Site lease conditional on buying mobile home from selected dealer
A LIMERICK family has warned people investing in seaside mobile homes to be wise and avoid disappointment. Businessman, Paul Browne, who waited for four years for a mobile home site, learned he would have to pay €8,000 above market value for a mobile home. When offered a site in a prominent seaside town, the Browne’s learned from the site owner it was conditional that they would have to buy their mobile home from a vendor recommended by him.
“We rang four different sellers and prices varied between €40,000 and €42,000”.
They were expecting to be asked to pay slightly over the market value, because of site exclusivity.
“The seller said the price would be €48,000, I quizzed him on the extra €8,000 and he said it was to remove an old van from the site that belonged to someone else”.
The Browne’s were extremely disappointed.
“My family, including my pregnant wife, are emotionally drained and deflated from this. We were looking forward to spending the summer near the beach”.
“To be honest, this whole episode has left a bad taste in our mouths.
“Maybe four or five years ago, when times were better we would have accepted it. These days are different and it takes a long time to save €8,000”.
They were initially contacted in early March by a park owner and told that a site had become available.
Paul explained:
“We were very eager, so we travelled to see the site that day and we were delighted with it.
“We agreed that the rental on the site would be around €1,500 a year, which would be the standard price.
“The only condition was, we had to buy the mobile from one mobile home vendor, which we had no issue with at the time”.
After shopping around to choose a make and model, the family learned of the variance in price.
“Other companies said they would be happy to offer our seller, the make and model we wanted, at a trade discount of between 10% and 15%”.
When the family decided on a make and model, they asked the seller for a quote from his supplier in the UK.
He informed them that the price would be €48,000, and this was not flexible.
A few days later Paul called the dealer back.
“I rang and had a long conversation regarding the extra €8,000. He said that he had paid €1,000 for decking on site and around €2,000 to remove the existing mobile.
“I asked him why we had to cover that removal charge as the mobile was not ours, and he replied it was the way it had to be.
“I was eventually told that the €8,000 goes to the site owners.
“He also said he could sell us the same mobile for €40k, but on a site in a park outside of the town”.
Frustrated, they travelled to the site they wanted in an effort to do a deal, and offered €44,000 for the mobile home.
“They turned down our offer, because they knew that they have other people waiting for places at the site, and they are not dependent on us”.
After all of the confusion, Mr Browne said he still doesn’t know what the €8,000 was for.
“I have run a business for 11 years and I have always been open and honest with my clients. I don’t understand this underhand behaviour.
“Is our country still this greedy in the current climate? I would just like to let other buyers beware and know the full cost of mobile homes and what they are paying for before going ahead spending such large amounts of money on leisure activities”.
