Henley firm steps in as Daily Mail article highlights plight of Seaview Holiday Park caravan owners claiming to be trapped on ‘dilapidated’ site
Holiday park purchase despair
If anybody deserved a break it was Paul and Tracey Chambers. First, they had to endure every parent’s worst nightmare when they lost their son to a car accident. Then their pub business was forced to close following the 2020 COVID pandemic.
“We saw an advert for purchasing a static caravan at Seaview Holiday Park,” said the couple, who first told their story to CornwallLive. “We agreed that we deserved and needed this. We pretty much put together all of our savings, purchased the caravan, paid the site fees and wanted to live the dream.
“Unfortunately it has gone from bad to worse.
Paul explains: “We were initially promised back in September 2022 that the site clubhouse would be open within weeks of purchase. Two years later it was still not open.
Paul revealed to CornwallLive that a few years later, after the site had fallen into disrepair they tried to sell the caravan back to the park and despite having paid nearly £19,000 plus £5,000 upfront site fees, he was told the unit was now only worth £1,000. Even that offer was withdrawn. They were also prevented from selling the caravan privately by a clause in their contract. Though he says that after his case was highlighted in the media, the offer was increased.
Paul told ECC: “They have recently offered £2000 and have lifted the block on selling it privately. But no one would want to buy as the site is a mess. The children’s play park is a mess and the crazy golf is not fit for purpose. There is also no management, no staff and no receptionist, so no reception service.”
“All we want is reimbursement,” continues Paul. “A lot of static caravan owners here, like us, put all they had into this as an investment and now are being treated like this.”
Hope for redress
Paul and Tracey got in touch with Holiday Park Advice Centre (HPAC), the holiday park division of European Consumer Claims (ECC), the Henley-on-Thames company tackling the issue of holiday park consumer abuse nationwide. HPAC are now representing the couple in their fight for justice. Paul and Tracey are hoping for a speedy resolution and to be able to put the episode behind them.
“We do not feel that we have been treated honestly by Sea View Holidays,” says Paul. “We are not millionaires and the money we spent makes a huge amount of difference to us. We simply can’t afford to lose it based on unfulfilled promises and false representations.
“Luckily we are one of many families in the same position being represented by European Consumer Claims and the Holiday Park Advice Centre. We believe the law is clear and on our side.”
Greg Wilson, CEO of ECC issued the following statement.
“Holiday parks up and down the country have been playing fast and loose in regard to UK consumer law. Without passing comment on Paul and Tracey’s case specifically, we state with confidence that any park who has ridden roughshod over our client’s rights can and will be pursued robustly through available legal avenues.”
“We represent a vast portfolio of holiday park clients and have already had significant success on their behalf, including a recent win of nearly £180,000.
“The courts have very little sympathy for wealthy park owners who ignore consumer laws to the detriment of ordinary people looking to buy into their holiday dream.”
If you have been treated unfairly by a holiday park, seek expert advice about your options for financial redress.