Pitch Fee Increase Calculations: Lobbying RPI to CPI
I am grateful to Sonia McColl of the Park Home Owners JUSTICE Campaign for updating me following the recent meeting of the All-Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) for Park Homes held on the 7th of February, especially with pitch fee increase calculations.
Sonia has been campaigning for many years to get the formula for calculating the increase in pitch fees changed from using the Retail Price Index (RPI) to the lower Consumer Price Index (CPI). The government promised some years ago to make this change ‘when parliamentary time allows’, and we understand they have been busy of late. However, one way of progressing legislation changes outside of normal parliamentary business is the use of a Private Members Bill, and this is being championed by the Chair of the APPG, Sir Christopher Chope. Unbelievably the Government has opposed the Bill, promoted by one of its own MP’s! The reasons are unclear, but Sir Christopher will present his bill, which has cross-party support, again on 25th February, fingers crossed.
Park Home residents can help by lobbying their own MP to support the Private Members Bill to help change the pitch fee increase calculations to a more sustainable price.
If you are having any issues, please contact one of the help groups in our Useful Links post.
