Mobile home park fees in Oregon

Oregon tightly controls what a manufactured dwelling park can charge: fees are limited to a statutory list, must be written into the rental agreement, and the security deposit has clear return rules. The information below describes how the law generally works; anyone disputing a specific charge should consider consulting a licensed attorney in Oregon.

What the statute says

ORS 90.302(1) is the core rule: "A landlord may not charge a fee at the beginning of the tenancy for an anticipated landlord expense and may not require the payment of any fee except as provided in this section. A fee must be described in a written rental agreement." The allowed fees (subsection 2) are a closed list — a late-rent fee, a dishonored-check fee, a smoke-alarm or carbon-monoxide-alarm tampering fee, a pet-agreement violation fee, and an early-abandonment fee. Rule-noncompliance fees (subsection 3) require a prior written warning and "may not exceed $50 for the second noncompliance" or "$50 plus five percent of the rent payment" for later ones.

The security deposit is governed by ORS 90.300: the landlord must hold it for the tenant, return it and account for deductions "within 31 days" after the tenancy ends and possession is delivered, "may not change the rental agreement to require the tenant to pay a new or increased security deposit during the first year," and must "allow the tenant at least three months to pay" any later increase.

How it works in general

In Oregon a park can't invent fees. Anything beyond rent must be one of the fees the statute specifically allows, and it has to appear in the written rental agreement — no surprise charges, and no upfront fee for the landlord's anticipated costs. Fees for breaking a park rule can't be imposed until after a written warning and are capped at modest amounts. The security deposit (separate from rent) must be returned with a written accounting within 31 days of move-out, the park can't raise it in the first year, and any later increase comes with at least three months to pay. (Utility and service charges are handled separately under ORS 90.560 to 90.584 — see the Utilities guide.)

Common scenarios

General examples Oregon park residents commonly encounter:

• A new charge appears that isn't in the lease. A park may charge only statutory fees described in the written rental agreement (ORS 90.302).
• A park imposes a rule-violation fee with no warning. It must give a written warning first, and the fee is capped (ORS 90.302(3)).
• A deposit isn't returned. The park must account and return the balance within 31 days of move-out (ORS 90.300).

Other authorities that may apply

ORS 90.302 governs allowed fees and ORS 90.300 the deposit; utility and service charges follow ORS 90.560 to 90.584. The written rental agreement and statement of policy (ORS 90.510) must disclose the park's charges. Federal law can apply in particular situations.