Pitch fees: what residents tell us and what you can do

Pitch fees are one of the most common reasons park home residents contact us at the Leasehold Advisory Service (LEASE). Our analysis of enquiries received in 2025/26 highlights recurring concerns about pitch fee reviews.

Residents ask whether increases have been calculated correctly, whether the review process has been followed, and what they can do if they disagree. Their enquiries also show how difficult many find it to challenge an increase, particularly when they feel under pressure to pay.

Here, we share what residents who contact us are telling us and explain the options available to park home residents in England and Wales.

Many residents who contact us want to know whether their pitch fee review has been carried out properly. Some describe review paperwork arriving late or proposed increases being requested without the required form.

Others question the calculation itself. Residents report concerns about incorrect inflation figures, demands for several years of increases at once and additional charges they were not expecting.

One resident told us: “It contains recoverable costs for works carried out on the park but at no time were we aware that we would be paying a contribution towards them.”

These concerns highlight the importance of understanding what a proposed increase includes and whether the charges can be taken into account in a pitch fee review.

Residents also tell us about their frustration when pitch fees increase while site conditions get worse. Their enquiries describe unresolved maintenance issues, including sewage problems and promised repairs or replacements that have not happened.

For these residents, the proposed increase raises questions about the upkeep of their site and whether deteriorating conditions or services can be taken into account when the fee is reviewed.

Many residents also ask us how to challenge an increase and what will happen if they refuse to pay it. Some say they feel pressured into accepting the new fee because they are worried about the consequences of a dispute.

As one resident put it: “Last year he threatened us with Tribunal, it frightened us, so we paid.”

Understanding the review process and the tribunal’s role can help residents make an informed decision about their next steps.

Check your review paperwork, written statement and the inflation figure used. Consider whether the condition of the site or the services provided have got worse.

Our guide explains how to check your pitch fee review and what to look out for.

If you disagree with the proposed new pitch fee, you can withhold the increase, but you must continue paying your previous agreed fee. If you start paying the new fee, you will be seen as having agreed to it.

Although you do not legally have to tell the site owner that you disagree, it is usually best to explain your concerns. This could help you agree a reasonable fee or get problems addressed.

If the increase is reasonable – for example, it is limited to the correct CPI figure and site conditions or services have not worsened – it is usually best to pay it.

The site owner can apply to the tribunal to decide the fee if you cannot agree. You can also apply yourself, although this usually only makes sense if you think the fee should be reduced, for example because site conditions or services have got worse.

Both sides are expected to act reasonably. In rare cases, the tribunal can order costs if someone acts unreasonably in the proceedings.

Keep paying your previous agreed fee while waiting for a decision. If the tribunal decides on an increase, you may need to pay a backdated amount, so set aside the extra money if you can.

The enquiries we receive show why clear information about pitch fee reviews matters. Knowing what to check and what happens if you disagree can help you decide how to respond to a proposed increase.

For more detail, read our guide to disagreeing with a proposed pitch fee, including application deadlines, backdated payments and what happens if the site owner does not apply to the tribunal.