All Forum Posts by: Patty K.

Hello smart people, I have a problem that I would like to know how you would handle this so I don’t mess something up.

I have 8 livable mobile homes. Two homes have tenants that were there before we took over. They are mother & daughter (thus whatever I tell one the other will know).

“A” – has a small dog, it’s on the lease in the list of occupants

“B” – has a small dog, yet somehow the last lease they didn’t bother sending that page of the lease back that lists the people and the pet. So I don’t “technically” have proof of their pet inhabitants for this latest lease.

A few months ago I found out “B” has a cat too but it lives inside thus I’ve never realized this (I am not local and apparently do a poor job of property mgmt. since I’m too busy fixing these old homes rather than worrying about every detail of the rules…)

The community rules indicate that no cats or dogs are permitted except those 2 homes (A and B) which are grandfathered with “one small dog each”. (since I didn’t even realize there was a cat at “B”)

Now I’m told “A” has gotten a second dog. Never asked my permission. I believe “A” lease is clear enough to say they can only have that one small dog listed. However:

• I am listing the property and if I end up selling it and someone doesn’t mind more dogs then I’d hate to be kicking out the 2nd dog only for them to be told it was ok to have the dog later. (don’t know if it’s one of their kid’s dogs or what – so sorrow and all that stuff). 
• Similarly, if a buyer doesn’t want to keep it as a MHP and the tenants have to move then they will be upset they had to give up their 2nd dog and yet turn around and have to move.
• Yet if I don’t say “get rid of 2nd dog” then there’s fairness with the other tenants who know they can’t have a cat or dog (and some have asked if they could)
• And what do I do about “B” who has the “secret cat” – do I pretend not to know about it so she can keep having it (she’s elderly so maybe this is a source of companionship? At least it doesn’t tear up the belly board if it stays inside)
• Or do I say to “B” sorry you had that for 12 years (possibly) but you never added it to the list of tenants so it doesn’t belong bye bye cat. That seems cruel but how do I let “B” keep this cat if I tell “A” she has to remove the 2nd dog.

Ugh! I’m probably too worried about this but I want to make sure I’m applying the rules consistently but not be ridiculous about it.

Thanks so much!

I have replaced single pane aluminum windows in two early 1980’s homes using double pane vinyl framed windows from a mobile home supply store. I am fortunate there is a store 45 min. from the rentals. For those homes, so much needed to be done with them that I did not check into low-e or argon gas because at the time I knew that the double pane & vinyl would still be an improvement of energy performance compared to what they had at the time. The Ufactor = .49 and the SHGC = .65 for these particular windows.

Now on the next house I am wondering if I should replace the aluminum windows again. This time I asked the store owner for the prices & stats with low-e – didn’t bother asking about the argon gas (not sure if the company even does argon and if they claim they do I would not have a way to confirm that I really got it.) The company must have to do a special order for the low-e since their standard windows do not have it. He said the ufactor would be .34 with the low-e but the company did not give him the info on the SHGC yet. I was surprised the increase in price was not as high as I thought it would be to add low-e, I’m bummed I didn’t ask about this for the previous homes now. Also, low-e is added to different inside panes depending on whether it is northern climate or southern climate so you can ask which the company will do if you want to make sure they are doing it for your climate. I did not ask, I am lucky to have gotten this much info from the store owner. ;-) Here were the prices for the windows I was checking in case that helps.

Certainly if you anticipate you will want to replace these same windows in 10 years it could be worth your while to have someone change the framing so that you can use typical sizes found at home improvement stores as it’s tbd how many mobile home stores will be available as time goes on. Another store 15 min. away from my rentals closed last year. One window store I contacted said all their sizes are special order so they can make any size I want. But their cost was significantly more than I would pay at the mobile home store.

Also, just in case this is something for consideration with your house – in the case of these windows that this store orders they have the nail fin and they are handy to have the vinyl siding fit into the J-channel? But one of my houses had aluminum siding. So fortunately the store owner explained that this meant the window would stick out about 2” away from the aluminum siding and might look funny to me (whereas the aluminum windows had been flush with the siding). So I got 1”x4” wood and my maintenance guy put that around all 4 sides of the window so that it makes it less obvious how the window sticks out since it’s a gradual “sticking out”. I think it looks fine. (I did not know if shutters being on just 2 sides would look the best with these windows sticking out). Anyway, perhaps this company does a special order for replacement windows (without the nail fin) as well, I did not ask as it would be just one more thing that I’d be waiting three days to get an answer…

I think it’s worth paying the extra for the low-e for the energy savings and I know some people use a film but then that can void a window warranty so getting it on the inside pane seems smarter. Hopefully you can find a mobile home parts store within driving distance of your home. Good luck.

I would want to be around when all this repair was happening to be on top of the contractors and make any decisions on further damage they might find.  I would not let the family use your unit while you are on vacation.  But perhaps you stay in town and say they can come to use the bathroom - that way you are in your place so you have an eye on the place.  With that offer you  hope they will just go live with family if that is an option.  I did have an elderly tenant that had no family and we were going to need to do a lot of work on his house and noisy - and he had medical issues and was addicted to his TV and took naps in the afternoon.  I couldn't see how we were going to revamp his house when the TV had to be disconnected and it would be a racket.  So I did pay for a hotel - fortunately the owner gave me the construction rate.  But it ended up 10 days so that was costly and it would be more for your larger tenant family.