What's the difference?

Reading through your comments on my previous blogs, I spotted this from R Patrick.

"One of the most helpful things from magazines and ads and BH&HPA would be to have a complete separation between holiday and residential homes. You either have to live in it or you are not allowed to live in it, so the information is for two completely different sets of people. And as it is now, it is often hard to tell which kind of park they are talking about."

I couldn't agree more with you. Park Home & Holiday Caravan magazine has clear sections that relate to residential parks and residential homes. In addition there's a holiday section that covers holiday parks and holiday homes. Indeed, browsing through this website you'll see there's a separate page for holiday homes.

I think the confusion between what is a residential park home and what is a holiday lodge has come about due to the improved build of holiday lodges in recent years. Many are now so well-built that they meet full residential building standards and can legally be sited on parks that hold residential licences.

The danger arises when a park sells a buyer a holiday lodge on a holiday park for full residential use. The buyer will not be covered by important housing legislation and will be very vulnerable. In addition, the park owner will be putting him or herself at risk of having the park's holiday licence revoked.

More and more lodge parks are getting 11 or 12-month holiday licences, enabling buyers to claim they have a permanent home elsewhere when in fact they intend to live in this holiday home all year round. A park owner may encourage this, turn a blind eye, or simply not twig. They're not psychic!

Holiday homes are just that. Second homes to enjoy all year round if your holiday park licence allows, but not for permanent living.