Your Mobile Home : What can management require you to repair

You own your home, you may have purchased it new 30 years ago Or you might have recently purchased an older home because it fit into your budget. Either way the older your home the more likely it is to need repairs. Like with any other home, roofs, shutters, siding, rain gutters, stairs, handrails etc. all wear down over time. This wear can have a negative affect not only on the appearance and safety of your home, but also the overall appearance and safety of the park.  Although you are the legal owner of the mobile home, since the home is placed on a rental lot within the park, management/owners can require you to make improvements to your home within reason.

What do you mean by within reason?

According to HCDs website “The park management can require you to correct violations of local or state requirements for the unit and accessory structures that you own.”  If the required improvement is one that is required to fix a violation then yes the park has every right to require you to make that improvement.

What Happens if I choose to not make the improvements?

There are many things that can happen ranging from a fine for not fixing the violation to eviction from the park. The HCD website states “The Mobilehome Residency Law (MRL) specifies the only permissible reasons for termination of tenancy… failure to comply with a state law or regulation; being a substantial annoyance to other residents; conviction for prostitution or a felony controlled substance conviction that occurred in the park; failure to comply with a reasonable park rule that is part of the rental agreement; and nonpayment of rent.” This means that you can be evicted on the grounds that you are failing to comply with a state law or regulation, and as is the case in most parks, the rules and regulations of the park state that you must be in compliance with the state law, and that your home must be kept in good condition. By refusing to fix an issue with your home you are putting yourself at risk for a legal eviction as reflected in civil code section 798.56.

House Guests: The Long and Short Term

When moving into a mobile home park, the park will require information for each person residing in the unit at the time of purchase.  If at any time one of the original residents vacates the unit management should be notified of this change.  If a homeowner decides to allow another person to stay with them in their home, or if they require a caretaker as prescribed by their physician there are rules that govern this in the MRL. Section 798.34 covers these stipulations.

Guests:

A guest is defined under the MRL as someone who stays in your home for less than 20 consecutive days or a total of 30 days per year.  No additional fee can be charged for these people. Management does need to be made aware that these guests will be residing in the unit for the given number of days.

Live-In Caregiver:

This person is described under the MRL as a person at least 18 years of age. The homeowner must have a treatment plan prepared by their physician that states their need for live-in care. If the factors mentioned above are met then management cannot charge a fee for the additional person living in the home. This person has no rights of tenancy within the park, and is required to follow all rules and regulations of the park.

Mobile Home Title and Registration

It was recently reported that there are an astonishingly large number of California Mobile Homes that are not registered. Cities, counties and HCD are beginning to crack down on collecting these fees. Make sure that you are not one of those homeowners. You can complete the renewal process online at https://ssw1.hcd.ca.gov/renewal/pages/content/enterDecal.jsp;jsessionid=vKK2VszSp29mGcdYDngLR2vPpg6kr78JkWrr2vJnPQz9LtlS1WPB!-1299029784

Registration and Titling Q & A

What if my Registration decal has been stolen; how do I replace it?

If you have lost your registration decal, or if it has been stolen, mutilated or become illegible you need to contact the Department of Housing and Community Development (HCD) and request an application for replacement. You must submit this and pay the required fees (more information on fee’s can be found at www.hcd.ca.gov).

Is there a Specific Department at HCD that Handles Titles and Registrations?

Yes. You can contact them directly at:

Registration and Titling
(916) 323-9224
toll free (800) 952-8356
transfers@hcd.ca.gov

I recently purchased a used mobile home and have not received the title. What can I do?

MRL 18122.5 states that it is unlawful to “neglect properly to endorse, date and deliver the certificate title and… to fail to deliver the registration card”. If you have not received these from the seller of the home and you have attempted to obtain it from the seller contact HCD. Their code enforcement department should be able to assist you in obtaining the title.

**Always make sure that the seller of the mobile home has the title (ask to see it before the purchase) and is up to date on their registration fees/property taxes. If they are behind you could be held accountable to pay their back taxes/fees