Your Rights and Responsibilities

Vermont’s mobile home park law (Title 10 Chapter 153) protects mobile home owners who lease lots in parks. In addition, the Department of Housing and Community Development (DHCD) has adopted housing division rules which include details on lot rent increase mediation and health and safety considerations. Below you will find more in depth reading and links to additional resources related to homeowner and park owner rights and responsibilities as well as answers to some commonly asked questions.

Our guidebook for Vermont mobile home park residents, A Guide to Your Rights summarizes the basics of mobile home park law. It is available in print by request or electronically. Please call for a copy.

Do you own a home and lease a lot outside of a park?
You are unfortunately in a legal gray area. Make sure to get a written lease, and call us if you have questions.

Do you rent a mobile home?
If you rent your mobile home unit, your rights and responsibilities can be found in Vermont’s landlord-tenant law. Vermont Tenants can answer many of your questions.

Park Residents’ Frequently Asked Questions
Mobile home park residents, are you looking for resources on how best to communicate with your landlord? Below you will find answers to some common questions.
Some example letters are provided below or you may call us at (802) 660-3455 x204 to discuss the specifics of your situation. Many more topics are covered in the Guide to Your Rights (PDF).

Lot rent increases
A park owner must give homeowners at least 60 days notice prior to the effective day of any rent increase using the official rent increase form provided by the State Department of Housing and Community Development. In Vermont there is no cap on how much rent can be increased, however some rent increases over a certain percent increase may be eligible for mediation. Residents have the right to request mediation if their rent increase exceeds the Housing Component of the U.S. Consumer Price Index (CPI), plus one percent. Because the CPI changes every year, the percent increase eligible for mediation also changes.

Q: My rent went up this year, how do I request mediation?

A: First you must check to see if your rent increase is eligible for mediation. The second page of the rent increase explains what “percent of increase” is eligible for mediation. If your rent increase is eligible for mediation, and you wish to dispute the increase, a petition requesting lot rent mediation must signed by a majority of the park’s leaseholders and filed with the park owner and the Commissioner of the Department of Housing and Community Development within 15 business days of receiving the notice of increase.
Example Form Petition (PDF)

Park sale notice requirements
If a park owner decides to sell the park, s/he much give a notice for their intent to sell to all leaseholders who own mobile homes as well as the Commissioner of the Department of Housing and Community Development. A sale notice must include the price, terms and conditions, a list of the affected leaseholders, and the status of the park’s compliance with state laws and permits.

Q: I live in a park, what rights and options do I have if I receive a park sale notice?

A: Before the park is put on the open market, residents have a few options. Residents have the option to either 1) consider forming a resident-owned cooperative to purchase the park as a group, or 2) choose a non-profit housing provider to negotiate the purchase of the park in the public interest. If park leaseholders would like to pursue either of these options, a majority of leaseholders must sign a petition stating that they would like to consider purchasing the park within 45 days from the date they receive their sale notice. Mobile home park law provides that resident groups that submit valid petitions, which are received by the park owner and Commissioner within 45 days of the sale notice, will have an additional 120 days to determine the feasibility of purchasing the park during which the park owner may not commit to selling to any other party.

Q: What if we do not want to form a cooperative or have a non-profit purchase our park?

A: If leaseholders to do not want to pursue either of these options and do not submit a petition, the park owner may negotiate with any prospective buyer starting 45 days from the date the sale notice was received by the Commissioner.

Park closure notice requirements
If a park owner intends to close a park and sell the land on which the park sits for another use, s/he is required to issue a park sale notice to all leaseholders in the park before issuing a closure notice. The park owner must issue a closure notice 18 months in advance of closure.

Landlord lot access & resident privacy rights
If you live in a mobile home park and own your home, and lease your lot a park owner may not enter your home without first seeking your consent. The park owner may enter your lot for the following reasons if s/he gives at least 12 hours advance notice:

1. To inspect the premises
2. To make necessary or agreed upon repairs, alterations or improvements
3. To supply agreed services
4. To show the lot to prospective or actual purchasers, mortgagees, tenants, workers or contractors.

If you rent your mobile home, your landlord may enter your rented mobile home any time with your consent. Otherwise, a landlord can only enter your rented home if: She reasonably believes there is imminent danger to persons or property OR
S/he gives you at least 48 hours notice AND
They enter the home between 9am and 9pm AND
They are entering the property for only one of the following reasons:

1. To inspect the premises
2. To make necessary or agreed upon repairs, alterations or improvements
3. To supply agreed services
4. To show the lot to prospective or actual purchasers, mortgagees, tenants, workers or contractors.

Landlord Access Information Sheet (PDF)

Subletting your mobile home in a park
Your lease may not legally prohibit you from subletting (renting out) your mobile home, however prospective sublessees must meet the park owner’s lease terms and criteria. It is standard practice for park owners to request a prospective sublessee to apply for residency.

• Subletting Your Mobile Home: Facts to Consider (PDF)
• Example Letter: Request to Sublet Your Home (PDF)

Health and safety
Mobile home park residents are protected by a “Warranty of Habitability” which requires that park owners maintain parks that are safe, clean, and fit for living. Requirements include providing safe electrical service, water and sewage disposal. Click here to read on about your rights and how to communicate with your landlord to resolve Park Maintenance Problems.

Contact us

• Phone: (802) 660-3455 ext.204
• Email: mhp@cvoeo.org
• Vermont Emergency Rental Assistance Program: (802) 881-6820 for help with the application

*Due to COVID19, all of our services are provided via phone and email until further notice. *