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I
- DEFINITION OF A MOBILE RESIDENCE
- According to the
definition established by NF EN 1647 (December 1998), a mobile residence,
or mobile home, is a mobile leisure vehicle, which does not satisfy
the requirements for the construction or use of road vehicles, conserves
its mobility and is intended for temporary or seasonal use, not as a
primary permanent residence.
- Because it is
considered a caravan by the Minister of Equipment and Transport (February
29, 1988), a mobile home must permanently conserve its means of mobility
(tires and tillers) so as to be able to be moved at any moment and without
delay from its location by one of its four sides.
- You cannot add
a cement terrace, a veranda made of breeze-blocks or any other "hard"
installations (fences, garden sheds) to your seasonal mobile residence.
Doing so would compromise the mobility of your residence. Only terraces
and awnings which are easily taken apart and which do not hinder mobility
are authorized.
- Your mobile residence
should rest on blocks which are not fixed to the ground and can be stabilized
only by pickets, or similar methods, which are quickly and easily removed.
- The means in which
mobile homes are connected to services such as water supply and drainage,
electricity, gas, telephone, television or other such services must
be in compliance with current regulations and codes. These connections
do not interfere with the mobility of the residence as they are easily
disconnected.
- A mobile residence
should not be confused with a Lightweight Leisure Habitation (HLL),
the generic term for any residence without foundations and easily taken
apart, such as a cottage or bungalow. The legislation concerning HLLs
is different and more constraining than that concerning mobile homes.
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II
- INSTALLATION REQUIREMENTS
- Current regulation
assumes that your mobile residence will be installed on a campsite or
in a Residential Leisure Park (PRL). According to current legislation,
a building permit is not required of a mobile residence as long as its
area does not exceed 40 m2 and it conserves its mobility. As the owner
of a mobile home, you are not subject to a habitation tax, despite connections
to electricity (EDF) or other services. However, a tourist tax (of a
few euros a day) is applicable to mobile homes.
According to its
status, a mobile home is considered a leisure vehicle (like a large
caravan), not a structure. It is, therefore, not considered (for tax
purposes, for example) as a permanent secondary dwelling.
The legal term used for mobile homes is "mobile leisure residence",
the use of the word 'leisure' emphasizes its temporary or seasonal use
and the fact that, legally, it may not serve as a main and permanent
dwelling.
The legal term, "mobile residence", designates caravans used
by travellers. The November 2005 law instituting a 75 € / m2 habitation
tax does not apply to this category .
- If you wish to
install your mobile residence on private property, you must request
an authorization from the town hall or mayor's office. Depending on
the situation, the town hall or mayor's office may provide a parking
permit for a maximum 3 month period, require a building permit, impose
local taxes or, as frequently happens, refuse your request. In addition,
even with permission from the mayor or town hall, the DDE (Department
of Equipment) can call into question at any moment your placement since
having a mayor's permission is not an exemption from current regulations.
- It is, for these
reasons, highly recommended that you place your mobile home in a campsite
or residential leisure park, which are the only places permitted by
current legislation.
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III
- PLACEMENT LEASING AGREEMENT
- Before acquiring
a mobile home, you should find an area in which to install it and agree
to a leasing contract with the owner of the campsite or residential
leisure park. This contract stipulates that the rental of the grounds
is temporary and intended solely for leisure purposes. Do not forget
that you are only renting the location on which your mobile home is
placed: your contract is subject to renegotiation each year. The owner
of the property provides the use of the establishment's services (water,
gas, electricity, occupation royalties, etc), while you are responsible
for payment and for insuring your mobile home.
- A mobile home
is generally considered by insurers as a caravan, excluding road travel.
If, however, a "caravan" contract is not available, the insurer
may propose an "individual dwelling" contract. If you have
trouble finding a specific type of insurance, the French federation
of camping and caravans proposes solutions for its members. (FFCC: 78,
rue de Rivoli, 75004 PARIS; Tel: 0142728408)
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IV
- MOBILE HOME AND GROUND SURFACE AREA
- According to standards
concerning ground occupation coefficient (COS), the surface area of
your mobile home, in a campsite or residential leisure park (PRL), should
not occupy more than 30% of the area of your plot. The COS includes
not only the mobile home but also any attachments such as a garden shed,
awning or terrace measuring more than 60 cm in height (terraces are
usually 40 cm high in order to reach the threshold of the door).
Camp sites :
- In a campsite,
lots accorded to mobile homes are not necessarily larger than those
allotted to caravans. Plots must simply be in compliance with current
standards, with an average surface area of 90 m2 in * and **, 95 m2
in *** and 100 m2 in **** and a minimum surface area of 70 m2 in * and
** and 80 m2 in *** and ****. Often times, however, residential lots
exceed the average size required.
If you have, in a campsite, a lot measuring 100 m2, your mobile residence
should not exceed 30 m2. If you wish to install a mobile residence measuring
40m2, you must request an area of at least 135m2 .
Residential Leisure
Park (PRL) :
- A residential
leisure park is considered intermediate between a campsite and multiple
tourist properties. You can buy a lot, as opposed to in a campsite,
or rent one for an established period of time. More space is accorded
to mobile homes in residential leisure parks than in campsites, with
an average surface area of 200 m2 per lot.
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V
- TRANSPORT, INSTALLATION AND CONNECTION
- The transport
of your mobile home must be carried out by professionals. The process
is therefore relatively expensive and the cost varies depending on distance
(it is usually 4 to 5 € per kilometre depending on the size of
the convoy and includes a fee for loading and unloading). As for the
installation (ensuring that the mobile home will not move and connecting
it), its cost varies from 500 to 2000 € depending on the accessibility
of the terrain, sometimes even more if installation by crane is necessary.
- Taking into account
these extra expenses, it is beneficial for you to consider an "all-included,
delivery and installation" purchase.
- Remember that
the levelling and securing of your mobile home must be precise in order
to permit the doors of the mobile residence to open easily. Furthermore,
the securing and connecting of the mobile home is the responsibility
of the person doing it and does not factor into the guarantee of the
manufacturer.
RESID'LAND proposes
lots on different campsites in their region, a large selection of new
or used mobile homes, and the possibility of transporting and installing
your mobile home.
For any additional information, don't hesitate to contact them.
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VI
- GUARANTEE AND AFTER-PURCHASE SERVICE FOR INDIVIDUALS
When you purchase
a new mobile home with RESID'LAND, you will sign a sales contract which
establishes general conditions of sale and guarantee.
The conditions
of guarantee only apply to your mobile home. For any problem concerning
SAV, the retailer with whom you signed a contract will be the sole negotiator.
He/she will be responsible for examining your request for SAV, appraising
the nature and cause of any problems, ordering any spare parts and repairing
your mobile home.
The guarantee concerning
your mobile home is, in general, valid for one year.
We recommend a thorough
walk-through with your sales representative as soon as your mobile home
is secured and set up.
We would like to
remind you, as indicated in your mobile home's user's guide, that :
1) Securing and
levelling your mobile home is imperative and requires careful attention.
A poorly secured mobile home, which does not conform to our recommendations
and is not perfectly horizontal, may cause problems in closing doors
or windows, which would not be covered by the guarantee.
2) The door of entry
and the windows are equipped, during transport, with 2cm X 2cm black
plastic wedges, which must be taken off and disposed of. Keeping these
wedges could cause problems in opening and closing the door and windows
which would not be covered by the guarantee.
3) That the effects
of transport may cause a misalignment of the door of entry. The hinges
of the door of entry, however, can be easily adjusted.
4) That the effects
of transport may cause a misalignment in the kitchen or bedroom door.
The hinges of these doors are, however, completely adjustable.
5) The electrical
appliances and water heater are delivered with the user's guide provided
by their manufacturer. Refer to it in order to ensure correct use and
to avoid any malfunction.
6) Any minor aesthetic
defects are not covered by the guarantee.
7) Any defect resulting
from misuse (a scrape on the floor during unpacking, obstruction of
ventilation, not dry-cleaning upholstery, etc.) is not covered by the
guarantee.
8) The guarantee
does not cover any of the following :
Normal wear and tear due to use
Intensive use of the mobile home as a principle residence
Poor upkeep of the mobile home
Unnecessary manipulation of the original parts or installations
9) Respecting both
the directions concerning the times when your mobile home is unoccupied
and the measures of security is imperative.
10) Repairs carried
out under guarantee do not serve to extend the guarantee.
11) The guarantee
is limited to the replacement or repair of the part or parts recognized
as defective and to the costs of labour resulting from the repair. The
responsibility of the manufacturer is exclusively limited to the guarantee
as it is defined above. RESID'LAND is not responsible for direct or
indirect damages to persons or objects, even if they are a result of
a defect or fault of the product sold.
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