay for?

Graham advises
I can understand your feelings. Unfortunately, there are some caravan site owners whose only desire is to relieve you of your money. Once achieved, all that was promised usually fails to materialise. While I far from condone such unprofessional behaviour from site owners, much of it has been allowed to develop, in my view, by the national trade associations.
Perhaps if they reigned in their members more frequently and firmly the industry would benefit much more, especially in the long term. Having said that and, with respect to you, it appears there is a continual stream of fresh people anxious to buy a holiday home and equally anxious to hand over considerable amounts of money without having the transaction checked beforehand.
The attitude appears to be from the top down: ‘why rock the money tree if it is unnecessary to do so?'
Turning to the issues you raise, there are clearly a number of aspects which can only be commented upon following investigation into local authority planning and site licensing control
of the site.
The remaining issues are purely contractual and, not being familiar with the contents of your licence, again cannot be commented on.
So far as sales commission is concerned, again this must be spelt out in your written agreement, assuming you posses one. If it is, then that's what you signed up to when you purchased the property.
I am sorry I cannot be more helpful or constructive. If it is any consolation, what has happened to you is happening to many other unfortunate people up and down the country.