Washington State House of Representatives Office of Program Research | BILL ANALYSIS |
Judiciary Committee |
HB 1822
This analysis was prepared by non-partisan legislative staff for the use of legislative members in their deliberations. This analysis is not a part of the legislation nor does it constitute a statement of legislative intent. |
Title: An act relating to the provision of receipts and invoices regarding additional charges to a tenant of a mobile home lot.
Brief Description: Requiring the provision of receipts and invoices regarding additional charges to a mobile home lot tenant upon request.
Sponsors: Representatives Manweller and Pollet.
Brief Summary of Bill |
|
Hearing Date: 2/8/17
Staff: Cece Clynch (786-7195).
Background:
The Manufactured/Mobile Home Landlord-Tenant Act (MHLTA) governs the legal rights, remedies, and obligations arising from any rental agreement between a landlord and a tenant regarding a lot within a mobile home park or manufactured housing community where the tenant has no ownership interest in the property or in the association which owns the property. For the MHLTA to apply, the tenant must own or be buying the type of home the MHLTA covers and be using it as his or her primary home, and the tenant must live in a mobile home park or manufactured housing community.
The MHLTA specifies that any tenancy must be based upon a written rental agreement signed by the parties. This agreement must contain the terms for the payment of rent, including time and place, and any additional charges to be paid by the tenant. Additional charges that occur less frequently than monthly must be itemized in a billing to the tenant.
It is the duty of the landlord to keep shared or common premises reasonably clean, sanitary, and safe from defects to reduce the hazards of fire or accident, and to maintain the roads in good condition. The MHLTA prohibits a landlord from transferring the duty to maintain permanent structures to the tenants, unless an organization of park tenants or an individual tenant so requests. Permanent structures include those structures that were provided as amenities to the park tenants, such as clubhouses, carports, and storage sheds.
Summary of Bill:
If so requested by a tenant, a landlord must provide written receipts and invoices regarding additional charges in order to allow the tenant to verify that the additional charges are utilized for the stated purpose.
Appropriation: None.
Fiscal Note: Not requested.
Effective Date: The bill takes effect 90 days after adjournment of the session in which the bill is passed.