Mobile home utilities and submetering in Illinois

Illinois regulates how mobile home parks pass utility costs to residents. The Mobile Home Landlord and Tenant Rights Act (765 ILCS 745) bars charging tenants for common-area utilities, caps unmetered pass-throughs, requires the park to explain its math each year, and protects a resident's choice of fuel supplier. For a specific bill or dispute, consider consulting a licensed attorney in Illinois.

What the statute says

Section 6.2, "Utility services," provides:

A park owner is prohibited from requiring a tenant to pay for utility services, such as water, sewer, and trash used in common areas in which a public utility company is charging for those services. If the public utility usage for common areas is not separately measured by equipment such as a water meter, the park owner may not charge the tenants for more than 80% of the public utility services for which the park owner was billed.

The same section requires the park, "[o]n an annual basis," to give tenants "a written explanation of how a tenant's share of the utility charge was calculated" and, on request, copies of the monthly utility bills. Section 14.3 adds that "[i]f exigent circumstances arise, the park owner is responsible for providing a water supply to each household" after a three-day disruption of normal water service.

How it works in general

A park cannot make residents pay for utilities consumed in common areas that a public utility bills. Where common-area usage is not separately metered, the park's charge to tenants is capped at 80% of what the park was billed, and the park must explain the allocation annually and show the bills on request. For fuel, Section 19 protects a resident's choice of dealer and limits a park-run centralized fuel system to a reasonable retail price. During a prolonged water outage, Section 14.3 puts the duty to supply water on the park, unless the disruption originates outside the park.

Common scenarios

General examples Illinois park residents commonly encounter:

• A bill includes common-area water or trash. Section 6.2 bars charging tenants for common-area utilities a public utility bills.
• Utilities are not separately metered. The 80%-of-the-bill ceiling and the annual written explanation under Section 6.2 are the key controls.
• A park insists on one propane supplier. Section 19 bars requiring a particular fuel dealer and caps a centralized system at a reasonable retail price.

Other authorities that may apply

The Illinois Commerce Commission regulates public utilities and their retail rates. The Mobile Home Park Act (210 ILCS 115) and Illinois Department of Public Health govern park water and sanitation systems. The written lease must itemize utility charges under Section 9, and federal law can apply in particular situations.