Cal. Civ. Code § 398.9
Installation and Removal Fees
Operative Text
(a) Any fee charged by the community owner for the installation or removal of a manufactured home in a manufactured home space shall not exceed the actual cost to the manufactured home community owner or operator for providing such service. Such fees shall be refundable to the lessee at the time of removal in the event that the owner or operator acts to recover possession of said space for reasons other than nonpayment of rent or breach of a condition of the lease within one year of the initial installation of such manufactured home. Failure to refund such fees as provided shall entitle the lessee to recover treble their amount plus court costs and reasonable attorney fees. (b) Limitations on this type of installation fee shall not bar the manufactured home community owner or operator from requiring a reasonable security deposit in accordance with the act of April 6, 1951 (P.L.69, No.20), known as "The Landlord and Tenant Act of 1951." (9 amended Oct. 19, 2010, P.L.546, No.80) Compiler's Note: Section 5 of Act 80 of 2010, which amended section 9, provided that Act 80 shall apply to: (1) New sales and leases of manufactured home community spaces entered into after the effective date of section 5. (2) Extensions and renewals of leases of manufactured home community spaces entered into after effective date of section 5.
Under 68 P.S. § 398.9, fees charged by a manufactured home community owner for installing or removing a manufactured home cannot exceed the owner's actual cost for providing that service. If the community owner reclaims the space within one year of installation for reasons unrelated to unpaid rent or a lease violation, those fees must be refunded to the lessee. A community owner who fails to issue a required refund may face a court-ordered payment of three times the fee amount, plus court costs and reasonable attorney fees. Separately, this provision does not prevent community owners from collecting a reasonable security deposit under Pennsylvania's Landlord and Tenant Act of 1951.
Plain English — not legal advice.
Community owners and operators subject to 68 P.S. § 398.9 generally document their actual costs for installation and removal services and set fees accordingly, since charges above actual cost are not permitted. Compliant operators also track the date of each home's installation so they can determine whether a refund obligation arises if they seek to recover a space within the first year for reasons other than nonpayment or lease breach. Maintaining clear records of the basis for any space-recovery action helps demonstrate whether the refund requirement under § 398.9 applies, and operators should be aware that failure to refund when required can result in treble damages plus attorney fees.
General guidance for property managers — not legal advice for your specific situation. Consult an attorney for advice on your case.
Under 68 P.S. § 398.9, lessees in manufactured home communities have the right to installation and removal fees that reflect only the community owner's actual costs — not an inflated amount. If the owner moves to reclaim your space within one year of installation for a reason other than unpaid rent or a lease violation, the law entitles you to a refund of those fees, and a failure to refund can give rise to a claim for three times the fee amount plus court costs and reasonable attorney fees. Tenants who believe their rights under § 398.9 have been violated may consider consulting a tenant-rights organization, a legal aid office, or a private attorney to understand available enforcement paths.
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 10, 2026 — auto-generated, not yet human-reviewed. See /transparency for methodology.
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