Mobile home park fees in Alabama

Alabama has no dedicated mobile home park fee law. Where the Alabama Uniform Residential Landlord and Tenant Act (Ala. Code Title 35, Chapter 9A) governs, it caps and regulates the security deposit; otherwise the written lease controls the fees. The information below describes how the law generally works; anyone disputing a specific charge should consider consulting a licensed attorney in Alabama.

What the statute says

Under Ala. Code §35-9A-201(a), "a landlord may not demand or receive money as security, in an amount in excess of one month's periodic rent, except for pets, changes to the premises, or increased liability risks to the landlord or premises." On return, §35-9A-201(b) and (c) require that money held as security be applied to accrued rent and damages "as itemized by the landlord in a written notice delivered to the tenant together with the amount due 60 days after termination of the tenancy and delivery of possession," and that an "itemized list of amounts withheld" be provided within that 60-day period. The tenant must provide a written forwarding address (§35-9A-201(d)).

The Act has no provision banning entrance, exit, transfer, or sale fees, and Alabama has no dedicated mobile-home-park fee statute. Whether even the deposit rule reaches a particular park tenancy depends on whether the Act applies — it is built around the rental of a "dwelling unit" (§35-9A-141(4)), which may not include a bare lot rented for a resident's own home.

How it works in general

In Alabama, the one clear statutory fee protection is the security-deposit rule that applies where the Alabama Uniform Residential Landlord and Tenant Act governs: the deposit generally can't exceed one month's rent (with exceptions for pets, premises changes, and added liability risk), and the landlord has to return it — with an itemized list of any deductions — within 60 days. Beyond that, Alabama doesn't ban entrance, exit, or transfer fees or set mobile-home-specific limits, so the fees a park can charge come down to the written lease and general law. Reading the lease closely for every charge is the key step.

Common scenarios

General examples Alabama park residents commonly encounter:

• A deposit above one month's rent is requested. Where the Act applies, the cap is one month, with limited exceptions (§35-9A-201(a)).
• A deposit isn't returned. It must be returned, itemized, within 60 days (§35-9A-201(b), (c)).
• A park charges an entrance or transfer fee. No statute bans it — the lease and general law control.

Other authorities that may apply

The Alabama Uniform Residential Landlord and Tenant Act (Ala. Code §35-9A-201) governs the security deposit for covered tenancies; the written lease governs other charges. Because Alabama has no dedicated park act, this guide flags the absence of fee limits honestly. Federal law can apply in particular situations.