purchase of a site with mobile home - some questions

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pennywise

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Hi

My husband and I are looking at buying a site with a mobile home. Mobile has been on the site for years and is in a great condition. This will be a holiday property
We have been told by the agent that the stamp duty is 6% as it is a site rather than a residential property. We are ok with this, but I have a few questions as I only have experience in buying a house.

1. If the site is considered a land and the stamp duty is at 6%, then my understanding is that LPT doesn't apply?
2. Do we need to organise a survey, given that the dwelling is only a mobile?
3. I read a few things about land registry, how do I check that this site is registered?
4. Solicitors fees, are they the same as for buying a home?

Thanks a lot
 
If you wish to stay in the mobile, you will need to seek planning permission. Depending on location this may be difficult to impossible to obtain.
 
Big difference between storage and use, and being there for years but in great condition might suggest not long enough to evade the enforcement period. I know a guy in Wicklow lost a lot of money in similar circumstances.
 
pennywise said:
1. If the site is considered a land and the stamp duty is at 6%, then my understanding is that LPT doesn't apply?
2. Do we need to organise a survey, given that the dwelling is only a mobile?
3. I read a few things about land registry, how do I check that this site is registered?
4. Solicitors fees, are they the same as for buying a home?
Click to expand...

You are asking the wrong questions.

You will have to get a local planner's expert opinion on whether you can keep the caravan on that site or not.

After you get that, you can look at the other questions.

Brendan
 
Actually, do a search with the local planning office. There's a chance that the current owner sought permission and was refused, and so are now selling hoping that prospective buyers don't do their homework.

Without guidance as to whether you are likely to get planning granted on that site, it should only be valued as agricultural land plus whatever the value of the mobile home is.
 
I think I put my questions in a wrong way... The mobile home has been there and used for about 15 years as a holiday home, by a couple who is selling due to life circumstances not allowing them to go there regularly.
We are not seeking planning to build anything
 
If the mobile home is there, and has been in use as a holiday home legally, then you are not just buying a parcel of land.

Keeping a mobile home and using it to live in for any period of time requires planning permission. Many people get away without going down the legal route, but you need to be aware of the risks, the potential costs and factor those into the price you are willing to pay.

A good solicitor will advise you accordingly and do the necessary research to determine exactly what you're potentially getting into.
 
Thanks Leo. I did a bit of researches following your post and found that the site has had a mobile on for 40 years, the latest one on the site for exactly 12 years according to the estate agent. She advised to discuss this with our solicitor, whom I'm meeting soon. I'll ask him about the non residential status of the land and the question of LPT

Thanks a lot for your guidance
 
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