I live in a trailer, motor home, or fifth wheel in an RV park. I pay rent for the lot. Do I have rights?

• Should I read this?
• What will I learn?
• How would the M/MHLTA help me?
• When does the M/MHLTA cover me?
• Some words and expressions you should know
• What is a mobile home lot?
• What is a manufactured/mobile home park?
• Get Legal Help

* Read this only if you live in the state of Washington.

*COVID-19 Update!  Eviction law is changing quickly. There are temporary bans and changes to how courts handle evictions. Things may be different depending on where you live. Get the latest information and learn about help for evictions in your area at WashingtonLawHelp.org:  Coronavirus (COVID-19): There are only a few reasons your landlord can evict you right now

Should I read this?

• Do you live in an RV, camper, or fifth wheel trailer?

• Do you live there because it is your only home and you live there year-round?

• Does at least one other person do the same as you in this RV Park?

If you answered yes to all 3 questions, keep reading. The owners of the park you live in may say it is an RV park. But the park might fit the legal definition of a manufactured/mobile home park. If it does, you might have more legal protections.

What will I learn?

• Whether you are living in a manufactured/mobile home park

• What rights you have if you are living in a manufactured/mobile home park

If you live in a manufactured/mobile home park, the state Manufactured/Mobile Home Landlord Tenant Act (M/MHLTA), RCW 59.20, covers you. This gives you legal rights that other RV park tenants do not have.

A recent Washington state Court of Appeals decision made this clearer. That case is Allen vs. Dan and Bill’s RV Park. Read this decision.

How would the M/MHLTA help me?

Among other things:

• It gives you the right to a written rental agreement (lease) for a term of at least one year.

• The landlord cannot tell you to leave without giving you written notice and telling you the legal reasons.

• The landlord has to take you to court if they want to evict you.

• It gives you more protection around what park rules the landlord can make and how the landlord can enforce them.

• It clearly sets out the landlord’s responsibilities and your responsibilities as a tenant.

• It protects you against the rent going up suddenly without written notice.

• It gives you rights around getting the landlord to make repairs and provide utilities.

When does the M/MHLTA cover me?

When all these are true:

• You rent a lot in the park from the owner. Your permanent or semi-permanent “park model” sits on the lot you are renting.

• You do not own the land under your home.

• You and the owner have an agreement to let you live there in exchange for rent or other payment. The agreement does not have to be in writing.

Read Tenants’ Rights under the Mobile Home Landlord Tenant Act at WashingtonLawHelp.org.

Some words and expressions you should know:

What is a park model?

It is a recreational vehicle you use as your home. It is permanently attached to the lot.

What is a mobile home lot?

It is a portion of a mobile home park or manufactured housing community designated as the location of one mobile or manufactured home or park model. That part of the park is for your use as your home.

What is a manufactured/mobile home park?

It is land the owner holds out for others to rent.

• It has lots for two or more park models or manufactured/mobile homes.

• Its main purpose is to make money for its owner.

• It is not just for seasonal, recreational purposes.

• It is intended for you to live there year-round.

Get Legal Help

Visit Northwest Justice Project to find out how to get legal help.