Those living in manufactured homes in Scenic Rim residential parks will now be assured of fairer and more predictable site rent increases after reforms were recently passed by the Miles Government.
The new Manufactured Homes (Residential Parks) Amendment Bill 2024 was introduced to ensure fairer conditions for residents living in manufactured homes in more than 55 residential parks across the state.
The reforms will now provide greater protections and cost-of-living certainty for home owners.
These reforms include prohibiting market rent reviews, limiting site rent increases to the higher of CPI or 3.5 per cent, an opt-in buyback and site reduction scheme for homes on the market for more than 18 months and fairer processes for terminating site agreements and compensating home owners.
They also include changes to the definition of CPI to align it more closely with increases in the aged pension.
In six months, further reforms will come into effect requiring multiple site rent payment options on new site agreements, making it easier and more convenient to pay rent.
Park owners will be given 12 months to roll out these options to all existing home owners.
Other key reforms in the Bill will commence at a later date and these will include requirements around maintenance and capital replacement plans.
The reforms aim to balance the interests of residents and park owners following extensive community consultation.
In 2013, there were 168 residential parks in Queensland containing 14,000 manufactured home sites, and in 2024 (as at 31 March), there were 203 residential parks with 25,513 sites, home to around 38,000 residents.
It is estimated that there will be some 10,000 more manufactured homes in 55 new residential parks planned for development within the next decade.
