Housing rights for Gypsies and Travellers on permanent sites

Do you live on an authorised permanent site? It might be council-run or run by a private firm. You have housing rights. They are much like the rights of other tenants. But some things are different. This guide tells you what rights you have. It tells you who must do repairs and upkeep. It also tells you what to do if your site is in poor condition.

What types of site are covered?

This guide is about authorised permanent sites. These are sites where you have a settled right to keep a pitch for the long term. They include:

• Council-run sites: Pitches given by local authorities. The housing department often runs them
• Registered social landlord sites: Sites run by housing associations
• Privately owned licensed sites: Sites owned by a private firm, where you pay a pitch fee

This guide does not cover unauthorised encampments. Those are places where people stay without permission. It also does not cover transit sites, which are made for short stays.

What are my rights on a permanent site?

Pitch agreement: Most people on authorised permanent sites have a pitch agreement. It is sometimes called a licence agreement. It sets out the terms of your stay. Have you lived on a council site for a while? You may have a secure or flexible tenancy, not just a licence.

Protection from eviction: You cannot be removed from a pitch without a court order. Your pitch agreement may have a set end date. Even so, you cannot just be told to leave. The site operator must go through the court process first.

Protection under the Mobile Homes Act 1983: Is your pitch a mobile home (caravan) on an authorised site? Then the Mobile Homes Act 1983 may apply to you. This Act gives you strong rights. They include:

• The right to a written statement of terms within 28 days of the agreement
• Protection against eviction. The site owner must give notice. In most cases, they must also get a court order
• Rights about pitch fees. This covers how they can go up and how you must be told

The Mobile Homes Act was changed in 2013 to make protections better. The law was updated again in 2023. Does your pitch involve a residential mobile home on an authorised site? Then the Act gives you some of the strongest rights an occupier can have.

Repairs and maintenance: who is responsible?

Site infrastructure: The site operator (council or private) must look after the shared parts of the site. This means roads, lighting, drainage, water supply, waste collection, shared toilets and washing rooms (where provided), and any shared buildings.

Your pitch: The pitch itself is usually the site operator's job. That covers whether it is level, drained, and fit to use. Has your pitch become waterlogged, sunken, or fallen into poor repair? You can report this to the site manager or council.

Your home: The build and state of your caravan or mobile home is usually your own job. The site agreement may say something different. But say the site infrastructure is faulty, like the drainage or water supply. If that fault is harming your home, the site operator may be liable.

Damp, mould and health on site

Sometimes the site infrastructure causes conditions that affect your health. For example, poor drainage may lead to damp under caravans. The water supply may be too weak. The shared toilets and washing rooms may be broken. You can report these problems. If they are not fixed, you can take them through formal routes.

Conditions on Gypsy and Traveller sites are checked under the Housing Health and Safety Rating System (HHSRS). Local authority environmental health officers do this check. Hazards include excess cold, damp and mould, and broken sanitation. They are Category 1 or Category 2 hazards. It depends on how bad they are.

Discrimination

Gypsies and Travellers are recognised ethnic groups under the Equality Act 2010. It is against the law to discriminate over race, including ethnic origin, when housing is provided. Maybe a council or site operator treats you worse than other residents. Maybe they do not keep a Gypsy and Traveller site to the same standard as other housing they run. This may count as race discrimination.

What should I do if conditions are poor?

1. Report in writing: Write to the site manager or council. Set out the problem. Keep a copy.
2. Contact the council's environmental health team: Ask for an HHSRS inspection if the conditions are a health risk.
3. Contact a dedicated advice service: Friends, Families and Travellers (01273 234 777) gives advice on housing rights for Gypsies and Travellers. Shelter and Citizens Advice can also help with general housing rights.

When should I contact Support for Tenants?

Do you have housing disrepair on a permanent site? Has your landlord or site operator not fixed it? Is it affecting your health? Then call us on 0800 030 4669.

No upfront cost. You only pay if you win, and the fee comes out of the compensation, not your pocket. If you don't win, you pay nothing.

Sources

• Mobile Homes Act 1983 (legislation.gov.uk)
• Equality Act 2010 (legislation.gov.uk)
• Housing Health and Safety Rating System (HHSRS) guidance (GOV.UK)

Related articles

• Park home and mobile home, disrepair rights
• How to request an HHSRS inspection
• Disability discrimination in housing
• Where to get other housing help
• How damp and mould affect your health