Residential park rent changes proposed to support manufactured home-owners

• Community consultation on potential reforms to the residential parks sector is now open
• Queenslanders are being encouraged to have their say on the reform proposals
• The proposals include changes to annual site rent increases at residential parks, prohibiting market rent reviews and requiring park comparisons to be published on operators’ websites
• The reform proposals aim to increase transparency and protect manufactured home-owners from unfair business practices
• The Queensland Government is particularly keen to hear from owners of manufactured homes and operators of residential parks

Restricting the maximum annual site rent increases at residential parks and prohibiting market rent reviews are some of the proposals being considered by the Palaszczuk Government to deliver more fairness for manufactured home-owners.

A further proposal requiring park owners to publish how their property compares with other residential parks on their websites will also be considered.

The proposals form part of a Consultation Regulatory Impact Statement (C-RIS) released today, with Queenslanders able to have their say until 26 June 2023.

The Queensland Government is particularly keen to hear from owners of manufactured homes and residential park operators and owners.

Quotes attributable to the Minister for Communities and Housing Leeanne Enoch:

"The Palaszczuk Government wants to increase transparency and fairness for manufactured home-owners, while supporting industry viability.

“We’re determined to ensure residential parks are great places to live for the tens of thousands of Queenslanders who call them home.

"Last year we released an issues paper and a home-owner survey to better understand the issues relating to site rent increases and the sale of homes in residential parks.

"The information provided in response to the paper has been used to get to the heart of these issues and develop reform proposals.

“The government has made a commitment to address these issues through the Queensland Housing and Homelessness Action Plan 2021 – 2025.

"Home-owners, residential park owners and other interested parties can now have their say on the reform options.”

Explainer/fast fact and or further information:

Residential parks are typically marketed as lifestyle communities for people over 50 and as an affordable alternative to retirement villages.

In residential parks, home-owners buy their manufactured home, but rent the land it is on from a park owner.

There has been strong growth in the sector in the past 10 years, with an increase from 168 residential parks in Queensland in 2013 including 14,000 home sites to 200 residential parks in Queensland in 2023 with more than 23,000 home sites.

Options outlined in the C-RIS include:

• Simplifying the process of buying a pre-owned manufactured home and entering into a site agreement
• Requirements for parks to develop publicly available information documents to allow comparisons between parks
• A maximum limit on annual site rent increases
• Prohibiting market rent reviews
• Requirements for park owners to develop and implement plans for maintenance and capital replacement
• In some circumstances, buybacks and site rent reductions for unsold manufactured homes

• To have your say on manufactured homes and residential parks, visit qld.gov.au/ManufacturedHomesFeedback or call 13 QGOV (13 74 68).

ENDS

Media contact – Martin Philip 0407 675 008