Know Your Rights!
The Manufactured/mobile Home Landlord-Tenant Act, RCW 59.20, abbreviated MHLTA, defines the rights and responsibilities of both community owners and homeowners living in manufactured housing communities. To help put the MHLTA in simpler terms, Northwest Justice Project has published an explanatory summary – for those of us without an extensive knowledge of legal terminology. (Here's the summary in Spanish.) This summary is a great resource. Read it. It will help answer questions you might have about whether the conduct of your community management is legal or illegal.
Things You Should Do to Help Protect Yourself
+ Keep copies of all documents such as the rental agreement, park rules, any notices or letters from the landlord, and any letters or documents you send to the landlord
+ Make a written note of important conversations with the landlord, include dates, the topic of conversation, names of people who were present and what exactly was said by each person
+ Follow up on important conversations with a letter to the landlord repeating what was said and/or the agreements you entered into. Keep a copy of the letter for your records
+ Mail any documents or notices to your landlord
+ You may negotiate the terms of your lease. If the landlord uses a form lease, try and negotiate with the landlord to remove sections of the lease that you don’t want. To legally remove these parts put a line through them and have all parties initial in the margin. If your landlord is unwilling to negotiate a lease or remove a particular provision, get legal advice before refusing to sign the agreement
+ Take pictures of the space before you move in and after you move your home out if you are concerned the landlord will keep your deposit due to damage to the space + Never pay rent or other payments in cash, unless you hand the cash directly to the landlord/management and immediately get a written receipt for your payment
+ Ask for and keep receipts of all payments made to the landlord
+ Make a written note of important conversations with the landlord, include dates, the topic of conversation, names of people who were present and what exactly was said by each person
+ Follow up on important conversations with a letter to the landlord repeating what was said and/or the agreements you entered into. Keep a copy of the letter for your records
+ Mail any documents or notices to your landlord
+ You may negotiate the terms of your lease. If the landlord uses a form lease, try and negotiate with the landlord to remove sections of the lease that you don’t want. To legally remove these parts put a line through them and have all parties initial in the margin. If your landlord is unwilling to negotiate a lease or remove a particular provision, get legal advice before refusing to sign the agreement
+ Take pictures of the space before you move in and after you move your home out if you are concerned the landlord will keep your deposit due to damage to the space + Never pay rent or other payments in cash, unless you hand the cash directly to the landlord/management and immediately get a written receipt for your payment
+ Ask for and keep receipts of all payments made to the landlord
If you believe your rights have been violated under the MHLTA, contact the Washington State Attorney General’s Office Manufactured Housing Dispute Resolution Program. They decide whether a violation of the law has occurred and whether further action should be taken. Visit the Attorney General's website, or call 1-866-924-6458. Here is the online form if you'd like to request dispute resolution.
Additionally, a "Manufactured Home Park Solutions" pamphlet has been put together here, with sections on how to analyze the risk of closure to your park and tenant roles and responsibilities if a park is to close. Though it was created to service Oregon home owners, it is an invaluable resource for anyone living in these communities.
Print a copy to share with your neighbors! We also have plenty of brochures available to mail; please contact us for more information.
| know_your_rights_brochure.pdf |
| know_your_rights_spanish.pdf |
