Mobile home lot rent rules in West Virginia

West Virginia has a dedicated park law — the Mobile Home Parks provisions of W. Va. Code Chapter 37, Article 15 (using the term "factory-built home rental community") — that requires a written agreement, limits charges, and protects a new home for a placement period. The information below describes how the law generally works; anyone dealing with a specific increase should consider consulting a licensed attorney in West Virginia.

What the statute says

Under W. Va. Code §37-15-3(a), "the rental and occupancy of a factory-built home site shall be governed by a written agreement which shall be dated and signed by all parties," and §37-15-3(d)(2) limits charges: the agreement may not require the tenant "to pay any recurring charges except fixed rent, utility charges or reasonable incidental charges for services or facilities supplied by the landlord."

A placement protection is in §37-15-3(c) and §37-15-6(a): a single-section home "may not be terminated until twelve months after the home is placed on the site except for good cause," and a multisection home "may not be terminated until five years ... except for good cause." After the placement period (or the lease term, whichever is later), either party may end the tenancy "only by written notice at least three months before the termination date" (§37-15-6(c)). There is no statute capping the amount of rent.

How it works in general

A West Virginia park resident is entitled to a signed written agreement, and the recurring charges in it are limited to rent, utilities, and reasonable incidental charges — nothing else. A newly placed single-section home can't be forced out for the first 12 months (5 years for a multisection home) unless the landlord has good cause (such as unpaid rent or a material lease breach). After that, ending the tenancy requires three months' written notice. West Virginia doesn't cap the amount of rent or set a separate rent-increase notice, so the written agreement and the market set the rent figure, while the placement protection and the three-month notice govern the timing of a termination.

Common scenarios

General examples West Virginia park residents commonly encounter:

• A charge appears that isn't rent, utilities, or a disclosed incidental. The agreement can only require those categories (§37-15-3(d)(2)).
• A landlord tries to end a new resident's tenancy quickly. A single-section home is protected for 12 months (5 years multisection) absent good cause (§37-15-6(a)).
• A tenancy is being ended after the placement period. It requires three months' written notice (§37-15-6(c)).

Other authorities that may apply

The Mobile Home Parks act (Article 15) governs the written agreement, charges, and termination timing; "good cause" is defined in §37-15-2. Because there is no rent cap or sell-in-place-blocking fee, this guide flags those gaps honestly. The general landlord-tenant law (W. Va. Code Chapter 37, Article 6) and federal law such as the Fair Housing Act can also apply.