The first thing that you should do is choose the park location that you would like to live in and then conduct plenty of research about the area the residential park is located in. You should take the time to visit the park during different times of day, and a night time visit is also recommended if possible. If you can talk to some of the current residents who live at the park home location, you will be able to gather a lot of additional information that will help you to make your final decision based on the opinions of those who have already lived in the area for some time.

Some of the questions that you may want to ask the residents may include, are they happy with their living situation? How long does it generally take to get repair work completed? Are there any problems with the homes or the area that they can share with you before you commit to moving there? It is a well known fact that residents in a park home are the best resources for park owners when it comes to selling property that they own (or worst resources for the owner, depending on what the residents have to say!) So get the most use out of these helpful individuals as you can before you make the decision to buy.

Another thing that you can do while researching about park home ownership, would be to check out a couple of web sites in order to find out if the park owner is a member of any Industry Trade Associations. This will show you whether or not the owner is bound by the terms that are set forth by the Park Homes Charter. Two web sites that you can use to gather your information include the National Park Homes Council (www.theparkhome.net), and the British Holiday and Home Parks Association (www.bhhpa.org.uk).

These two web sites contain plenty of information that will be very useful in helping you to find the best residential park homes location. There you will be able to check to see if the park’s site licence will allow residents to stay at their location for the entire twelve months out of the year. There are some park locations that do not have a licence for residents to live on site all year long and will only allow residents to stay for a holiday or other short period of time. These park homes are also referred to as mobile homes and are generally only used for holidays or as second homes. Your park’s site licence will clearly state if the park homes location you have in mind is for annual purposes or for holiday stays only. You should also find a copy of your park’s site licence inside of the main park office building or on the notice board that will be located inside of the park. You need to be aware that park homes cannot normally be rented out under the terms and conditions laid down by the residential park, this is usually restricted to mobile homes on holiday parks, and therefore you cannot make any additional income from it.

Is it complicated?

Buying your park home can be a very easy and simple process if you have the guidance of a good park owner or manager to assist you. You do not have to have the assistance of a solicitor in order to complete the process however you may seek their professional advice if you wish. As you will not own the land that your park home is situated on you will not be liable for stamp duty.

When you have chosen the residential park that you want to live on and are ready to move forward with the process, there are two options that you will need to consider before you can move into your new park home. You can either decide to purchase a home that has already been set up on the park’s property, or you can order a custom made home directly from the manufacturer that is built to your own specifications. If you choose to go with this option you will need to speak with your park owner beforehand as well as the manufacturer to make sure that everyone agrees on the plan that you have in mind. Some park owners may require that you have a specific size home if you buy one from a manufacturer, or they may not allow customized homes on their property so it is best to make sure everything you have in mind is allowed.

When you go to buy a park home, you are making a purchase on the home as well as the use of the land that the home is sitting on. Your resale value depends on the location and the condition that the home is in when you put it up for sale. In a park home, you do not own the actual land, so therefore you will only be selling the home itself. However, the value and location of the land can help to increase the price of your sale.

Park homes are manufactured to last approximately sixty years at the most. That is why they are so affordable and cost much less than a standard brick home. Therefore the value of a park home will go down over time, however the price of land is always on the rise so you should be able to make up for any money that you lost with the home. Over the last few years, the value of land in the UK has increased to be greater than the depreciation rate of these homes and therefore there have been very few park home owners that have lost money when investing in a park home.

Park home ownership has really become a popular way to live in the UK. Today there are approximately 250,000 people who live in park homes. This gain in popularity has also helped to raise the prices on park homes.

When you compare the costs that go into buying a bricks and mortar home, deciding to invest in a park home allows you to have a safe and secure living environment in a peaceful area for much less money. The quality of life and the extra money you will have to spend on other things that you need or holidays you can take should be taken into account when you are calculating the benefits of investing in one of these homes.

One downside that many people bring up when considering to buy a park home is the fact that you can not raise a traditional style mortgage with a bank or building society on one of these homes by using a traditional lender. However, there are loans available for people who own park homes and they are very similar to the mortgages on traditional properties. Interest rates can sometimes be higher with park home loans; however it is to be expected since park homes do not gain value over time.

If you choose to buy a park home, you will own the home yourself but you are only allowed to use the land according to the terms of the agreement that you signed with the residential park home site owner. This is important information for you to keep in mind when you are going through the process of taking out a loan. There are lenders out there who understand that there is a huge difference between owning a traditional built home and owning a park home, and therefore they know how to adjust their loan agreements so that they comply with all of the rules involved.

Usually the maximum loan for a park home will be around 80% of the home’s current value. The loan can last up to a maximum of 25 years. Your interest rate is usually determined by the current situation of the economy however it also depends on the length of the loan, how much money you will be borrowing, and your own personal circumstances that may possibly inhibit your ability to repay. As with any type of mortgage, there are always certain conditions, such as the state of the borrower’s credit, which will need to be factored in before the loan can be approved.

Can I purchase and place a park home on my own property or do I have to buy on a residential park?

If your circumstances allow it, it may be possible for you to choose a park home and place it on your own land. However this will have to be approved by the local authority before you can do so and it is likely that planning permission will be required.

If you choose to buy a home that is located on a licenced park site, then the park home owner will need to make sure that the total operation of the park itself is in the condition that is stated within the details that are written up in the licence. If you end up placing your new park home on a plot or site inside of a park that is not licenced or it doesn’t have the consent of the local authority for residents to live there year round, you may be forced to leave the premises immediately or have your park home relocated to a fully licenced park.

How is the buying process for a park home different from the process for a traditional home?

There are several differences when it comes to buying a park home instead of a traditional home. When you purchase a park home, you do not have to seek out legal advice before signing your contract since it is already a standardized written agreement that follows under the terms of the Mobile Homes Act 1983. This act fully explains all of the rights and obligations that are entitled to the park owner and the new residents. Therefore both parties’ rights are already protected by law.

Even though it may be a safe purchase, when you are considering buying a park home, you should only do so after a lot of consideration and conducting a lot of research on the entire process. If there are a lot of things that you are unsure about, it may be a good idea to seek out some legal advice from a professional just to help steer you in the right direction.

The local council may also be a good source of information as they will be able to tell you if the residential park that you are interested in living in is licenced for residential use. They will also know about any future expansions for the park that may have an influence on your decision to live there.

After you have chosen the park and home that you want to move into, it will then be time to sign all of the paperwork including the written agreement. This is a legal contract that both you and the park operator sign and are required to go by. The owner of your park is legally obligated to give you a copy of the written agreement so that you will have access to all the rules and regulations at all times. It is highly recommended that you sit down and read through the entire document before you make any type of commitment.

Park home ownership can be a simple and straight forward process without many of the stresses associated with purchasing a property.

For more information on Lifesure’s Park Home Insurance, call for a free quote on 01480 402 460 .

Referral and Success Fees – One step already taken by the government is the introduction of the Legal Aid, Sentencing and Punishment of Offenders Bill.  Under this legislation, paying referral fees to insurers in return for claimant’s details is banned. Stopping the sale of personal details to “ambulance chasing” businesses will lead to a significant cut in legal costs, which should have a positive impact on premiums.  The TSC also want the government to outlaw success fees paid under no win no fee claims.

RTA Protocol – Currently, personal injury claims for less than £10,000 are dealt with under the Road Traffic Accident Protocol.  The MPs have suggested increasing the upper limit to £25,000 to further reduce legal costs.

Fixed Fees – The Transport Select Committee has called for a way to ensure that fixed fees paid to lawyers dealing with personal injury claims are fair. The fixed fees currently added to claim amounts can make smaller claims significantly larger.

Whiplash – The Committee is also looking for ways to halt the current trend for increasing numbers of whiplash claims. The number of claims being made for whiplash, which can be difficult or even impossible to diagnose, is not in keeping with the safety standards of modern cars. False whiplash claims are responsible for a considerable proportion of legal costs incurred by insurers.

Uninsured Drivers – Another major factor in rocketing car insurance premiums is the sheer number of uninsured drivers on UK roads. It has been calculated that these illegal drivers add approximately £30 to each insured driver’s premium.  The TSC believes that the plans to provide real time access to the DVLA databases should go some way towards rectifying this major problem. They also support the introduction of fixed penalty notices for offences such as speeding, mobile phone use and failure to use a seatbelt.

Young Drivers – Young drivers have always been subject to high car insurance premiums due to lack of experience and the resulting high percentage of accidents attributed to them.  Cooperative Insurance currently uses smart boxes to monitor driver’s habits, which has led to their younger drivers paying around half of the average premium.  Wider usage of these telematics would therefore lead to cheaper premiums all round.

Data Protection – Another thing which the Transport Select Committee plans to tackle is the level of privacy and data protection compliance within the car insurance industry. Personal details are currently passed freely to anyone potentially involved in a claim. Although there is a maximum fine of £500,000 for passing on data incorrectly, a fine of this level has never been imposed. MPs want to introduce stricter rules for sharing data, as well as reducing the amount of cold-calling, email spam and text messages aimed at encouraging personal injury claims.

For more information on Lifesure’s Car Insurance, call us for a free quote on 01480 402 460.

The committee feels that developers who are purpose-building houses for letting could play a huge part in tackling the current housing problems within the UK. According to the report, large companies and institutions ‘could make a significant contribution to the building of new homes in both the private and social rented sectors’. The report also calls for a review of Real Estate Investment Trusts to encourage developers to invest in property.

Excerpts from the Financing of New Housing Supply report state While it is right to consider the potential for large institutions to invest in the private rented sector, it is also important to remember that the sector is, and will continue to be, dominated by small companies and individual landlords.”  “There are a number of issues facing those in the sector: the financial crisis had a significant effect on the availability of buy-to-let mortgages; many landlords no longer have the benefit of capital gains; and there is some concern about the levels of return. “We have heard that the burden of regulation and taxation has deterred landlords from expanding their businesses. While constraints on mortgage finance will continue to affect investment in the sector, the Government could provide some support by taking steps to address this burden.”

The British Property Federation takes a similar view on investment in housing, with Policy Director Ian Fletcher saying “We welcome the findings of the report and particularly the support for several of our proposals. With current finance models struggling, we must look at the broadest range of options for funding the UK’s housing supply and institutions and REITs, as well as smaller investors, can all play a part. “Institutions have for some time expressed an interest in investing in residential property.

“While many of the conditions are already in place, such as rental demand and political support, the lack of scale to deliver an acceptable return remains a barrier” continues Fletcher. “We underplay the important contribution individual investors make to housing investment, and I would rather see them investing in housing than classic cars or fine wine, but if we want to see institutions deliver on a large scale we’ll need to see specific ‘build to let’ schemes.

“The Select Committee correctly highlights that whilst there is no silver bullet, we need to encourage and support a broad range of different investors in housing supply if we are to meet the nation’s housing needs.”

When your Landlord Insurance is due to be renewed, call us at Lifesure on 01480 402 460 for a free quote.

Towards the end of 2011, Carillion Energy Services stated that it would need to axe around 1,500 jobs when the government cuts came into effect.  This figure has now been amended to 1,400 with around eight hundred employees opting to take voluntary redundancy so far. A total of 1,180 employees have already been made redundant, with the remaining 220 facing the prospect in the near future.

A spokesman for Carillion said “As we have stated before, the energy services business is restructuring in line with changes in market opportunities following the government’s decision to cut feed-in-tariffs for solar PV systems, by much more than the industry expected. “We anticipate reducing the workforce by around 1,400. This is being phased over a period of time as we fulfil existing business commitments.

“However, we can confirm that around 1,180 people have now left the business. Of these more than 800 opted for voluntary redundancy as part of the consultation process. “The remaining reductions are through a mix of redeployment to other parts of the business wherever possible, people leaving the business naturally or through compulsory redundancies. “Clearly, we are disappointed that we have to take this action, but everything is being done to help staff through this difficult period.”

When your Tradesman Insurance is due to be renewed, call us for a free quote at Lifesure on 01480 402 460, or visit our Specialist Website.

“Staycationing” is still a leading holiday trend as we’re all forced to watch our pennies, but even holidaying within the UK can be prohibitively expensive for many.  To make caravan holidays accessible to more families, the Caravan Club are offering the bargain places to everyone staying at the participating sites during the selected date. The one penny per child per night offer applies to all young people up to 17 years of age.

The rates are available from either 13 or 20 July until the 2 September, at each of the following Caravan Club sites;

Brynich Caravan Club Site, Brecon.

Chapel Lane Caravan Club Site, West Midlands

Blackmore Caravan Club Site, Worcestershire

Poolsbrook Caravan Club Site, Derbyshire

Cirencester Caravan Club Site, Gloucestershire

Battle Caravan Club Site, East Sussex

Balbirnie Caravan Club Site, Fife

As well as availing of the great 1p offer, visitors to these sites will have a wealth of entertainment and historical attractions on their doorsteps. The Brecon Beacon National Park, Cadbury World, Sea Life Centres, Transport Museums, Severn Valley Steam Railway, Aerial Extreme, Poolsbrook Country Park, Barrow Hill Roundhouse Railway, Cirencester Open Air Swimming Pool and Battle Abbey are just a few of the attractions near the various Caravan Club sites.

To take advantage of the one penny per child per night deal, bookings must be made via the Caravan Club. Or for a free quote on your upcoming Caravan Insurance, call us at Lifesure on 01480 402 460.

Jesper Rydahl, owner of the eatery, opened his first 42oRaw in the Danish city of Copenhagen around three years ago. The restaurant is operated by Kofler & Kompanie and can cater for thirty sit-in diners and sixty more outside, as well as providing a takeaway service. Managing director, Ian Palmer, explains the concept as “None of the food prepared at 42oRaw has been cooked above 42o to ensure that no nutrients are lost during the cooking process.”

“We are changing people’s perceptions that plant-based food is dull and not tasty and we have worked with Michelin-starred chefs to create plant-based dishes that are accessible to all”. He continues, “We have a wide range of products that will appeal to most – fresh fruits juices and smoothies, coffee, cake, biscuits and salads. It is about educating the customer that 100% plant-based eating doesn’t mean that you have to compromise on taste.”

Head chef, William Hemming, will be running the kitchen and overseeing the production of dishes including a lasagne made with marinated courgette slices layered with sun-dried tomato sauce, walnuts, parsley pesto, cashew cream and baby spinach. Also on offer will be Thai noodles, containing carrot and courgette strips in a curry sauce made of red chili, ginger and coconut oil; and a sandwich packed full of rosemary crackers, pumpkin seeds, carrot, Brazil nuts, avocado, tomato and red onions.

For more information on Lifesure’s Hospitality Insurance, call us for a free quote on 01480 402 460.

Two of the most popular European destinations for caravan holidays are Denmark and Holland, and a quick search makes it easy to understand why.  The famous, laid-back Dutch demeanour makes Holland the perfect place to put your feet up. The countryside is stunning, packed full of the infamous tulips, windmills and canals. For a bit of action, visit Amsterdam. The capital city is choc-full of trendy bars, museums and fascinating architecture.

If Holland doesn’t tickle your fancy, or if you’ve already enjoyed the experiences it has to offer, Denmark is definitely one to consider.  With the Danes ever proud of their magnificent countryside and heritage, it’s a very friendly place to take a break.  Rich in culture, the capital city of Copenhagen is stunning and a wonderful place for a leisurely stroll or a spot of shopping.  Art lovers can visit the Danish National Gallery and ARKEN Museum of Modern Art amongst other galleries. The Dansk Design Centre is also worth a visit to see the latest handiwork of the master furniture craftsmen.

Outside of the capital, there are plenty of places to see in Denmark.  Visitors to the Fjord Country of North Zealand can a trip to the Frederickssund Viking Settlement. Other places of note are Osterboro, Elsinore and Norrebro.

For more information on Lifesure’s Caravan Insurance, call us for a free quote on 01480 402 460.

The Collective Spirit, a thirty foot yacht, is due to sail along the south coast of Britain from July as part of the lead up to the momentous sporting event.  Prior to beginning the building, the creators of the project, Gary Winters and Gregg Whelan, had invited members of the public to bring wooden items for use in the construction.  The only stipulation was that the item was wooden and had a story behind it. Items used to build the yacht include part of Brighton’s West Pier, a plank from London’s 2012 velodrome, hockey sticks, a Victorian police truncheon, World War II transport crates, wood from the Mary Rose and Jimi Hendrix’s guitar.

Tracy Jones, spokesperson for the project, said all those involved were delighted with how the launch day had gone. We have had an absolutely superb day and, despite the weather, it’s gone brilliantly. “More than 1,000 people have come to see the boat with many of them trying to spot the pieces they have donated. “People have also been desperate to have a go on the tiller because that’s where the Jimi Hendrix bit is.”

Co-creator Gary Winters said “The call-out was for objects which had significance and a story and people responded to that in all sorts of ways and we were given some lovely, lovely things, personal and emotional things. “I don’t have any favourites but I like a stick which came from someone who made a pilgrimage to Sad Hill Cemetery in Spain which was used for the set of The Good, The Bad and The Ugly and that stick has made a migration to the boat and will continue to do so.”It has been an inclusive project about bringing peoples’ lives to the front and celebrating ordinary people’s lives in something extraordinary.”

The vessel will be touring around Brighton, Hastings, Margate and Portsmouth amongst other locations.

For more information on how much Lifesure could save you, whether you are renewing existing insurance or purchasing for the first time, call us for more information and a free quote on 01480 402 460.

• Research your flight – Shopping around for your air fare can save you a significant amount of money. Don’t just take the first flight that leaves on the date you’ve decided you want to; consider other airlines, different routes and alternative dates and times to get the best deal.
• Research your visa – It’s just as important to check out a few sources before organising your visa. You may find that companies who promise to help with gap year visas and work will charge for something you can do cheaply by yourself.
• Travel Insurance – If you’re travelling abroad for more than one month, you will need to obtain specialist insurance before you fly. Before you decide on a policy, check for things like whether you’re covered for any extreme sports or activities you plan to take part in, as well as for working and volunteering.
• Use your mobile sparingly – Although the cost of calls and texts while travelling in Europe has been capped, overdoing it while abroad could still end up costing you a pretty penny.  Internet browsing bills have been known to run into the thousands, so make sure you have a price plan or add on which makes using your phone as economical as possible.  Using internet cafes where possible will also be cheaper.
• Credit and debit cards – Before you travel, make sure that the bank account you plan to use won’t charge you exorbitantly for withdrawing cash abroad. Some accounts will charge up to 3 per cent for each transaction.  Set up online banking before you go and inform your card provider that you will be travelling so they are expecting unusual activity on your account. It may also be worth considering a pre-paid card.

When you are considering Travel Insurance, why not call for a free quote from Lifesure on 01480 402 460, and discover how much we could save you.

The election of France’s first socialist president for nearly two decades, Francois Hollande, and the post-election troubles in Germany have caused further speculation about the possible breakup of the Eurozone. Shares on the Greek market have plummeted by 7.6 per cent; Italy has seen a drop of 2.2 per cent and the Paris market by 1.52 per cent. The value of the Euro has also dropped to just $1.2964.

President Hollande has already spoken out about the Eurozone’s austerity requirement, saying “Europe is watching us. The moment that I was announced president, I am sure in many European countries there was a relief, hope at the idea that at last austerity is no longer inevitable, and my mission is to give to European construction the dream of growth, Europe is watching us, austerity can no longer be the only option.”

Meanwhile, a member of the Conservative Party expressed concern that this new policy would cause further confusion and disruption within the Eurozone. “Clearly it’s going to focus a lot of market attention on the French public finances, which are nothing to write home about. I don’t think it is going to make life in the bond markets any easier next week. “We haven’t chosen austerity because it’s fun. We have to do austerity, and so does France. He will have to be very careful about his public spending commitments and the lack of welfare reform.”

When your Professional Insurance is due to be renewed, call us at Lifesure on 01480 402 460, for a free quote.