Park owners often supplement their standard rent increase with other charges throughout the year, or enforce restrictive regulations that help them to cut costs. One park owner has forbid residents to remain outdoors after dark, so he won t have to install proper security lighting. Other regulations, such as forbidding pizza delivery, seem more arbitrary, but can still create substantial inconveniences for park residents. People don t mind regulations if they re fair and reasonable, says Deborah Chapman, chair of the National Foundation of Manufactured Home Owners. But too often, landlords implement regulations to cover up for the lack of security or maintenance.
Residents paying only lot rent usually fall under much weaker legislation.
Moving out is not always an option, either. To move, traditional renters simply have to move their possessions, but a mobile home resident has to move an entire house. We have to get over the fallacy that mobile homes are mobile, says Dermotty. They re not. Even if they can move, finding a place to go is tricky.