Protections coming for residents of manufactured home parks
Changes to the Manufactured Home Park Tenancy Regulation, which establishes park rules, will make life easier for manufactured home residents.
Currently, some owners of manufactured homes have difficulty knowing what rules are in effect, because there is no limit to how often owners of manufactured home parks can change park rules. Changes to the regulation will mean that park rules can only be changed once a year and with three months notice. This will help improve clarity for tenants regarding what rules are in effect, when they will be in effect, and ensure tenants have adequate time to comply with a park rule change or dispute it with the Residential Tenancy Branch (RTB).
“People shouldn’t be subject to rules that can change every two weeks,” said Ravi Kahlon, Minister of Housing. “Manufactured home parks are an important option for people in this province, often providing affordable housing. People living in manufactured home parks will benefit from the added stability these changes will bring to the park rules, which can be complicated and sometimes lead to preventable evictions if they are not complied with.”
The changes grew out of consultations held by the Rental Housing Task Force and are among the task force’s 2018 report recommendations. Under the updated regulation:
- park owners will only be allowed to change park rules once per year;
- park owners will need to give tenants three months notice about park rule changes (currently, they must provide two weeks notice); and
- park owners will need to give the notice using a form approved by the RTB (currently, the only requirement is that the notice needs to be given in writing).
Making park rule changes an annual occurrence with three-months notice aligns them with other tenancy laws, such as annual rent increases, thereby providing consistency for park owners and tenants.
“We listened to people living in manufactured home parks and we’re taking action to ensure the rules are clear and understandable for park owners, manufactured home owners and residents,” said Spencer Chandra Herbert, premier’s liaison for renters and MLA for Vancouver West-End. “We’re putting stronger policies in place and introducing a reasonable three-month notice to residents in manufactured home parks for a standardized, fair process for rule changes.”
Since 2017, the Province has taken action to better protect residents of manufactured home parks, including clarifying that park rules cannot override an existing tenancy agreement, strengthening financial penalties for landlords who evict tenants in bad faith, improving security for tenants facing evictions as a result of landlords closing or converting a park, and improving wait times at the Residential Tenancy Branch. The amendments to the regulation meet government priorities as laid out in the Homes for People Action Plan, further strengthening tenancies in B.C.
Quotes:
Susan Belford, president, Active Manufactured Home Owner’s Association –
“The changes to the Manufactured Home Park Tenancy Regulation pertaining to park rules are exactly what we have been asking for. They will ensure greater fairness throughout manufactured home communities in B.C. Thank you for hearing and addressing our concerns.”
William Kovacic, president, Manufactured Home Park Owners Alliance –
“The changes were a result of the provincial task force recommendations and consultations with stakeholders, and we hope the new process will simplify and provide clarity for all the parties involved.”
Quick Facts:
- Under the Manufactured Home Park Tenancy Act, landlords in manufactured home parks can establish rules to govern the manufactured home park. Some examples are:
- establishing quiet hours;
- establishing a speed limit for vehicles and what vehicles are allowed;
- requiring an approval process for changes to a manufactured home or the manufactured home site, such as renovations or excavating; and
- regulating the use of water (prohibiting excessive use) to ensure all tenants have equal access to water.
- Tenants are required to comply with park rules. In some cases, failing to do so could form the basis for ending a tenancy.
- The Manufactured Home Park Tenancy Regulation is under the Manufactured Home Park Tenancy Act and does not apply to on-reserve lands.
Learn More:
For more information about how the changes apply to Manufactured Home Park rules, visit: https://www2.gov.bc.ca/assets/gov/housing-and-tenancy/residential-tenancies/information-sheets/rtb-manufactured_home_park_rules_information_sheet.pdf
To learn more about government’s new Homes for People action plan, visit: https://news.gov.bc.ca/releases/2023HOUS0019-000436
To access residential tenancy resources, visit: https://www2.gov.bc.ca/gov/content/housing-tenancy/residential-tenancies
To learn about the steps the Province is taking to tackle the housing crisis and deliver affordable homes for British Columbians, visit: https://strongerbc.gov.bc.ca/housing