pitch fee
📖 What is pitch fee? Meaning and definition
The pitch fee is a crucial financial aspect for individuals living in mobile homes on residential parks in the UK. It represents the charge for occupying a 'pitch' – the designated area where the mobile home is sited. The amount of this fee can be subject to review and increase, often based on factors such as inflation, specifically the Consumer Prices Index (CPI).
Site owners may apply to a First-tier Tribunal (Property Chamber) for a determination of a new level of pitch fee. This typically occurs after the site owner has issued a notice of increase to the mobile home owner. If the parties cannot agree on the proposed increase, either party can apply to the Tribunal for a decision.
The Tribunal's role is to review the proposed increase and determine the new pitch fee, considering the relevant legal framework, such as the Mobile Homes Act 1983. Decisions from the Tribunal specify the new monthly fee and the effective date from which it applies. These determinations are legally binding and supersede any previous agreements or proposed increases if a dispute arises.
📋 Requirements
- The property must be a mobile home sited on a park.
- There must be an existing pitch fee in place.
- A site owner must propose an increase in the pitch fee.
- The proposed increase is often based on an inflation rate, such as the Consumer Prices Index (CPI).
📝 Procedure
- The site owner sends a notice of increase of pitch fee to the mobile home owner.
- If the mobile home owner disputes the increase, an application is made to the First-tier Tribunal (Property Chamber).
- The Tribunal issues directions for the conduct of the application.
- The Tribunal reviews the application and any submissions from the parties.
- The Tribunal determines the new level of the pitch fee and its effective date.
💡 Examples
- A site owner proposed increasing the monthly pitch fee from £187.02 to £191.88, effective from 1 June 2025, based on a 2.6% Consumer Prices Index inflation rate.
- The Tribunal determined that a mobile home's monthly pitch fee should increase from £176.05 to £181.33 from 1 April 2025.
- Following an application, the Tribunal summarily determined that a pitch fee should increase from £118.24 to £119.89 per month from the review date of 1 April 2021.
- Two separate applications for pitch fee reviews were heard by the Tribunal concerning different mobile homes on the same park, with new fees determined for each.
📚 Legal basis
- Mobile Homes Act 1983
- Tribunal Procedure (First-tier Tribunal) (Property Chamber) Rules 2013
❓ Frequently asked questions
What is a pitch fee?
A pitch fee is the regular payment made by a mobile home owner to the site owner for the right to keep their home on a specific plot of land within a mobile home park.
How often can a pitch fee be increased?
The case excerpts do not specify a frequency, but they show increases being proposed and determined for specific effective dates, often annually or every few years.
What factors influence a pitch fee increase?
Pitch fee increases are commonly based on inflation rates, such as the Consumer Prices Index (CPI), as seen in the Tribunal decisions.
What happens if I disagree with a proposed pitch fee increase?
If you disagree, the site owner (or you) can apply to the First-tier Tribunal (Property Chamber) for a determination of the new pitch fee level.
What is the role of the Tribunal in pitch fee disputes?
The Tribunal reviews applications for pitch fee determinations and decides the new, legally binding monthly pitch fee and its effective date.
Can a pitch fee increase be backdated?
The Tribunal decisions indicate that new pitch fees are determined 'from' a specific date, which can be in the past relative to the decision date, effectively meaning they can be backdated to the review date.