Mobile home park owners and tenants at each others throats

[Garrick Oconnell]

Hello BP, 

I recently sat down with a mobile homeowner in San Diego who to say the least has had some very bad interactions with the management and owners of the park; from what I have been told resisting park rules excess people living in unit, and from the owner the fact that he replies to there requests by attorney does not seem to help anything. He has already moved out of the mobile home due to an agreement between management. Park management is reluctant to share information regarding possible liens, back taxes, back rent, . Stating "That's between our attorneys. Submit the application and we will go from there."

He is ready to sell but according to the mobile home owner management has been denying everyone who puts in a tenant application making it impossible to sell. Both the owner and management do agree that there is a check list of items that must be completed to sell the mobile home. The mobile home owner who is very sour about the entire event does not want to complete the check list (seems like mostly out of spite) but he is definitely prepared to sell.

I have already submitted my tenant application due to my 9  to 5 income I am more than qualified to be a tenant. (so we will see if they are really throwing away these apps or giving them a fair chance.)

Solution- Be approved as a tenant, get the check list completed, become a tenant, make improvements and sell unit.

Any advice would be appreciated. 

If the park management denies my application what is the best option for challenging there decision? Is there a way to find out if there is back rent/ taxes owed? 

[Curt Smith]

Move on to another park.  Park management is god-like in these maters.  They have the right to say no for any reason, including personal gain.

Your story is exactly why I don't recommend to beginning investors to buy mobile homes in parks.  What was once a doable rent management situation can turn around over night and the mobile home owner is stuck paying lot rent, yet can't rent their home, nor sell it.  It's possible to loose the home to the park who's locking out your renters...

There has to be many other less tense situations where you would enjoy living.  Why willingly jump into that mess?