Cal. Civ. Code § 70-33-321
Tenant To Maintain Lot
Operative Text
(1) A tenant shall: (a) comply with all obligations primarily imposed upon tenants by applicable provisions of building and housing codes materially affecting health and safety; (b) keep that part of the premises that the tenant occupies and uses as reasonably clean and safe as the condition of the premises permits; (c) dispose of all ashes, garbage, rubbish, and other waste from the lot in a clean and safe manner; (d) use in a reasonable manner all electrical, plumbing, sanitary, heating, ventilating, air-conditioning, and other facilities and appliances, including elevators, in the premises; (e) conduct oneself and require other persons on the premises with the tenant's consent to conduct themselves in a manner that will not disturb the tenant's neighbors' peaceful enjoyment of the premises; and (f) use the parts of the premises in a reasonable manner considering the purposes for which they were designed and intended. (2) This section does not preclude the right of the tenant to operate a limited business or cottage industry on the premises, subject to state and local laws, if the landlord has consented in writing. The landlord may not unreasonably withhold consent if the limited business or cottage industry is operated within reasonable rules of the landlord. (3) A tenant may not destroy, deface, damage, impair, or remove any part of the premises or permit any person to do so. (4) A tenant may not engage or knowingly allow any person to engage in any activity on the premises that creates a reasonable potential that the premises may be damaged or destroyed or that neighboring tenants may be injured by any of the following: (a) criminal production or manufacture of dangerous drugs, as prohibited by 45-9-110 ; (b) operation of an unlawful clandestine laboratory, as prohibited by 45-9-132 ; (c) gang-related activities, as prohibited by Title 45, chapter 8, part 4; (d) unlawful possession of a firearm, explosive, or hazardous or toxic substance; or (e) any activity that is otherwise prohibited by law.
Mont. Code Ann. § 70-33-321 establishes a set of maintenance and conduct obligations that apply to tenants in Montana mobile home or lot-rental situations. Tenants are required to keep their portion of the premises reasonably clean and safe, properly dispose of waste, use facilities responsibly, and avoid disturbing neighbors. The provision also prohibits property damage and bars activities—such as drug manufacturing, clandestine lab operation, gang-related conduct, or unlawful possession of weapons or hazardous materials—that could damage the premises or endanger neighboring tenants. A separate subsection preserves the right to run a limited home-based business on the lot, provided the landlord has given written consent and has not unreasonably withheld it.
Plain English — not legal advice.
Under Mont. Code Ann. § 70-33-321, compliant operators typically document the condition of a lot at move-in and move-out, maintain clear written rules about waste disposal, facility use, and neighbor-disturbance standards, and enforce those rules consistently. When a tenant requests permission to operate a home-based or cottage-industry business, landlords generally respond in writing and avoid withholding consent without a reasonable basis, since the statute limits that discretion. Operators also commonly include lease provisions that mirror the prohibited activities listed in subsection (4)—such as drug manufacturing or unlawful possession of hazardous materials—to establish clear grounds for addressing serious violations.
General guidance for property managers — not legal advice for your specific situation. Consult an attorney for advice on your case.
Mont. Code Ann. § 70-33-321 outlines the maintenance and conduct responsibilities tenants carry, but it also protects certain tenant interests—most notably the right to operate a limited home-based business on the lot if the landlord provides written consent and cannot unreasonably refuse. Tenants who believe a landlord has improperly withheld that consent, or who face retaliation related to their compliance with these obligations, may have grounds to raise those issues as a defense in a legal proceeding or to seek guidance from a local tenant-rights organization. Keeping personal records of lot condition, waste disposal practices, and any written communications with the landlord can be useful context if a dispute arises under this section.
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 22, 2026 — auto-generated, not yet human-reviewed. See /transparency for methodology.
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