HOUSE BILL REPORT

SSB 5814

As Amended by the House

BYSenate Committee on Commerce & Labor (originally sponsored by Senator Warnke)

Relating to mobile homes.

House Committe on Housing

Majority Report:  Do pass with amendment.  (9)

      Signed by Representatives Nutley, Chair; Leonard, Vice Chair; Armstrong, Barnes, Ebersole, Padden, Sanders, Todd andJ. Williams.

House Staff:Charlie Gavigan (786-7340)

AS PASSED HOUSE APRIL 16, 1987

BACKGROUND:

The Contractors Registration Act requires that contractors be licensed by the state and that a contractor's bond of $6,000 must be obtained as part of the licensing procedure.  There are certain exceptions to the licensing and bond requirements.  One of these exceptions is personal property.  A contractor's license and bond is not required to work on personal property.  Therefor, a mobile home that is personal property (not permanently attached to the land) may be set up and repaired by an unlicensed contractor or persons without a license or bond.

Mobile home dealers and manufacturers are licensed under different provisions in the law.  The bond requirement is generally $30,000 for dealers and manufacturers.  Set up and repair is sometimes done by dealers and manufacturers of mobile homes.  There are applicable warranties listed in the law.

The dealers business location must meet specific requirements, including additional display area and local zoning provisions.

SUMMARY:

A contractor must be licensed and have a bond to set up or do repairs to a mobile home even if the mobile home is classified as personal property.  Mobile home dealers and manufacturers can continue to set up and repair mobile homes under their licensing and bonding provisions in the law.

Improper set up or installment of a mobile home by a contractor, dealer, or manufacturer, or the failure to fulfill a warranty provision in the law, or a bonding company's failure to reasonably and professionally investigate and resolve a complaint may be a violation of the Consumer Protection Act.  In order to violate the Consumer Protection Act, a risk to the health or safety of the occupant(s) or serious hindrance of the enjoyment and use of the mobile home must result from the contractor, dealer/manufacturer, or bonding company's actions.

A mobile home park owner who sells mobile homes must have a dealers license.  The additional display area requirements for a dealer do not apply if the sale is a mobile home in the park owned by the dealer.  The local zoning requirements do not apply if the sale of a mobile home by a park owner and dealer is related to the mobile home park (i.e. adding a home to the park or selling a home presently in the park).

An emergency is declared.

Effective Date:The bill contains an emergency clause and takes effect immediately

Fiscal Note:      Not Requested.

House Committee ‑ Testified For:    Ron Clarke, Washington Manufactured Housing Authority.

House Committee - Testified Against:      None Presented.

House Committee - Testimony For:    All mobile home owners are given the protection of the contractor licensing and bonding statutes.  Dealers and manufacturers may install and repair mobile homes under their own licensing and bonding requirements.

House Committee - Testimony Against:      None Presented.