What must an Ohio park disclose before I sign a lease?

Every fee, and a written rental agreement. Under Ohio Rev. Code §4781.40(B), the park must 'fully disclose in writing all fees, charges, assessments, including rental fees, and rules prior to a tenant or owner executing a rental agreement,' and undisclosed fees can't be collected. Under §4781.40(A)(1), the park must offer 'a written rental agreement for a manufactured home park lot for a term of one year or more.' This is general information, not advice about a specific purchase — consider consulting a licensed attorney in Ohio.

Buying a mobile home in Ohio

Q: Does an Ohio lease have to tell me my rights?

Yes. Ohio Rev. Code §4781.51(D) requires every written rental agreement to contain, in ten-point boldface type: 'YOUR RIGHTS AS A RESIDENT AND YOUR MANUFACTURED HOME PARK OPERATOR'S RIGHTS ARE PROTECTED BY SECTIONS 4781.36 TO 4781.52 OF THE REVISED CODE, WHICH REGULATE RENTAL AGREEMENTS IN MANUFACTURED HOME PARKS.' The lease must also state the owner's and any agent's name and address (§4781.51(A)).

Q: Can an Ohio park reject me as a buyer?

Only reasonably. Ohio Rev. Code §4781.40(H)(3) bars a park from 'unreasonably refus[ing] to enter into a rental agreement with a purchaser of a home located within the operator's manufactured home park.' You must meet the park's reasonable rules, but it can't arbitrarily refuse a qualified buyer.

Ohio's manufactured home park law gives a buyer real protection: a written one-year lease offer, full fee disclosure before signing, a plain statement of rights in the lease itself, and protection against an unreasonable refusal to rent. The information below describes how the law generally works; anyone buying should consider consulting a licensed attorney in Ohio.

What the statute says

Ohio Rev. Code §4781.40(A)(1) requires the park to offer "a written rental agreement for a manufactured home park lot for a term of one year or more" with terms essentially the same as any month-to-month deal. Section 4781.40(B) requires the park to "fully disclose in writing all fees, charges, assessments, including rental fees, and rules prior to a tenant or owner executing a rental agreement," and makes undisclosed fees uncollectible. Section 4781.40(H)(3) bars the park from "unreasonably refus[ing] to enter into a rental agreement with a purchaser of a home located within the operator's manufactured home park."

Section 4781.51 dictates what the lease must contain: the owner's (and any agent's) name and address (A), and this boldface notice (D):

YOUR RIGHTS AS A RESIDENT AND YOUR MANUFACTURED HOME PARK OPERATOR'S RIGHTS ARE PROTECTED BY SECTIONS 4781.36 TO 4781.52 OF THE REVISED CODE, WHICH REGULATE RENTAL AGREEMENTS IN MANUFACTURED HOME PARKS.

The home itself is titled by a certificate of title through the clerk of the court of common pleas (Chapter 4505), and security deposit terms are set by §4781.50.

How it works in general

An Ohio buyer who plans to keep a home in the park is entitled to a written rental agreement of a year or more, a complete written list of every fee and rule before signing (with any undisclosed fee uncollectible), and a lease that names the park owner and spells out, in boldface, that the buyer's rights are protected by the manufactured home park law. The park can apply its reasonable rules to approve the buyer as a tenant, but it can't unreasonably refuse a qualified buyer. The home is built to the federal HUD standards and titled through the clerk of courts, so the buyer takes ownership by transferring the certificate of title and then registering the home with the county auditor. Reviewing the rental agreement, the fee disclosure, the deposit terms, and the title are the key steps before closing.

Common scenarios

General examples Ohio buyers commonly encounter:

A buyer wants a real lease, not a month-to-month handshake. The park must offer a written agreement of one year or more (§4781.40(A)(1)).
A fee surfaces after signing that was never disclosed. It can't be collected (§4781.40(B)).
A buyer reviews the lease. It must name the owner and carry the boldface rights notice (§4781.51).

Other authorities that may apply

The manufactured home park law (§§4781.40, 4781.50, 4781.51) governs the lease offer, fee disclosure, deposit, and required lease contents; the clerk of courts handles title (Chapter 4505) and the county auditor handles registration. The home's construction follows the federal HUD code, and federal lending rules and the Fair Housing Act can apply. The rental agreement, fee disclosure, and bill of sale are the core documents to review.