SOUTH East Cambridgeshire MP Sir Jim Paice welcomed new rights which came into force this week that will protect park home residents from unscrupulous site owners.

SOUTH East Cambridgeshire MP Sir Jim Paice welcomed new rights which came into force this week that will protect park home residents from unscrupulous site owners.

Sir Jim says he has come across cases of site owners having lied to prospective buyers about the conditions of homes and even dug holes around homes to make them unsaleable.

The former Farming Minister hopes the new laws will make these underhand tactics a thing of the past.

The new rules will remove site owners from the park home buying and selling process, meaning that residents cannot be forced to, or prevented from, selling their park homes to fill the landlord’s pocket.

They will also make it harder to impose unexpected charges or changes of rules and give local councils more power to enforce breaches, making it easier to prosecute a site owner who harasses residents.

Sir Jim said: “I’m delighted that the Government is safeguarding park home residents in my constituency.

“For too long, some unscrupulous operators have made residents’ lives a misery, intimidating people and manipulating the rules to turn a quick profit.”