Mobile home park fees in Connecticut
Connecticut bars a mobile manufactured home park from charging an entrance fee, caps a security deposit at one month's rent (with interest), caps a late fee at 5% of the lot rent after a nine-day grace period, bars a sale commission unless the park acted as the resident's agent, and bars a park from taking any fee or commission from outside suppliers of goods and services.
Published June 3, 2026
Connecticut controls park fees through the dedicated act (Conn. Gen. Stat. ch. 412), which bans entrance fees, caps the security deposit and late fees, and bars unearned sale commissions and supplier kickbacks. The information below describes how the law generally works; anyone disputing a specific charge should consider consulting a licensed attorney in Connecticut.
What the statute says
Section 21-83(a) lists provisions that may not appear in a rental agreement: "(7) Any provision allowing the owner to charge an entrance fee to a resident assuming occupancy"; "(6) Any provision allowing the owner to charge an amount in excess of one month's rent for a security deposit," to keep the deposit when the resident has paid rent and caused no damage, or to waive the deposit interest under §47a-21; "(4) Any provision which permits the owner to charge a penalty for late payment of rent in excess of five per cent of the total rent due for the mobile manufactured home space or lot" (4% where the home and lot are both rented); and "(3)" a late fee without "a minimum of nine days beyond the due date" of grace.
On a sale, §21-79(e) provides that "no owner shall exact a commission or fee with respect to the price realized by the seller, unless he has acted as agent for the seller in a sale pursuant to a written contract." And on suppliers, §21-78 bars an owner from restricting a resident's home-delivery suppliers without good cause and provides that "no owner shall receive, directly or indirectly, any fee, charge, commission or remuneration from any supplier."
How it works in general
A Connecticut park can't charge a fee just to move in — entrance fees are prohibited. A security deposit can't exceed one month's rent, has to earn interest, and has to come back if the resident left owing nothing and caused no damage. Late fees can't be charged until a nine-day grace period passes and then are capped at 5% of the lot rent. The park can't take a commission when a resident sells the home unless the resident actually hired it as agent under a written contract, and it can't pocket fees or kickbacks from the milk, newspaper, laundry, or other suppliers that serve residents. The disclosure statement the park must give before any agreement (§21-70) is where the allowed charges should appear.
Common scenarios
General examples Connecticut park residents commonly encounter:
- A park asks for a move-in "entrance fee." That's prohibited (§21-83(a)(7)).
- A deposit is set above one month's rent. The cap is one month, with interest (§21-83(a)(6)).
- A park demands a commission on a sale it didn't handle. Barred unless the park was the resident's agent under a written contract (§21-79(e)).
Other authorities that may apply
The dedicated act (Conn. Gen. Stat. §§21-78, 21-79, 21-83) governs entrance fees, the deposit and late-fee caps, sale commissions, and supplier fees; security-deposit interest follows §47a-21. The disclosure statement (§21-70) lists the charges. A violation of the chapter's rental-agreement rules carries penalties (§21-83b) and can be an unfair trade practice (§21-83e). Federal law can apply in particular situations.
Frequently asked questions
- Can a Connecticut park charge an entrance fee?
- No. Under Conn. Gen. Stat. §21-83(a)(7), a rental agreement may not contain 'any provision allowing the owner to charge an entrance fee to a resident assuming occupancy.' This is general information, not advice about a specific charge — consider consulting a licensed attorney in Connecticut.
- How large a security deposit can a Connecticut park require?
- Under Conn. Gen. Stat. §21-83(a)(6), an agreement may not charge 'an amount in excess of one month's rent for a security deposit,' may not let the owner keep the deposit if the resident paid rent in full and caused no damage, and may not waive the resident's right to interest on the deposit under §47a-21.
- Does a Connecticut park get a commission when I sell my home?
- Only if you hired it. Under Conn. Gen. Stat. §21-79(e), 'no owner shall exact a commission or fee with respect to the price realized by the seller, unless he has acted as agent for the seller in a sale pursuant to a written contract,' and the park can't charge the buyer a higher lot rent than the prevailing rent for other lots.