The legislation governing park homes and caravans is unique, complex and has recently been changed by the Government.
If you think you should have a site licence or if you want information, contact Private Sector Housing on:
- 0208 207 2277
- email: private.sector@hertsmere.gov.uk
Although every effort will be made to keep this information accurate and current, it should only be seen as a guide. You should always make further enquiries to the council or other agencies that specialise in this field.
Caravan site licences
If you use land as a caravan site, you will almost always need planning permission and a site licence from us.
Every site licence will have site licence conditions attached to it. These conditions set out standards governing the layout of the park, provision of facilities and the maintenance of the park. We are responsible for ensuring that site licence conditions are met by the park owner.
Licence applications
If you require a licence you must apply to us by completing the relevant application form which will be sent out to you. You must also submit a plan of the site and in some cases we may request further information from the applicant.
In most cases a licence fee is payable, details are in our fee policy. You should also contact us if you wish to make changes to your licence, or thinking of transferring the site as this may also require a fee.
We aim to process the licence within two months of receiving a complete application, or within six weeks of the proposed licence holder receiving planning consent if the licence application has been submitted before this. In some circumstances this may be extended, we will write to you if this will happen.
Will tacit consent apply?
Yes. This means you will be able to act as though your application has been granted if you have not heard from us within the target completion period. The target period begins once all the information required has been received.
Failed applications and licence holder redress
We can refuse the licence if there is no planning consent, if the courts have prevented a licence being issued, or other reasons prescribed in the Mobile Homes Act 2014 and associated regulations. No licence will be granted if the licence applicant has had a site licence revoked within the previous three years. If we refuse to issue or transfer a licence we will give written reasons for this.
If a licence holder is refused an application to alter a condition, or they wish to appeal against a licence condition or changes to licence conditions, they may appeal to the First-tier Tribunal (Property Chamber). The appeal must be made within 28 days of being issued with the licence. For licence alterations the licence holder must appeal within 28 days of being notified in writing of the alteration to, or the refusal to alter the licence condition and must serve a notice of appeal on the council. We recommend that you contact us in the first instance.
Enforcement of the licence
Once issued, we can alter the licence conditions at any time. We will give licence holders opportunity to make representation about any proposed changes.
From 1 April 2014, we have new powers to take enforcement action for a breach of licence conditions. A compliance notice may be served upon a site owner, listing the necessary action to address the issues. If the terms are not complied with, the local authority may decide to prosecute in a magistrates' court.
In emergency situations where the site owner has failed to comply with a site condition and their actions present an imminent risk to the health and safety of others we may decide to take action ourselves and recover the costs of carrying out the work. There is also a right to appeal if the site owner considers that it was unreasonable for the action to be taken or that the residents on the site were not in imminent risk of serious harm.
Site rules
The site owner may set site rules on residential caravan sites. We do not enforce these rules, although some rules may be a duplicate of the site licence conditions. The site rules are part of the contract between the home owner and site owner, and supplement the Mobile Homes Act Agreement.
We are required to keep and publish a register of site rules. We will update this page when we are notified by site owners that rules are in force. The rules that appear below have been written by the site owners, and not Hertsmere Borough Council.
