How much notice does a California mobile home park have to give before raising lot rent?

California Civil Code §798.30 requires the management to give a homeowner written notice of any rent increase at least 90 days before the date of the increase. This is the statewide minimum; a local rent control ordinance may provide additional requirements.

Does California cap the amount of a lot rent increase?

The Mobilehome Residency Law (Civil Code §§798–799.11) sets a 90-day notice requirement but does not itself cap the dollar or percentage amount of an increase. Some California cities and counties have adopted local rent-stabilization or rent-control ordinances that do limit the amount for covered parks. Whether a particular park is covered requires checking local law — consider consulting a licensed attorney in California.

What fees can a California park lawfully charge a homeowner?

Civil Code §798.31 limits charges to 'rent, utilities, and incidental reasonable charges for services actually rendered.' A park may not charge fees beyond that framework unless a separate statutory provision allows it.

Must the rental agreement be in writing in California?

Yes. Civil Code §798.15 requires the rental agreement to be in writing and to include the term of the tenancy and the rent, the park's rules and regulations, a copy of the Mobilehome Residency Law, and other required provisions.

Mobile home lot rent rules in California

California has a dedicated statute for mobile and manufactured home lot tenancies: the Mobilehome Residency Law (MRL), California Civil Code §§798 through 799.11. The MRL requires advance written notice before a rent increase and limits the types of fees that management may charge. The description below is general; for a specific increase or charge, consider consulting a licensed attorney in California.

What the statute says

The notice-of-increase requirement is found in Civil Code §798.30:

The management shall give a homeowner written notice of any increase in his or her rent at least 90 days before the date of the increase.

On the types of charges that are permissible, Civil Code §798.31 states that a homeowner "shall not be charged a fee" except for "rent, utilities, and incidental reasonable charges for services actually rendered." Management may charge a fee for a lease term exceeding one year only "upon the mutual agreement of the homeowner and management."

The written rental agreement itself must, under §798.15, include "the term of the tenancy and the rent therefor," the park's rules and regulations, and a copy of the MRL as an exhibit.

How it works in general

The MRL is a procedural floor, not a price cap. California statewide law requires at least 90 days' advance written notice before any increase takes effect, but it does not itself limit the amount by which rent may be raised. Some California cities and counties have adopted local rent-stabilization ordinances that cap increases for covered mobilehome parks; whether any local ordinance applies to a particular park is a separate inquiry.

The fee-limitation framework in §798.31 means that charges beyond rent, utilities, and actual service charges are generally not permitted. For example, a park cannot charge a fee for obtaining a standard 12-month lease.

Common scenarios

General examples California park residents commonly encounter:

A notice arrives stating that lot rent will increase in two months. The 90-day requirement of §798.30 is the relevant standard for whether adequate notice was given.
A homeowner receives a bill with a line item for a service they did not request or that was not listed in the rental agreement. Civil Code §798.32 requires that fees for unlisted services be disclosed at least 60 days before imposition and separately stated on the periodic billing.
A resident wants to know whether a local rent cap applies. That depends on whether the city or county has a mobilehome-park rent ordinance and whether the park is covered — a question often resolved by consulting local government or an attorney.

Other authorities that may apply

The MRL is the primary statute, but it does not stand alone. Local rent-control and rent-stabilization ordinances in many California jurisdictions may limit the amount of an increase for qualifying parks. The written rental agreement supplies the specific agreed-upon rent and any contractual increase mechanism. Federal laws, including the Fair Housing Act, can also apply to how increases are administered. The California Department of Housing and Community Development (HCD) oversees aspects of manufactured housing, and certain HCD regulations interact with park operations.