Can a Vermont park refuse to let me buy a home in the park?

Only if you don't qualify. Under 10 V.S.A. §6240(b), a buyer 'shall not be refused entrance except for the inability of the purchaser and the purchaser's household to meet the terms of the proposed lease or to qualify under a valid admission policy of the park,' and an approved buyer must be offered a written lease.

Does a Vermont buyer get any disclosures about the home itself?

Yes. Under 9 V.S.A. §2602, a seller must provide, for a new home, a written price disclosure, and for any mobile home, written disclosure of 'any flooding history or flood damage to the mobile home known to the seller.' An 'as is' sale must list the home's known deficiencies and known liens on the Uniform Bill of Sale.

Buying a mobile home in Vermont

Q: What must a Vermont park lease disclose to a buyer?

A lot. Under 10 V.S.A. §6236(e), every lot lease must contain the rental, utility, and other disclosed charges; 'names and addresses of the park owners'; anti-discrimination notices; the permission required before selling or subleasing; the notice a resident must give to leave; the effective date; and a conspicuous flood-hazard notice if any lot is in a flood hazard area. A prospective leaseholder must be 'furnished with a copy of the proposed lease prior to any agreement' (§6236(c)). This is general information, not advice about a specific purchase — consider consulting a licensed attorney in Vermont.

Vermont's Mobile Home Parks act (10 V.S.A. Chapter 153) and Uniform Bill of Sale law (9 V.S.A. Chapter 72) give a buyer a written lease, broad disclosures, and a fair entrance standard. The information below describes how the law generally works; anyone buying should consider consulting a licensed attorney in Vermont.

What the statute says

Under 10 V.S.A. §6236(c), a prospective leaseholder "shall be furnished with a copy of the proposed lease prior to any agreement," and §6236(e) requires the lease to contain the disclosed rental, utility, and service charges; "names and addresses of the park owners"; anti-discrimination notices (including age and minor-children protections); the permission required before selling or subleasing; the notice the resident must give to leave; the effective date; and a conspicuous flood-hazard notice "if any lot within the mobile home park is wholly or partially located in a flood hazard area." Section 6240(b) provides that a buyer "shall not be refused entrance except for the inability ... to meet the terms of the proposed lease or to qualify under a valid admission policy," and the home comes with a warranty of habitability (§6262).

On the home itself, 9 V.S.A. §2602 requires the seller to disclose the price (for a new home) and "any flooding history or flood damage to the mobile home known to the seller," and to list known deficiencies (for an "as is" sale) and known liens on the Uniform Bill of Sale.

How it works in general

A Vermont buyer who plans to keep a home in the park gets the proposed lease before agreeing, and that lease must spell out who owns the park, every charge, the anti-discrimination protections, and — notably for Vermont — whether the lot is in a flood hazard area. A qualified buyer can't be refused entrance, and once approved is offered a written lease. The seller has to disclose the home's price (if new) and any known flood history or damage, plus any "as is" defects and liens on the Uniform Bill of Sale. The lot itself carries a warranty of habitability — safe utilities, water, and roads. Ownership transfers when the town-clerk-endorsed Uniform Bill of Sale is filed (see the Title guide). Reviewing the lease, the disclosures, the flood notice, and the bill of sale are the key steps before closing.

Common scenarios

General examples Vermont buyers commonly encounter:

A buyer wants the full picture before signing. The lease must disclose charges, owner, and flood-hazard status (§6236(e)).
A buyer applies to take over a home in the park. The park can refuse only a buyer who doesn't qualify (§6240(b)).
A buyer worries about flood risk. The seller must disclose known flood history or damage (9 V.S.A. §2602).

Other authorities that may apply

The Mobile Home Parks act (§§6236, 6240, 6262) governs the lease, disclosures, entrance, and habitability; the Uniform Bill of Sale law (9 V.S.A. Chapter 72) governs the transfer and seller disclosures. The home's construction follows the federal HUD code, and federal lending rules and the Fair Housing Act can apply. The lease, the disclosures, and the bill of sale are the core documents to review.