The Department of Communities, Housing and Digital Economy is consulting on issues about site rent increases and the sale of manufactured homes in residential parks with an issues paper and survey.
This consultation is part of broader reforms to the Manufactured Homes (Residential Parks) Act 2003 to provide better consumer protection while maintaining industry viability.
Currently there are 202 residential parks in Queensland listed on the public register, with a total of 23,453 manufactured home sites1.
A range of concerns have been raised about site rent increases, including the:
- affordability of site rent increases
- rising cost of park expenses
- difficulties understanding contractual arrangements for site rent and predicting future costs
- limited options if site rent becomes unaffordable
- imbalance in the bargaining power between home owners and park owners
- consistency of consumer price index (CPI) increases
- problems with market reviews of rent including obtaining independent market valuations for market rent reviews, the limited basis for comparison between parks, and the difficulties disputing review outcomes
- approval process for special increases.
Concerns have also been raised about the sale of manufactured homes in residential parks including:
- the sales process and the lack of clarity about the timing and notifications involved
- assigning existing site agreements to prospective home owners
- placing of ‘for sale’ signs
- issues associated with park owners acting for a selling manufactured home owner, and the appointment of third party selling agents by the park owner
- proof of ownership of a manufactured home
- issues for deceased estates.
Manufactured home owners and park owners can have their say by responding to the issues paper. Home owners can also share their experiences of these issues by completing the survey.
Find out more about how you can have your say.
Consultation closes 15 August 2022.
