Starting a manufactured home site tenancy
Last updated on December 11, 2023Manufactured homes, sometimes called mobile homes, are a type of housing that is built off-site and then transported to a final location for installing. B.C.'s Manufactured Home Park Tenancy Act covers most manufactured home tenancies.
Learn more about starting a residential tenancy.
On this page:
- Manufactured home basics
- Legal protections for tenants
- Factors for tenants to consider
- Tenant rights and responsibilities
- Landlord roles and responsibilities
- Resources
- I need help
Manufactured home basics
Manufactured homes are sometimes called mobile homes. As defined in B.C.'s Manufactured Home Park Tenancy Act, they may or may not have wheels and are:
- Designed or built to be moved from one place to another
- Used or intended for living accommodation
In B.C., the sale, transfer or purchase of a manufactured home is only effective if the transaction is registered. This protects a person's investment in a manufactured home.
- Learn more about buying a manufactured home
Legal protections for tenants
B.C.'s Manufactured Home Park Tenancy Act and Regulation only apply to tenants who own their manufactured home and rent the land it sits on.
To be covered under the Act and Regulation, tenants must:
- Own their manufactured home
- Rent the site it sits on
- Sign a manufactured home site tenancy agreement with their landlord
Learn about manufactured home site tenancy agreements.
Residential tenancies in manufactured homes
In some instances, a tenant will rent both the manufactured home and the land it sits on. The tenant is covered under the Residential Tenancy Act, not the Manufactured Home Park Tenancy Act.
Factors for tenants to consider
Be aware of site fees
In a manufactured home site tenancy, tenants own their manufactured home but do not own the land on which it sits. As such, tenants will often have to pay for fees including:
- Rent for land
- Utilities
- Park maintenance costs
Fees can add up to a high monthly cost. Tenants should ensure they are familiar with a site's fees and regulations before starting a tenancy.
Site size and boundaries
Landlords should provide tenants with a property map which specifies the boundaries of each site.
- This is important for determining who pays for repairs and maintenance
Location and zoning
Manufactured homes can be placed on private land or owners can lease land in designated manufactured home sites.
- Learn more about moving a manufactured home.
Age and safety of the home
The age of a manufactured home can often affect the cost of insurance and the safety of the home. Tenants should ensure their home meets all necessary certifications and passes electrical and plumbing inspections.
Resale value
The resale value of manufactured homes can often vary based on factors such as:
- Location
- Age
- Condition
- The local housing market
Maintenance and improvement costs
Manufactured homes require regular maintenance to ensure their longevity and safety.
Tenants should understand any guidelines for making improvements or maintenance repairs to their manufactured home.
Tenant rights and responsibilities
In a manufactured home tenancy, the tenant is someone who pays rent to use their designated site and common areas in a manufactured home park.
Tenant rights
In addition to their responsibilities, tenants also have rights that protect their interests in a tenancy agreement. These rights may include:
Quiet enjoyment
The right to quiet enjoyment and peaceful occupation of the site, free from unnecessary disturbances or intrusions.
- Learn more about the right to quiet enjoyment
Non-discrimination
Protection against discrimination based on various factors, such as race, gender, age, or lawful source of income, as outlined in Section 10 of the Human Rights Code.
Privacy and personal information
The right to privacy and protection of personal information when providing data for credit or reference checks. Landlords must comply with the Personal Information Protection Act.
Key responsibilities
Tenants must meet responsibilities such as:
- Paying rent and any other fees on time and in the agreed upon way
- Maintaining health, cleanliness and sanitary standards in their manufactured home site
- Ensuring that they, their guests or pets do not:
- Damage the property
- Disturb other residents within the park
- Put others' safety at risk in the park
If damages do occur, tenants should repair them as soon as possible.
Landlord roles and responsibilities
In a manufactured home tenancy, the landlord is often:
- The owner of the manufactured home park
- An agency acting on behalf of the owner
- Successors to the property owner
Key responsibilities
Landlords must comply with B.C.'s Manufactured Home Park Tenancy Act and Regulation. This includes responsibilities such as:
- Maintaining the health and safety standards of the park
- Addressing necessary repairs to keep the park in good condition
- Covering utility bills if they are included in the rent
- Address tenant complaints related to disturbances
- Respect the tenant's right to quiet enjoyment and occupation of the site
Certain fees can't be charged
Landlords can't charge fees for accepting, reviewing or processing tenancy applications. In addition, landlords can't charge security or damage deposits for a manufactured home tenancy.
Discrimination
Landlords can't discriminate in tenancies on the basis of a tenant's:
- Race
- Ancestry
- Country of origin
- Religion
- Marital status
- Physical or mental disability
- Sex
- Sexual orientation
- Gender identity or expression
- Age
- Lawful source of income
For instance, income assistance is a lawful source of income and a landlord can't refuse to rent to someone for this reason alone. A landlord usually can't refuse to rent to people because they have children, but they can limit the number of people living on a site.
55-plus parks are an exception
The only exception to these rules is if the park is designated as a 55-plus park, meaning that at least one tenant on the site must be 55 years of age or older.
Protection of personal information
A landlord may request person information from a potential tenant to conduct credit or reference checks. In these cases, it is the landlord's responsibility to protect this information and follow the Personal Information Protection Act.
This ensures that data is handled safely and sensitive information is protected.