Ala. Code §§ 35-12A-1 to 35-12A-15 § 35-12A-8
Sale of Abandoned Dwelling and Personal Property.
Operative Text
(a) If the tenant does not respond within the time provided by the manufactured dwelling community owner’s notice, or the tenant does not remove the manufactured dwelling or personal property within 45 days after responding to the manufactured dwelling community owner or by any other date agreed to with the manufactured dwelling community owner, whichever is later, the manufactured dwelling community owner may sell the abandoned manufactured dwelling and personal property as provided in this section. (b) With regard to the manufactured dwelling, prior to sale, the manufactured dwelling community owner shall do all of the following: (1) Place a notice to be run once per week for two consecutive weeks in a newspaper of general circulation in the county in which the manufactured dwelling is located. The notice shall state all of the following: a. That the manufactured dwelling is abandoned and will be sold in the manner provided in the notice. The manufactured dwelling shall be described with reasonable certainty. b. The tenant’s and owner’s name if of record or actually known to the manufactured dwelling community owner. c. The address and any space number where the manufactured dwelling is located, and if actually known to the manufactured dwelling community owner, the plate, registration, or other identification number as noted on the certificate of title. d. Whether the sale is by private bidding or public auction and that the manufactured dwelling community owner is authorized to purchase the manufactured dwelling pursuant to the method of sale described in the notice. In the case of a public auction, the date, place, and time of the auction shall be included in the notice. e. Whether the manufactured dwelling community owner is accepting sealed bids and, if so, the last date on which bids will be accepted. The date, time, and place where the winning bid will be awarded shall also be included in the notice. f. The name and telephone number of the person to contact to inspect the manufactured dwelling. (2) No later than 30 days prior to the sale date, provide a copy of the notice required by subdivision (1) to any lienholder by certified or registered mail, verified by return receipt. (c) With regard to personal property, including the contents of the manufactured dwelling and any personal property left on the rented space outside a manufactured dwelling, the manufactured dwelling community owner shall store the abandoned personal property as provided for in Section 35-12A-6. Prior to selling the personal property, the manufactured dwelling community owner must hold the personal property for 45 days after mailing notice to the tenant or the tenant’s designated agent at the last known address of the tenant or the tenant’s agent or by delivering a copy of the notice to the last known address of the tenant or the tenant’s agent. The manufactured dwelling community owner is entitled to reasonable storage charges as provided in Section 35-12A-6 prior to surrendering the property to the tenant or the tenant’s agent.
Alabama Code §§ 35-12A-1 to 35-12A-15, § 35-12A-8 establishes the process by which a manufactured dwelling community owner may sell an abandoned manufactured home and any associated personal property after a tenant fails to respond to or act on a required notice. Before selling the dwelling, the owner must publish a newspaper notice once per week for two consecutive weeks in the county where the home is located, and must notify any lienholders by certified or registered mail at least 30 days before the sale. Personal property left behind must be stored for at least 45 days after notice is mailed or delivered to the tenant's last known address before it can be sold, and the owner may charge reasonable storage fees during that period.
Plain English — not legal advice.
Under § 35-12A-8, manufactured dwelling community operators who have properly initiated an abandonment process must follow a precise sequence before selling any dwelling or personal property. For the dwelling itself, compliant operators run the required newspaper notice for two consecutive weeks, ensure the notice contains all specified details such as sale method, contact information, and identification numbers, and send a copy to any lienholders by certified or registered mail no later than 30 days before the sale date. For personal property, operators store items in accordance with § 35-12A-6, wait the full 45-day holding period after mailing or delivering notice, and document reasonable storage charges before proceeding with any sale.
General guidance for property managers — not legal advice for your specific situation. Consult an attorney for advice on your case.
Section 35-12A-8 of the Alabama Code provides tenants with meaningful time and notice before a manufactured dwelling or personal property can be sold as abandoned — including a 45-day window after responding to the owner's notice to retrieve the dwelling, and a separate 45-day holding period for personal property after notice is sent. Tenants who believe a community owner has not followed the required newspaper publication, lienholder notification, or storage procedures may have grounds to challenge the sale, and this provision's requirements can be relevant in any related legal proceeding. Tenant-rights organizations or legal aid services familiar with Alabama manufactured housing law can help individuals understand what options may be available under § 35-12A-8.
General guidance for tenants — not legal advice for your specific situation. Consult a tenant-rights organization or attorney for advice on your case.
Generated October 16, 2026 — auto-generated, not yet human-reviewed. See /transparency for methodology.
Effective Timeline
References In
Rules and statutes that cite this regulation
Related Rules
Source Information
Use this in your app
Access this data programmatically via our API