Delaware manufactured home rights cheat sheet

A quick reference to how Delaware law generally treats manufactured home lot tenancies. Delaware has a dedicated and detailed statute — the Manufactured Home Owners and Community Owners Act (25 Del. C. Chapter 70) — that provides strong resident protections including CPI-tied rent caps, a relocation trust fund, and arbitration rights. This is general information, not legal advice, and the authors are not lawyers — for a specific situation, consider consulting a licensed attorney in Delaware. Each line cites the controlling authority; read it at the official source linked in Sources below.

At a glance

Topic	What the law generally provides	Cite
Dedicated park act	Yes. The Manufactured Home Owners and Community Owners Act, 25 Del. C. Chapter 70, governs lot tenancies in detail.	Title 25, Ch. 70
Lot rent increase notice	At least 90 days but no more than 120 days written notice before the first day the increase is due; notice to each homeowner, HOA, and DEMHRA.	§7051
Rent increase frequency	No more than once per 12-month period, regardless of lease term.	§7051
Rent increase cap	Base increase tied to the 24-month CPI-U formula (§7052A); DEMHRA certification required before notice. Additional increases for documented expenses may apply under §7052B.	§§7052A–7052B
Lease term / renewal	Default 1-year term; auto-renews on same terms unless tenant gives 60 days' or landlord gives 90 days' notice of non-renewal for due cause.	§7009
Eviction — nonpayment	Landlord must demand payment; tenant has 7 days from mailing or service to pay.	§7016
Eviction — condition violation	12 days to remedy after written notice specifying the condition.	§7016
Eviction — conduct	Written notice to cease immediately; termination if same conduct recurs within 6 months.	§7016
Change in land use	Minimum 1-year notice by certified mail and posting; rent freeze after notice; mandatory quarterly relocation plan.	§7024
Security deposit	Maximum 1 month's rent unless tenant agrees otherwise; must be escrowed; itemized accounting within 20 days of termination; double damages for failure to return.	§7017
Late fees	Agreement may not impose more than the greater of $25 or 5% of monthly rent.	§7008
Application fee	Cannot exceed the greater of 10% of monthly lot rent or $50.	§7020
Fee increases	No more than once per 12-month period; 60 days' advance written notice required.	§7020
Utility rate	Landlord may not charge above the utility's retail consumer rate.	§7020
Utility repairs	Must repair within 48 hours of written notification.	§7008
Health/safety failure	Landlord must correct within 10 days; unsafe water supply requires potable water or alternative housing within 48 hours.	§7020A
Selling in place	Rental agreement transfers automatically to qualified buyer; park has 7-day right of first refusal at 10% above contract price; prohibited provisions bar park from requiring sale through landlord.	§7013, §7008
Buyer application	Park must accept or reject within 10 days; must give written explanation for denial.	§7013
Relocation trust fund	Fund assists residents displaced by community closure or land-use change; payments authorized per Board schedule.	§7042–§7045
Rent dispute	Homeowners may request nonbinding arbitration within 30 days of mandatory final meeting when increase exceeds CPI-U baseline.	§7053
Receivership	Tenants or AG may petition Justice of the Peace Court for receivership if utility or habitability failures persist 5+ days after notice.	§7061

How to use this

This sheet summarizes; it does not replace the statute or legal advice. Delaware's Chapter 70 is a detailed, resident-protective statute — but the exact requirements, deadlines, and procedures live in the sections cited above. Other authorities — the Delaware Residential Landlord-Tenant Code (where Chapter 70 is silent), DEMHRA regulations, federal law, and the written rental agreement — can also apply.

Where to read more

• Delaware topic guides on FightMyPark: lot rent, eviction, fees, utilities, buying, selling, title, and storm.
• The official statute text at Delaware Code Online, linked in the Sources section below.
• DEMHRA at demhra.delaware.gov for complaint intake and trust fund information.