Moray MP Douglas Ross has heard directly from owners of caravans at two Moray coastal parks following concerns raised with him about changes being implemented at the sites since new owners, Park Holidays, took over earlier this year. The issue has been raised at several of Douglas’s surgeries and yesterday (Monday) he visited Lossiemouth Holiday Park to speak directly with concerned owners.
Commenting, Douglas said: “After concerns were raised with me at my constituency surgeries by owners of caravans at Burghead and Lossiemouth, I wanted to meet onsite with people to hear their concerns about changes being implemented since Park Holidays took over in April this year. This move has led to people feeling forced to sell their vans or give up their sites. Others have told me how they feel bullied and intimidated by the firm in an effort to get them to leave the site many have happily stayed at for years.
“This behaviour is having a negative impact on so many residents and it could have a significant knock-on effect for businesses in Moray who rely on trade from these sites.
Some of the people I spoke with have been coming to the site for years and love the atmosphere of friendship across the site.
“However, caravan owners told me that things have changed since new owners have taken over and that many people feel worried enough to leave due to new unfair practices which have concerned them and effectively forced them into this decision due to financial penalties imposed on them.
“I was also very concerned to hear that some people feel they are being harassed, and as well as unsolicited phone calls at unsociable hours, some of the residents have received letters stating they must pay to upgrade their caravans at a cost of thousands of pounds or leave, with others reporting they have paid their site fees, but received letters saying they hadn’t, with action threatened if they refused to do so.
“As well as this, reassurances they were given and contracts they had in place prior to the new owners taking over, are effectively being ignored. In one case I was told by a couple that although they were told their caravan was satisfactory and would not need to be upgraded, they have now been told they must upgrade or leave and are are faced with a cost of more than £30,000 for a slightly newer caravan. Understandably, many people are choosing to simply sell up and go. But it doesn’t end there as their previously ‘unsatisfactory vans’ are then being sold on at the site, for a lot more than they were paid for them.
“Residents remaining on the site are also being hit with new rules for instance they have been told that if they have introduced garden areas to their caravans, they must abide by certain new stringent regulations which include how many plant pots they can have outside their caravans.
“I’ve also heard that people are being told to replace decking for new plastic-based decking installed by contractors employed by the site owners at a cost of around £15,000.
“It would seem that Park Holidays are doing everything in their power to make it difficult for people to remain on these sites and their behaviour is shocking and unacceptable.
“I have a meeting scheduled with Park Holidays on Thursday, and sincerely hope that a way forward can be found and they realise the misery their actions are causing so many.”
