In your role as a mobile home park manager or owner, it’s smart to revisit your mobile home park rules and regulations. It was Alexander Pope who said, “to err is human.”
It’s likely you’ve overlooked something in your documentation. Certainly, it doesn’t hurt to pause and run through your rules and regulations. It’s good to have all your ducks in a row in the case of a lawsuit or other legal drama that may arise.
7 reasons to rewrite your mobile home park rules and regulations
Let’s look at the various reasons to rewrite your mobile home park rules and regulations. We came up with seven reasons to revamp your park rules. So don’t delay — let’s pull out those documents and run through it with these reasons in mind.
1 – It needs more clarity
Are your mobile home park rules and regulations vague? If they’re too vague, then it’s time to rewrite them so there’s no doubt in a court of law as to what you meant. Be specific. Instead of merely saying, “keep a tidy yard,” write “clean up debris” and “no abandoned vehicle or broken vehicles allowed to sit on the property for x amount of time.”
If you decide that big dogs are not allowed in the mobile home park, but small dogs are allowed — you should define what a big dog and small dog look like. Perhaps you can go by weight.
2 – It’s incomplete
In your mobile home park rules and regulations, you may find that they’re incomplete. For example, did you include a plan for warnings? What happens when a tenant is late with her or her rent payment? Who is responsible for repairs?
3 – Your rules and regulations are outside the bounds of the law
Here’s another thing to consider — your expectations as laid out in your park’s rules might be unlawful. What does your eviction process look like? Some states require that you give a 60-day notice, at least, prior to eviction. Others require less time, others require more.
4 – They don’t exist
And here’s one that is applicable to a number of mobile home parks: your rules and regulations aren’t written out and included with the lease agreement paperwork. It’s important that you type your rules and regulations out as soon as possible. You need a paper trail laying out your expectations for your residents. And proof that your residents have read these rules and regulations.
5 – Get legal advice and rewrite
Now for the best results, consult a lawyer who is experienced in law as it pertains to landlords and tenants. He or she will be able to help you rewrite your park rules in such a way that coincides with the demands of your local and federal regulations.
The last thing you want to do is have rules that carry no weight.
6 – They’re outdated
When was the last time you wrote your mobile home park rules and regulations? Twenty years ago? A lot can change over time. Maybe you’ve found that pets are a big no. Write a pet policy. Or you have a problem with messy tenants. If that’s the case, it’s time to update your rules to adjust to these newfound realizations.
Take a list of what you’d like to see changed in your mobile home park and see what rules you can implement to make these changes possible.
7 – You forgot to include the eviction process
This one is important. And you don’t want to forget it. You must explain the eviction process in your mobile home park rules and regulations. This will provide a paper trail of documentation in the case of a court battle. Your eviction process should also explain that you are sending out written warnings and the eviction is what will happen as the last straw.
You can’t willy-nilly evict tenants from your park. Detail the eviction process before it’s time to evict a resident. That way both you and the tenants will understand how it works and what to do.
Proceed with understanding
In closing, the reasons to write your mobile home park rules and regulations are not exhaustive. But we hope they’ve inspired you to revisit your paperwork and review it for any possible changes you’d like to make.
For a look at different things you should know about mobile home park laws, we have five things for you to consider. Operating a mobile home requires wisdom and knowledge, especially when it comes to dealing with the legal aspect of it.
About Dan Paton
