A BARONESS is confident a new law will mean stronger protection for vulnerable people living in mobile homes from rogue site owners.

Baroness Ros Scott, of Needham Market, spoke in the House of Lords this month to give her support to the Mobile Homes Bill which she expects to be made into law by Easter.

Baroness Scott, a former county and district councillor, said she has been campaigning for stronger laws for people living in mobile homes for years.

She said: “The Government are backing it, all parties support it. It looks like it should be law.

“People living in park homes have had to deal with a number of difficult problems for years. Presently all the power is in the hands of the person owning the site.

“You cannot sell your park home without permission of the park home owner who has to approve the sale and also the person you are selling to. There’s been lots of issues with owners withholding the sale until the person is desperate to sell.

“There are about 250,000 people living in park homes across the country, nearly all of them are retired and elderly. It’s been pretty difficult, people have had years of misery.

“The bill will give local authorities power to go on to sites and do work and then charge the site owner. Before there wasn’t a lot local authorities could do about it. It’s taken years to get to this point. It’s really good news.”

Baroness Scott, who represents the Liberal Democrats, said site owners had been found paying for electricity and gas before selling it on to people to make a quick profit.

The bill will go to committee stage next in the House of Lords.