Residential vs Leisure
Understanding the difference between a residential park home and a holiday / leisure lodge is one of the most important things to get right before you buy.
Park homes come in two broad categories: residential and leisure. They look similar from the outside, but the rules around how and when you can live in them are very different.
At a glance
| Residential | Leisure / Holiday | |
| Live in full-time? | Yes | No |
| Primary address? | Yes | No |
| Built to standard | BS 3632 | EN 1647 |
| Planning use | Permanent residence | Holiday use only |
| Council tax | Payable | Not applicable |
Residential park homes
A residential park home is built to British Standard BS 3632 for year-round habitation. It is designed to be your permanent, full-time home.
- Built to BS 3632
- Sits on a licensed residential park
- Protected by the Mobile Homes Act 1983
- You own the home; the pitch is rented from the park owner
- Can be your only or main home
Residential park homes offer strong security of tenure under the Mobile Homes Act 1983.
Leisure / holiday lodges
A leisure or holiday lodge is built for holiday use only. You cannot use it as your permanent, full-time home.
- Built to EN 1647
- Sits within a holiday or leisure park
- Occupancy conditions vary by park
- Cannot be used as your sole or main residence
- Not covered by the Mobile Homes Act 1983
Living in a holiday lodge as your permanent home can breach planning law and your pitch agreement.
Questions to ask before you buy
- What is the park planning permission?
- What does my specific pitch agreement allow?
- Is there an occupancy restriction?
- Can I register this address for council tax / electoral roll purposes?
- Is the home built to BS 3632 or EN 1647?