A lot rent increase is one of the scariest letters a manufactured-home owner can open. You own the house. The park owns the dirt under it. This guide settles two things: how much your park can legally raise the rent, and what you can actually do about it. We will cover notice rules, state caps, your step-by-step response, and where to get free help.
How Lot Rent Increase Actually Works
Most states treat mobile home parks differently from apartments. That is good news for you. Because moving a home costs $5,000 to $15,000, lawmakers built special mobile home park acts with stronger rights. These acts usually give longer notice, limit how often rent can change, and sometimes cap the amount.
Two rules matter most. First, timing: the park must give written notice a set number of days before the new rent starts. Second, frequency: most park acts allow only one lot rent increase per 12 months. However, a handful of states still have no cap on the dollar amount at all. In those states, the fight is usually about process, notice, and local ordinances.
The exact numbers vary a lot by state. Here are five real examples with the actual figures.
| State | Notice required | Cap on the increase | Special tenant right |
|---|---|---|---|
| Washington | 90 days written | 5% per year, no expiration date | No increase at all during your first 12 months |
| Oregon | 90 days (93 if mailed only) | 6% for parks with 31+ spaces (2026); 9.5% for parks with 30 or fewer | A one-time 12% capital increase needs 51% tenant approval |
| Delaware | 90 days written | No flat cap, but must be “justified” | Petition for nonbinding arbitration within 30 days of the final meeting |
| Florida | 90 days written (Ch. 723) | No statewide cap | Homeowner committee of up to 5 meets the owner within 30 days; mediation available |
| Colorado | 60 days written | No statewide cap; one increase per 12 months | Notice is invalid if the park is unregistered or owes state penalties |
Notice the Colorado rule. A lot rent increase notice issued while the park is out of compliance with the state housing division “is invalid and has no force and effect.” That is a real defense, not a technicality.
Lot Rent Increase: Your Rights, Step by Step
Do these steps in order. Most of them cost nothing.
1. Save the notice and the envelope. Write the date you received it on the paper. Photograph it. 2. Count the days. Compare the notice date to the effective date. If your state requires 90 days and you got 45, the lot rent increase is likely defective. 3. Check the 12-month rule. Look at your rent history. Two increases in one year is illegal in most park-act states. 4.
Check whether your state caps the percentage. Do the math on the old rent versus the new rent. 5. Ask for the reason in writing. In Delaware and Florida, the park must meet with homeowners to explain.
Also keep paying. In most cases, you should pay the old, undisputed amount on time while you challenge the difference. Nonpayment gives the park an eviction ground that has nothing to do with the rent dispute. Ask your local legal-aid office whether your state allows paying the disputed portion into court instead.
The Mistakes That Cost Tenants
The biggest mistake is going it alone. Parks raise rent park-wide. Your neighbors got the same letter. Organizing a homeowners’ association is not just moral support — in Florida and Delaware, an association has formal legal standing to negotiate and to trigger mediation or arbitration. A group of 60 homes is much harder to ignore than one household.
The second mistake is arguing only about fairness. “This is too much” is not a legal argument in a state with no cap. Instead, attack what the statute actually regulates: the notice period, the once-a-year rule, the park’s registration status, undisclosed pass-through charges, and reductions in services. For example, if the park raised rent while closing the laundry room or letting the roads fall apart, that may be a separate violation.
The third mistake is waiting. Tenants often stall for weeks hoping the park backs down. Then the 30-day arbitration window closes. Typically, the deadline runs from the date of the notice or the meeting, not from the date the higher rent starts. Start the clock in your calendar the day the letter arrives. You can research your own state’s rules at mobile home tenant rights by state.
When to Get Help (Legal Aid or an Attorney)
Call for help right away if any of these apply: you received an eviction notice, the park is threatening to force you to move your home, the lot rent increase was over 10%, or the park ignored the notice rules. Do not wait for a court date. As a result of short deadlines, early calls get better outcomes than late ones.
Free help exists. Start with the Legal Services Corporation directory at lsc.gov to find the legal-aid office for your county. Many states also run a manufactured-housing office that handles park complaints directly. Delaware has a Manufactured Housing Ombudsperson through the state attorney general. Florida runs a mobile home mediation program. Oregon has the Manufactured Communities Resource Center at oregon.gov. Washington’s attorney general runs a dispute resolution program for park residents.
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If you want to understand a term in your notice, the plain-English legal dictionary at Cornell’s Legal Information Institute is free and reliable. Many tenants in park-act states can resolve a bad increase without ever hiring a private attorney. However, if the park has a lawyer and is pushing eviction, you should have one too. Check with your court’s self-help center for low-cost referrals.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can my park raise lot rent twice in one year?
In most mobile home park act states, no. Colorado, Washington, Oregon, and Maine all limit increases to once every 12 months. Check your state’s park act, because ordinary apartment rules do not always apply to you.
What happens if the park gave short notice?
The increase is often unenforceable until proper notice is given. In Colorado, a defective notice has “no force and effect” by statute. You may be able to keep paying the old rate until a valid 60- or 90-day notice runs — confirm this with a local legal-aid office first.
Is there any federal cap on lot rent?
No. There is no federal limit on what a park can charge. HUD regulates manufactured-home construction and some financing, not lot rent. Protection comes from state park acts and, increasingly, from city and county ordinances.
Protect your stuff while you sort this out
A landlord’s insurance does not cover your belongings — renters insurance does, often for a few dollars a month. Compare options before your next move.
Find Your State’s Exact Rules
Notice periods, deposit caps, and the eviction timeline all change from state to state. Pick your state to see the exact days, dollar limits, and steps that apply where you live.
See Tenant Rights in All 50 States →
Sources & How to Verify
The rules on this page are drawn from official government and legal-aid sources. Tenant law changes, so always confirm the exact rule with your state’s statute or a local legal-aid office.
- HUD: hud.gov — federal renter protections and fair housing
- Legal Services Corporation: lsc.gov — find free legal aid in your state
- Cornell Legal Information Institute: law.cornell.edu/wex — plain-English legal definitions
- Your state statute & court self-help portal: search “[your state] landlord tenant act” and “[your state] court self-help eviction” for the exact law and forms
Content last reviewed August 2026. If you notice outdated information, please contact us.
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Informational only — not legal advice. Tenant Rights Info is an independent educational resource, not a law firm, and this page does not provide legal advice. Landlord-tenant law varies by state and city and changes over time, so always verify the exact rule with your state’s statute, your local court’s self-help portal, or a legal-aid office. For urgent situations like an active eviction, contact a local legal-aid office or a licensed tenant attorney in your state right away.