Mobile home utilities and submetering in Missouri

Missouri has no mobile-home-specific utility or submetering statute. Utility billing in a park is governed by the written lease and, for regulated utilities, by the Missouri Public Service Commission. This page compiles that general framework. For a specific bill, consider consulting a licensed attorney in Missouri.

What the law provides

Missouri's general landlord-tenant statutes (chapters 441 and 535) govern the lot tenancy, but they do not set mobile-home utility-billing rules, a submetering cap, or a markup limit. Those terms come from the written lease. Regulated utilities — and the rates they charge — are overseen by the Missouri Public Service Commission, and a park that resells a regulated utility may be subject to the Commission's rules.

Because nothing is mobile-home-specific, the key questions are what the lease says about metering and billing and, for a regulated utility, what the Public Service Commission allows.

How it works in general

The written lease defines how utilities are metered and billed in a Missouri park — whether utilities are included in rent, separately metered, or allocated among residents. There is no statewide submetering statute, markup cap, or mobile-home-specific billing rule. For a regulated utility, the Public Service Commission's rules and the utility's tariff set the underlying rates. A resident who believes a utility charge is improper should look first to the lease terms and then to the Commission for a regulated service.

Common scenarios

General examples Missouri park residents commonly encounter:

• A utility charge is questioned. The written lease and, for a regulated utility, the Public Service Commission's rules are the reference points.
• A resident expects a submetering cap. Missouri has no mobile-home submetering statute; the lease controls.
• A park resells electricity or water. The lease governs the pass-through, and the Public Service Commission may regulate the underlying utility.

Other authorities that may apply

The Missouri Public Service Commission regulates investor-owned utilities and their rates. The general landlord-tenant statutes govern the tenancy, and the written lease sets the utility-billing terms. Federal law can apply in particular situations, and local ordinances may add requirements in some cities.