Latest news with #ParkLaneHolidayHomes
Wales Online
12-07-2025
- Business
- Wales Online
Couple paid £36,600 for a caravan and regretted it after what happened
Our community members are treated to special offers, promotions and adverts from us and our partners. You can check out at any time. More info A working couple are embroiled in a dispute with a holiday park company, alleging they are "stuck" and are unable to sell their £36,600 static caravan. Alicia Mearns and partner John Hayden claim to have been told it's now "basically not worth anything" because they fitted a new kitchen. In response, Park Lane Holiday Homes, operators of the site in Meols, Wirral, contested their claims. A spokesperson for the company stated: "The couple have not engaged in any communications with the company regarding selling the caravan." Alicia, 41, and John, 48, were originally looking to purchase a property in Spain. But Alicia, owner of Allure beauty salon in Birkenhead, and John, who runs J and J Joinery, decided a holiday park offered a better solution for a second home as it was closer to their places of work, provided they could access it throughout the year. In early 2023 they spoke to a sales representative from Park Lane Holiday Homes in Meols. Although aiming for a £25,000 budget, they asserted they were told the only available caravan near this price was £36,600. Moreover, the Merseyside couple claimed they were urged to commit instantly with a £500 deposit because another buyer was purportedly interested in the caravan. Alicia recounted: "We felt rushed. But the caravan seemed to be what we wanted, so we took the plunge," reports the Liverpool Echo. John mentioned: "The rest of the money we had to pull together from bank loans and part-exchanging our 2013 touring caravan, pending the sale of our former property." Alicia noted: "We were not given a contract. Not then and not later. All we ever received was a piece of paper in the office to confirm the sale." Sign up now for the latest news on the North Wales Live Whatsapp community (Image: European Consumer Claims) They allege the site fees amounted to £4,600 annually, which they had to pay in advance, plus an additional charge of £300 a few weeks later. Alicia said the couple spend much of the year at the site, claiming that flooding issues began on October 20, 2023. She described the problem. "Whenever there are heavy rains, our pitch floods, which is often, due to the British weather," she said. "The water depth can be such that we find it extremely difficult to get in and out of the caravan. I am a mum with two kids and the youngest is seven." John elaborated: "They told us a new water pump was installed to keep water levels down in future. But the flooding is actually worse now. It has flooded badly - a total of seven times since we moved in." The couple claimed they inquired about relocating their caravan to a higher position to dodge future floods and were told they could do so for a fee of £1,400. They arranged this while on a trip to Spain as part of efforts to move abroad. Alicia recalled: "(The owner) told us outright that they would not be moving our caravan. He told us that the only way to move to a more flood-proof location was to upgrade to one in a more preferable location." They were further disheartened when informed by a site manager that their caravan had become valueless due to a new kitchen fitted by John, a professional joiner, at a cost of £10,000. Alicia explained her frustration, saying: "Apparently this had devalued the caravan", adding: "Plus the fact it was 20 years old (we had no idea about its age until this point) rendered it worthless." Exasperated, she asserted: "We are probably biased, but we feel that the caravan looks objectively better after John's lovingly installed kitchen replacement." John claimed they were given figures for an upgrade, with the lowest being around £75,000; a sum beyond what they were prepared to invest, compelling them to contemplate selling the caravan on their own. A spokesperson from Park Lane Holiday Homes rejected their narrative, stating: "The couple have not engaged in any communications with the company regarding selling the caravan and therefore their comments are wholly refuted." In response, Alicia said she had spoken with a manager about selling the caravan, saying: "Two friends expressed an interest in buying our caravan. He (the salesperson) told us that 'because of the caravan's age', the park would have to put the ground rent up from £4,600 to £10,500 for the new owners. Understandably our friends did not want to go through with the purchase after learning this." Alicia and John looked into relocating the caravan but found its age was a barrier, as no other site would accept it. Alicia commented: "This information is something they absolutely should have disclosed to us before we paid out £36,600. We never would have paid so much money for a caravan if we had known the limitations caused by its age. Not telling us this was a serious failure on their part in our opinion." She continued: "We are now stuck living on a pitch that continues to flood, resulting in our electricity tripping out as our washing machine and dryer are located outside. The tumble dryer is now ruined due to water damage." The couple feel trapped, Alicia explained: "Currently we are in limbo. The park keeps sending us a new lease to sign, and we daren't sign it because it states a caravan age limit of ten years. "We have paid two years' site fees for a pitch that is unliveable, not fit for purpose and a danger." Sign up for the North Wales Live newsletter sent twice daily to your inbox Park Lane Holiday Homes acknowledged the issue, with a spokesperson stating: "We can confirm that over the past two years the park has, on occasion, experienced flash floods. "However, we would like to emphasise that such events are not unique to the park itself. They are consistent with weather patterns affecting the wider local area of the Wirral and are reflective of the environmental conditions experienced across the region, where flooding commonly occurs. "We wish to reassure all guests that we remain fully committed to ensuring that the holiday park continues to be managed safely and responsibly. All necessary measures have been taken to protect visitors and maintain the high standards our guests expect. "In respect of the allegations made by the couple regarding their caravan, we must highlight that firstly this is a holiday site, and not a residential site. Further the couple have not engaged in any communications with the company regarding selling the caravan and therefore their comments are wholly refuted. "The 19-page licence agreement in place with the couple (signed on each page) is for one year, and they are at liberty to move to another holiday site if they so desire." Find out what's happening near you
North Wales Live
12-07-2025
- Business
- North Wales Live
Couple paid £36,600 for a caravan and regretted it after what happened
A working couple are embroiled in a dispute with a holiday park company, alleging they are "stuck" and are unable to sell their £36,600 static caravan. Alicia Mearns and partner John Hayden claim to have been told it's now "basically not worth anything" because they fitted a new kitchen. In response, Park Lane Holiday Homes, operators of the site in Meols, Wirral, contested their claims. A spokesperson for the company stated: "The couple have not engaged in any communications with the company regarding selling the caravan." Alicia, 41, and John, 48, were originally looking to purchase a property in Spain. But Alicia, owner of Allure beauty salon in Birkenhead, and John, who runs J and J Joinery, decided a holiday park offered a better solution for a second home as it was closer to their places of work, provided they could access it throughout the year. In early 2023 they spoke to a sales representative from Park Lane Holiday Homes in Meols. Although aiming for a £25,000 budget, they asserted they were told the only available caravan near this price was £36,600. Moreover, the Merseyside couple claimed they were urged to commit instantly with a £500 deposit because another buyer was purportedly interested in the caravan. Alicia recounted: "We felt rushed. But the caravan seemed to be what we wanted, so we took the plunge," reports the Liverpool Echo. John mentioned: "The rest of the money we had to pull together from bank loans and part-exchanging our 2013 touring caravan, pending the sale of our former property." Alicia noted: "We were not given a contract. Not then and not later. All we ever received was a piece of paper in the office to confirm the sale." They allege the site fees amounted to £4,600 annually, which they had to pay in advance, plus an additional charge of £300 a few weeks later. Alicia said the couple spend much of the year at the site, claiming that flooding issues began on October 20, 2023. She described the problem. "Whenever there are heavy rains, our pitch floods, which is often, due to the British weather," she said. "The water depth can be such that we find it extremely difficult to get in and out of the caravan. I am a mum with two kids and the youngest is seven." John elaborated: "They told us a new water pump was installed to keep water levels down in future. But the flooding is actually worse now. It has flooded badly - a total of seven times since we moved in." The couple claimed they inquired about relocating their caravan to a higher position to dodge future floods and were told they could do so for a fee of £1,400. They arranged this while on a trip to Spain as part of efforts to move abroad. Alicia recalled: "(The owner) told us outright that they would not be moving our caravan. He told us that the only way to move to a more flood-proof location was to upgrade to one in a more preferable location." They were further disheartened when informed by a site manager that their caravan had become valueless due to a new kitchen fitted by John, a professional joiner, at a cost of £10,000. Alicia explained her frustration, saying: "Apparently this had devalued the caravan", adding: "Plus the fact it was 20 years old (we had no idea about its age until this point) rendered it worthless." Exasperated, she asserted: "We are probably biased, but we feel that the caravan looks objectively better after John's lovingly installed kitchen replacement." John claimed they were given figures for an upgrade, with the lowest being around £75,000; a sum beyond what they were prepared to invest, compelling them to contemplate selling the caravan on their own. A spokesperson from Park Lane Holiday Homes rejected their narrative, stating: "The couple have not engaged in any communications with the company regarding selling the caravan and therefore their comments are wholly refuted." In response, Alicia said she had spoken with a manager about selling the caravan, saying: "Two friends expressed an interest in buying our caravan. He (the salesperson) told us that 'because of the caravan's age', the park would have to put the ground rent up from £4,600 to £10,500 for the new owners. Understandably our friends did not want to go through with the purchase after learning this." Alicia and John looked into relocating the caravan but found its age was a barrier, as no other site would accept it. Alicia commented: "This information is something they absolutely should have disclosed to us before we paid out £36,600. We never would have paid so much money for a caravan if we had known the limitations caused by its age. Not telling us this was a serious failure on their part in our opinion." She continued: "We are now stuck living on a pitch that continues to flood, resulting in our electricity tripping out as our washing machine and dryer are located outside. The tumble dryer is now ruined due to water damage." The couple feel trapped, Alicia explained: "Currently we are in limbo. The park keeps sending us a new lease to sign, and we daren't sign it because it states a caravan age limit of ten years. "We have paid two years' site fees for a pitch that is unliveable, not fit for purpose and a danger." Sign up for the North Wales Live newsletter sent twice daily to your inbox Park Lane Holiday Homes acknowledged the issue, with a spokesperson stating: "We can confirm that over the past two years the park has, on occasion, experienced flash floods. "However, we would like to emphasise that such events are not unique to the park itself. They are consistent with weather patterns affecting the wider local area of the Wirral and are reflective of the environmental conditions experienced across the region, where flooding commonly occurs. "We wish to reassure all guests that we remain fully committed to ensuring that the holiday park continues to be managed safely and responsibly. All necessary measures have been taken to protect visitors and maintain the high standards our guests expect. "In respect of the allegations made by the couple regarding their caravan, we must highlight that firstly this is a holiday site, and not a residential site. Further the couple have not engaged in any communications with the company regarding selling the caravan and therefore their comments are wholly refuted. "The 19-page licence agreement in place with the couple (signed on each page) is for one year, and they are at liberty to move to another holiday site if they so desire."
Edinburgh Live
11-07-2025
- Business
- Edinburgh Live
Couple's second home nightmare as they claim 'it's basically worth nothing'
Our community members are treated to special offers, promotions and adverts from us and our partners. You can check out at any time. More info A couple are lamenting their inability to sell their caravan, which they purchased for over £36,000, as they find themselves "stuck living on a pitch that continues to flood". Alicia Mearns and her partner John Hayden invested £36,600 in a caravan at a holiday park, only to become embroiled in a dispute with the park operators, claiming they've been informed the caravan is "basically not worth anything" following a kitchen installation by John. However, Park Lane Holiday Homes, who run the site in Meols, Wirral, have contested their claims. A spokesperson from the company stated: "The couple have not engaged in any communications with the company regarding selling the caravan." At 41, Alicia, who runs Allure beauty salon in Birkenhead, Merseyside, and John, 48, owner of JandJ Joinery, were looking to purchase a property in Spain but needed a base near their work. They thought a holiday park would be ideal for a second home, provided it was accessible throughout the year. In early 2023, they discussed options with a salesman at Park Lane Holiday Homes in Meols, with an initial budget of £25,000. According to the couple, they were pressured into buying the only available caravan near their budget at £36,600 because another buyer was allegedly interested, necessitating an immediate £500 deposit, reports the Mirror. Alicia recounted: "We felt rushed. But the caravan seemed to be what we wanted, so we took the plunge." John explained: "The rest of the money we had to pull together from bank loans and part-exchanging our 2013 touring caravan, pending the sale of our former property." Alicia revealed: "We were not given a contract. Not then and not later. All we ever received was a piece of paper in the office to confirm the sale." The couple allege that site fees totalled £4,600 annually, which required payment in advance. They also claim an additional £300 was demanded several weeks afterwards. Alicia mentioned they spend the majority of the year at the site but insisted that difficulties began on October 20, 2023, when flooding struck. She explained: "Whenever there are heavy rains, our pitch floods, which is often, due to the British weather. The water depth can be such that we find it extremely difficult to get in and out of the caravan. I am a mum with two kids and the youngest is seven." John continued: "They told us a new water pump was installed to keep water levels down in future. But the flooding is actually worse now. It has flooded badly - a total of seven times since we moved in." The pair claim they enquired about relocating their caravan to higher ground to prevent future flooding. They allege they were informed this was possible, but would cost £1,400. They stated they organised for the work to be completed whilst they were in Spain attempting to arrange a move overseas. Alicia recounted a disheartening conversation with the owner, saying: "(The owner) told us outright that they would not be moving our caravan. He told us that the only way to move to a more flood-proof location was to upgrade to one in a more preferable location." The couple felt further dismayed when a site manager allegedly told them their caravan had plummeted in value, with Alicia explaining: "Apparently this had devalued the caravan... plus the fact it was 20 years old (we had no idea about its age until this point) rendered it worthless." Despite the setback, Alicia expressed pride in the improvements made: "We are probably biased, but we feel that the caravan looks objectively better after John's lovingly installed kitchen replacement." John also mentioned the steep price for an upgrade, stating they were quoted around £75,000, which exceeded their budget, prompting them to consider selling the caravan privately. Contradicting the couple's claims, a spokesperson from Park Lane Holiday Homes asserted: "The couple have not engaged in any communications with the company regarding selling the caravan and therefore their comments are wholly refuted." In response, Alicia recounted her attempt to sell the caravan, explaining: "Two friends expressed an interest in buying our caravan. He (the salesperson) told us that 'because of the caravan's age', the park would have to put the ground rent up from £4,600 to £10,500 for the new owners. Understandably our friends did not want to go through with the purchase after learning this." Alicia and John looked into relocating the caravan but found its age was a barrier, as no other site would accept it. Alicia lamented: "This information is something they absolutely should have disclosed to us before we paid out £36,600. We never would have paid so much money for a caravan if we had known the limitations caused by its age. Not telling us this was a serious failure on their part in our opinion." She continued, detailing their current predicament: "We are now stuck living on a pitch that continues to flood, resulting in our electricity tripping out as our washing machine and dryer are located outside. The tumble dryer is now ruined due to water damage." Alicia added, "Currently we are in limbo. The park keeps sending us a new lease to sign, and we daren't sign it because it states a caravan age limit of ten years. We have paid two years' site fees for a pitch that is unliveable, not fit for purpose and a danger." A representative for Park Lane Holiday Homes acknowledged: "We can confirm that over the past two years the park has, on occasion, experienced flash floods. "However, we would like to emphasise that such events are not unique to the park itself. They are consistent with weather patterns affecting the wider local area of the Wirral and are reflective of the environmental conditions experienced across the region, where flooding commonly occurs. (Image: European Consumer Claims) "We wish to reassure all guests that we remain fully committed to ensuring that the holiday park continues to be managed safely and responsibly. All necessary measures have been taken to protect visitors and maintain the high standards our guests expect. "In respect of the allegations made by the couple regarding their caravan, we must highlight that firstly this is a holiday site, and not a residential site. Further the couple have not engaged in any communications with the company regarding selling the caravan and therefore their comments are wholly refuted. "The 19-page licence agreement in place with the couple (signed on each page) is for one year, and they are at liberty to move to another holiday site if they so desire."
Daily Mirror
11-07-2025
- Business
- Daily Mirror
'We wish we did not buy caravan for £36K after what we know now'
Alicia Mearns and partner John Hayden, from Merseyside, splashed out £36,600 on a caravan at a site run by Park Lane Holiday Homes on the Wirral and now claim they have been told it isn't worth anything A couple claim they can't sell their caravan which cost more than £36,000, and are "stuck living on a pitch that continues to flood". Alicia Mearns and partner John Hayden splashed out £36,600 on the caravan at a holiday park they are now in dispute with and say they have now been told it is "basically not worth anything" due to a kitchen John installed. But Park Lane Holiday Homes, who operate the site in Meols, Wirral, refuted their comments. A spokesperson said: "The couple have not engaged in any communications with the company regarding selling the caravan." Alicia, 41, and partner John, 48, were hoping to buy a property in Spain but wanted a base close to their places of work. Alicia, who owns Allure beauty salon in Birkenhead, Merseyside, and John, who runs building business JandJ Joinery, decided holiday parks seemed to be the best option for a secondary residence, provided they could find one they were allowed to live in at any time of year. In early 2023 they met a salesman regarding a site at Park Lane Holiday Homes in Meols, and had a budget of £25,000. They claim they were told there was only one caravan available near their price range at £36,600. Additionally, they claim they were told that, as someone else was interested in buying it, they would need to commit right away with a £500 deposit. Alicia said: "We felt rushed. But the caravan seemed to be what we wanted, so we took the plunge." John added: "The rest of the money we had to pull together from bank loans and part-exchanging our 2013 touring caravan, pending the sale of our former property." Alicia said: "We were not given a contract. Not then and not later. All we ever received was a piece of paper in the office to confirm the sale." They claim site fees were £4,600 a year, which they had to pay upfront. They also said a further £300 was charged a few weeks later. Alicia said they spend most of the year on the site but claimed that problems arose on October 20, 2023, when floods occurred. She said: "Whenever there are heavy rains, our pitch floods, which is often, due to the British weather. The water depth can be such that we find it extremely difficult to get in and out of the caravan. I am a mum with two kids and the youngest is seven." John added: "They told us a new water pump was installed to keep water levels down in future. But the flooding is actually worse now. It has flooded badly - a total of seven times since we moved in." The couple claim they asked if they could move the caravan to a higher pitch to avoid future floods. They claim they were told they could, for a fee of £1,400. They said they arranged for it to be done while they were in Spain trying to facilitate a move abroad. Alicia said: "(The owner) told us outright that they would not be moving our caravan. He told us that the only way to move to a more flood-proof location was to upgrade to one in a more preferable location." They claim they were hit with another blow when they were told by a manager on the site that their caravan was "basically not worth anything" because of a new kitchen joiner John had installed at a cost of £10,000. Alicia said: "Apparently this had devalued the caravan... plus the fact it was 20 years old (we had no idea about its age until this point) rendered it worthless." She continued: "We are probably biased, but we feel that the caravan looks objectively better after John's lovingly installed kitchen replacement." John claims they were told the cheapest upgrade was around £75,000, which is more than they were willing to pay. As such, the couple said they attempted to sell the caravan privately. However, a spokesperson from Park Lane Holiday Homes said: "The couple have not engaged in any communications with the company regarding selling the caravan and therefore their comments are wholly refuted." Responding to this, Alicia claims she spoke to a manager about wanting to sell the caravan. She said: "Two friends expressed an interest in buying our caravan. He (the salesperson) told us that 'because of the caravan's age', the park would have to put the ground rent up from £4,600 to £10,500 for the new owners. Understandably our friends did not want to go through with the purchase after learning this." Alicia and John claim they investigated the possibility of moving the caravan to a different site, but said that because of its age no other site would allow this. Alicia said: "This information is something they absolutely should have disclosed to us before we paid out £36,600. We never would have paid so much money for a caravan if we had known the limitations caused by its age. Not telling us this was a serious failure on their part in our opinion. "We are now stuck living on a pitch that continues to flood, resulting in our electricity tripping out as our washing machine and dryer are located outside. The tumble dryer is now ruined due to water damage. "Currently we are in limbo. The park keeps sending us a new lease to sign, and we daren't sign it because it states a caravan age limit of ten years. We have paid two years' site fees for a pitch that is unliveable, not fit for purpose and a danger." A spokesperson for Park Lane Holiday Homes said: "We can confirm that over the past two years the park has, on occasion, experienced flash floods. "However, we would like to emphasise that such events are not unique to the park itself. They are consistent with weather patterns affecting the wider local area of the Wirral and are reflective of the environmental conditions experienced across the region, where flooding commonly occurs. "We wish to reassure all guests that we remain fully committed to ensuring that the holiday park continues to be managed safely and responsibly. All necessary measures have been taken to protect visitors and maintain the high standards our guests expect. "In respect of the allegations made by the couple regarding their caravan, we must highlight that firstly this is a holiday site, and not a residential site. Further the couple have not engaged in any communications with the company regarding selling the caravan and therefore their comments are wholly refuted. "The 19-page licence agreement in place with the couple (signed on each page) is for one year, and they are at liberty to move to another holiday site if they so desire."
Daily Mail
01-07-2025
- Business
- Daily Mail
EXCLUSIVE We're trapped in caravan site hell: Couple reveal how pitch for their £36,000 home keeps flooding - but site bosses say their only option is to pay £75,000 to move
A family who have been left 'trapped' living in a flooded caravan park claim they've been told their only option is to pay £75,000 for a new pitch – after the salesperson who enticed them to buy it did a runner. Beauty salon owner Alicia Mearns and her partner, John Hayden, who owns a building business, wanted to split their time between the UK and sunny Spain. To make their dream a reality, the couple, aged 41 and 48, who have two children, needed an easy base near to work when coming back to Britain. After doing their research, they decided to invest in a Park Lane Holiday Homes caravan, which offered year-round accommodation in Wirral. While in the process of selling their house, they snapped up a mobile home for £36,000, with plans to temporarily live there while they figured out their move abroad. All was going well – until a bout of heavy rainfall, where their pitch on Park Lane Holiday Homes was completely flooded. 'Whenever there are heavy rains, our pitch floods, which is often, due to the British weather,' Alicia, from Birkenhead, told 'The water depth can be such that we find it extremely difficult to get in and out of the caravan. '[In our opinion], it's clearly dangerous, especially when the electric meter is immersed in deep water.' The mum says that while the caravan hasn't flooded inside, the water does cover the bottom of the mobile home, causing damp – which she claims has made the family quite ill. John said: 'They [the park] told us a new water pump was installed to keep water levels down in future. 'But the flooding is actually worse now. 'It has flooded badly a total of seven times since we moved in.' The couple, who bought the caravan in 2023, were allegedly told by a salesperson from Park Lane Holiday Homes that the caravan was the only plot left – and that someone else was interested. To avoid losing out, Alicia and John committed right away and put down a £500 deposit. The rest of the money was pulled from bank loans, which they paid off after selling their family home and part-exchanging their 2013 touring caravan. Alicia says they were then billed with a £4,600 site fee charge and a further £300 a few weeks later. Due to the flooding, they asked the salesperson if they could move to a higher pitch – and were reportedly given the go-ahead to do so if they paid an additional £1,400. The couple agreed and arranged for the move to be done on their behalf while they were home shopping in Spain. But the move never happened. She said: 'It didn't happen. 'While we were in Spain, we got messages from people we know on the site telling us [the salesperson] had robbed the owners and done a runner. 'We have been told outright that they will not be moving [it]. 'A new salesperson said the only way to move to a more flood-proof location is to upgrade to one in a more preferable location for £75,000.' Alicia and John were served another blow when they were told their new kitchen, which cost £10,000, 'devalued' their home as they built it themselves. The mum said, 'Apparently, this had devalued the caravan. '[We were] told this, plus the fact it was 20 years old, which we had no idea about until this point, rendered it worthless. 'We are probably biased, but we feel that the caravan looks objectively better after John's lovingly installed kitchen replacement.' Refusing to pay for the upgrade, the pair tried to sell the caravan privately. But even though two of their friends expressed interest, the sale was hindered by the park putting the ground rent up from £4,600 to £10,500 for any new owners. Because of the caravan's age, the couple say no other park will accept the mobile home. Alicia added: 'We never would have paid so much money for a caravan if we had known the limitations caused by its age. 'We are now stuck living on a pitch that continues to flood, resulting in our electricity tripping out as our washing machine and dryer are located outside. 'The tumble dryer is now ruined due to water damage. Currently, we are in limbo. 'The park keeps sending us a new lease to sign, and we daren't sign it because it states a caravan age limit of 10 years.' The couple's dream of moving to Spain is now on hold for the foreseeable future. Greg Wilson, CEO of European Consumer Claims, which is helping the family, said: 'Alicia and John are a hard working couple trying to get on in life and do what is best for the family. 'The issues they are reporting here are sadly rife across the British holiday park industry, and many people who bought these caravans or lodges are in need of assistance.'
