Living in a mobile home: What happens if we go into care?

Question

My wife and I live in a park home. It seems that, if one of us were to die or go into care and then the other one were to need care, our home would have to be sold under the terms of the 1983 Mobile Homes Act. 

The price achieved at sale would then be added together with any savings and investments to evaluate whether we breached the care-fees threshold. 

This could leave us with nothing to pass on to our children.

The rules around paying for care

Answer

When purchasing any property, including those with unusual tenure such as park homes, sheltered accommodation and timeshares, you need to know how your ownership will end if you wish to sell or discontinue use of the property. 

Park homes vary enormously – from caravans and chalets to lodges in holiday villages and ‘mobile’ homes that stand on permanent sites and are occupied all year.

If your park home is your sole permanent residence on what is known as a ‘protected site’, you may be caught under the rules that force you to sell if, as a sole occupier, you vacate the property to live somewhere else. 

Consult a solicitor about whether there’s any way of protecting your interests.

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