What must a Washington park lease include?

A detailed list. Under RCW 59.20.060(1), every mobile home space tenancy must be 'based upon a written rental agreement, signed by the parties,' that contains the rent terms and any additional charges, the park rules, the landlord's name and agent, deposit terms, a list of utilities and services, a space map, the current zoning, a five-year rent history, and a boldface statement that the park 'may be sold or otherwise transferred at any time' and may be closed after the required closure notice. This is general information, not advice about a specific purchase — consider consulting a licensed attorney in Washington.

Does a Washington park have to offer a long-term lease?

Yes. Under RCW 59.20.050(1), 'no landlord may offer a mobile home lot for rent to anyone without offering a written rental agreement for a term of one year or more,' and the one-year terms can't be worse than any month-to-month deal. If a home is moved in without a written agreement, the tenancy is deemed to be for one year.

Can a Washington park make me buy the home or my goods from it?

No. Under RCW 59.20.070(2), a landlord may not 'restrict the tenant's freedom of choice in purchasing goods or services,' though the park 'may reserve the right to approve or disapprove any exterior structural improvements.' When you buy a home in the park, the lease is assignable to you and the park's consent can't be unreasonably withheld (RCW 59.20.073).

Buying a mobile home in Washington

Washington's Manufactured/Mobile Home Landlord-Tenant Act (RCW 59.20) gives a buyer a written long-term lease with extensive required disclosures and freedom to choose where to buy. The information below describes how the law generally works; anyone buying should consider consulting a licensed attorney in Washington.

What the statute says

RCW 59.20.050(1) requires the landlord to offer "a written rental agreement for a term of one year or more," on terms no worse than month-to-month. RCW 59.20.060(1) requires that agreement to contain a long list: the rent terms and additional charges; guest-parking rules; the park rules; the landlord's name and an in-state agent; any secured party; deposit terms; "a listing of the utilities, services, and facilities," with a promise to reduce rent proportionally if a utility is later charged separately; a map of the tenant's space; "a statement of the current zoning"; "the past five years' rental amount charged for the lot"; and a boldface statement that "the park may be sold or otherwise transferred at any time" and may be closed after the required notice.

When a buyer takes over a home in the park, RCW 59.20.073 makes the lease assignable and requires the landlord to approve or disapprove "on the same basis ... as any new tenant," with consent "not [to] be unreasonably withheld." And RCW 59.20.070(2) protects the buyer's "freedom of choice in purchasing goods or services."

How it works in general

A Washington buyer who plans to keep a home in the park is entitled to a written lease of at least a year, with terms no worse than month-to-month, and a detailed set of disclosures — including a five-year rent history and a prominent warning that the park could be sold or closed. The buyer is free to choose the vendors for the home and any goods or services, though the park can set reasonable standards for exterior structural improvements. When buying a home already in the park, the seller's lease is assignable to the buyer, and the park has to decide on the same basis it uses for any new tenant and can't unreasonably refuse. The home is HUD-built and DOL-titled. Reviewing the lease and its disclosures, the rent history, the deposit terms, and the title are the key steps before closing.

Common scenarios

General examples Washington buyers commonly encounter:

A buyer wants the cost and risk picture. The lease must disclose a five-year rent history and a boldface sale/closure warning (RCW 59.20.060(1)).
A buyer takes over a home in the park. The lease assigns to the buyer; the park can't unreasonably refuse (RCW 59.20.073).
A park tries to force the buyer to use its vendors. Freedom of goods and services is protected (RCW 59.20.070(2)).

Other authorities that may apply

The Manufactured/Mobile Home Landlord-Tenant Act (RCW 59.20.050, 59.20.060, 59.20.070, 59.20.073) governs the lease, disclosures, and transfer; the home is DOL-titled (RCW 46.12) and HUD-built. Federal lending rules and the Fair Housing Act can apply. The signed lease with its required contents and the certificate of title are the core documents to review.