Other LanguagesWhat is the Manufactured Housing Dispute Resolution Program (MHDRP)?
Owners of manufactured and mobile homes who rent a space for their home in a park or community have important rights and responsibilities under the state Manufactured/Mobile Home Landlord Tenant Act (MHLTA), RCW 59.20. Landlords have rights and responsibilities under the law, too.
The Attorney General’s Office strives to support better communication and promote mutual understanding between landlords and manufactured home owners. The office provides an equitable and low-cost option for manufactured home owners and landlords to resolve disputes concerning alleged violations of these rights.
How did MHDRP start?
| Mission | |
| The Manufactured Housing Dispute Resolution Program enforces the Manufactured/Mobile Home Landlord Tenant Act, educates stakeholders, and fosters relationships between manufactured/mobile home community land owners and homeowners. We facilitate communication among parties in an effort to resolve disputes and avoid evictions. | |
| Vision | |
| We seek to foster a safe and sustainable manufactured/mobile home community industry in Washington State through excellence in service, respected regulatory leadership, and effective membership in stakeholder organizations. |
The 2007 WA State Legislature recognized that there are factors unique to the relationship between a manufactured/mobile home tenant and their landlord. The difficulty and expense of moving and relocating a manufactured/mobile home creates unique challenges. The Legislature found that many tenants who experienced violations of the manufactured/mobile home landlord-tenant act (MHLTA) were often left without protections or access to legal remedies. In response, the State Legislature passed into law RCW 59.30. This law authorizes the Attorney General's Office to administer the Manufactured Housing Dispute Resolution Program and enforce the Manufactured/Mobile Home Landlord-Tenant Act. It also authorizes the Department of Revenue to register manufactured/mobile home communities and collect registration fees.
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Who can use the MHDR program?
Homeowners are covered by the MHLTA and eligible to participate in the dispute resolution program if they own a manufactured home or mobile home and rent a lot for that home in a community or park. A community, by legal definition, includes rental space for two or more homes that are owner occupied.
Landlords are also covered by the MHLTA and eligible to participate in the dispute resolution program. We encourage landlords to use the dispute resolution program as a low-cost alternative to the 15-day notice and eviction process provided by law.
The program cannot help people who rent the home they live in. If the home itself is rented and not owned by the tenant, the Residential Landlord-Tenant Act, RCW 59.18, applies instead and this dispute resolution program may not be used.
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We do not represent landlords or tenants but advance the public interest as a
neutral third party negotiating an agreement that complies with the MHLTA.
If an agreement cannot be reached we may move forward with enforcement action.
How can this program help me?
Homeowners and landlords may file a complaint through the dispute resolution program if they believe that there may be a violation of their rights under the MHLTA. The Attorney General’s Office may negotiate with opposing parties, determine whether further investigation is needed, decide whether a violation has occurred and issue fines and other penalties when appropriate in order to bring compliance with the law.
How can I request dispute resolution?
A Dispute Resolution Complaint form must be filed in writing. You may complete our online form or paper form and submit it to our office via regular mail, email, and fax. You may also call us and we will mail you a form.
We do not accept a request from individuals on behalf of other homeowners or from homeowners association board members on behalf of their membership. If tenants in the same community want to file a complaint through the dispute resolution program together, each tenant should fill out a separate form and sign it individually. Those forms may be mailed in to our office together however please ensure the forms are mailed within a week of signing by each tenant.
With your form, please included copies of relevant documents such as your lease, community rules, correspondence between the parties, notices, photos, court documents, etc. Please do not send original documents.
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Para los servicios en español
Un formulario de solicitud de resolución de disputas debe ser presentado por escrito. Puede llenar nuestro formulario por línea o por papel y enviarlo a nuestra oficina vía correo postal, correo electrónico y fax. También puede llamarnos y le enviaremos un formulario. Hablamos español.
Where can I get information about program statistics and case outcomes?
Please visit this page where you will find information about program statistics and case outcomes following formal investigations. We have also posted our Annual Reports to the WA State Legislature here as well.
What are the Licensing Requirements and how is this program funded?
By law, landlords are required to register each pad in their community or park with the Department of Revenue and pay $15 per year for each space that is rented to a person who owns their home. Landlords may charge each homeowner a maximum of $5 per year of this assessment. The fee is then used to fund the MHDRP and cover the DOR registration and licensing cost. $5 of the amount is deposited in a Relocation Assistance Fund administered by the Department of Commerce (RCW 59.30.050) .
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To contact the Manufactured Housing Dispute Resolution Program:
Statewide toll-free: 1-866-924-6458
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The Law |
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| RCW 59.30, Manufactured/mobile home communities - dispute resolution and registration RCW 59.20, Manufactured/Mobile Home Landlord Tenant Act RCW 59.18, Residential Landlord-Tenant Act |
King County: 206-464-6049
Call Center Hours: 9am - 4pm M-F
E-mail: MHDR@atg.wa.gov
Mail: Manufactured Housing Dispute Resolution Program
Attorney General’s Office
800 5th Avenue, Suite 2000
Seattle, WA 98104
Fax: 206-587-5636
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Check out our page containing program statistics, case outcomes & Annual Reports to the WA State Legislature
Other program materials include: MHDRP Brochure, MHDRP Brochure en español, Other Resources & Links.