Lossiemouth caravan owners allegedly told to 'upgrade or get out' by new park owners
CARAVAN owners on a site in Lossiemouth have claimed that they have been told to 'upgrade or get out' by a holiday park firm.
Static caravan owners at the Lossiemouth Bay Caravan Park allege that Park Holidays UK, who completed a takeover of the site in April this year from previous owner Gordon Christie, has told them to pay in excess of £40,000 for new caravans or leave the site by September next year.
Many caravans have already been moved off site but a small group of owners are determined to contest what they say is the "forced eviction" of members of a long established community.
Jon Pullman, who bought a caravan on the site two years ago, started the group shortly after the takeover and now has 50 people on his mailing list.
"The worst case scenario has happened," he said.
"A predatory company has taken over and people are being sufficiently intimidated to just move off.
"This is a sector wide problem in the static caravan industry. It is totally unregulated.
"But we have a pretty determined group of people who want to hold out so I think down the line there is going to be a confrontation."
Under previous owner Gordon Christie, buying a caravan on the park would grant the buyer a ten year licence to stay on the park. Each contract also contained the phrase 'renewable yearly thereafter' which had allowed people to stay indefinitely as long as their ground rental was paid every year and the caravan kept in good condition.
That clause, dubbed the 'Christie clause', had benefited many retirees and elderly caravan park owners on the site.
Ian Bancroft (73) and his wife Jean (82) retired to the park owing to its community feel and idyllic setting.
This year has been particularly tough for the couple with Ian awaiting surgery for skin cancer and Jean dealing with the effects of a 'mini stroke' also known as a TIA.
"We got a letter telling us that our tenure, which we were led to believe was for life, was over," Ian said.
"We asked for an extension but they told us that we had to upgrade or leave next year.
"It's stress that we don't need and it's money, that at our age, we can't afford to be spending.
"We just wanted to spend our days here but they've destroyed that. Loyalty counts for nothing and they're destroying the community.
"It's all about making money as far as I'm concerned but we can't afford it so we're looking into alternative housing.
"We've applied for sheltered accommodation and council accommodation. The sooner we leave the better we will feel."
Joanne Wood, who has owned a caravan on the site since 2020, says that they have turned to an advisory group known as Caravan Owners Advisory Team (COAT) for help.
"They are completely disregarding the Christie clause," she said.
"One of the people in our group said that it was like the Highland clearances. That sounds dramatic but people are being forced out.
"COAT has told us that they can't just ignore this and that this upgrade or get out policy isn't enforceable and that it would have to be taken into consideration in court.
"I'm not going anywhere. They legally can't tow the caravan off this land so I don't know what they're going to do with me.
"Me and my teenage son will be towed off the land in the caravan if necessary."
Park Holidays said that as a "gesture of good will" they will allow people whose licence has expired to continue to stay on the park until September 30 next year owing to the pandemic.
A spokesperson for the business added: "When the licence period expires, customers can sell the holiday home or relocate it to another park not owned by Park Holidays UK.
"However, for many owners the preferred option is to part-exchange it for a new or newer model. Park Holidays UK will always endeavour to extend preferential buying terms to such customers, such as a generous part-exchange valuation, or a discount on a new or pre-owned model.
"For the buyers of new caravan holiday homes, Park Holidays UK provides a 20-year occupancy licence, or 30 years for a holiday lodge. If a pre-owned holiday home is bought, the customer is usually provided with a licence equivalent to the 20 or 30 years less the age of the holiday home.
"The licence agreement is consistent with the wording in the model contract provided by our industry body, BH&HPA, and widely used throughout the parks industry.
"It also includes the important provision that the holiday home can not be used for residential purposes, and the buyer must provide us with regularly verified evidence of a permanent address elsewhere.
"We are very grateful for these owners' loyalty over the years, and will give every assistance possible to helping those who choose to do so to acquire a replacement holiday home and continue enjoying stays at Lossiemouth Bay Holiday Park."
