<html xmlns:v="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:vml" xmlns:o="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office" xmlns:w="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:word" xmlns:m="http://schemas.microsoft.com/office/2004/12/omml" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/TR/REC-html40"><head><META HTTP-EQUIV="Content-Type" CONTENT="text/html; charset=us-ascii"><meta name=Generator content="Microsoft Word 15 (filtered medium)"><style><!--
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</o:shapelayout></xml><![endif]--></head><body lang=EN-US link="#0563C1" vlink="#954F72"><div class=WordSection1><p class=MsoNormal style='margin-bottom:6.0pt'><font size=2 face=Calibri><span style='font-size:11.0pt'>Mobile home landlord tenant law is not my area, so I would appreciate insight from those who know it better. Tenant has been served with an Unlawful Detainer S&C on the basis of nonpayment of rent.<o:p></o:p></span></font></p><p class=MsoNormal style='margin-bottom:6.0pt'><font size=2 face=Calibri><span style='font-size:11.0pt'>Landlord and tenant signed a month-to-month lease that calls for payment by the tenant of monthly rent and provides that the landlord shall pay for the water, sewer and garbage service. Under </span></font>RCW 59.20.090(1), the rental agreement renews automatically. <o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal style='margin-bottom:6.0pt'><font size=2 face=Calibri><span style='font-size:11.0pt'>Subsequently, the landlord gave the tenant a written notice that there would be no rent increase for 2013 but that, commencing 90 days later, the tenant would be obligated to pay for the water, sewer and garbage for their own mobile home. The landlord had all of the mobile homes in the park separately metered and employed a private metering company to bill the tenants. The landlord then circulated written Rules and Regulations that included a rule that stated that water and sewer charges are now the responsibility of the individual mobile home owners and that they would be separately billed by a private company. The tenant signed the Rules and Regulations just below a statement that the tenant agreed to comply with them.<o:p></o:p></span></font></p><p class=MsoNormal style='margin-bottom:6.0pt'><font size=2 face=Calibri><span style='font-size:11.0pt'>Later, the tenant refused to pay the utilities on the ground that, under the rental agreement, it was the obligation of the landlord, not the tenant.<o:p></o:p></span></font></p><p class=MsoNormal style='margin-bottom:6.0pt'><font size=2 face=Calibri><span style='font-size:11.0pt'>It seems to me that the tenant is right because of this provision in the MH Landlord-Tenant Act, </span></font><span lang=EN>“Rules are enforceable against a tenant only if: … </span>(4) They are not for the purpose of evading an obligation of the landlord.”<span lang=EN> RCW 59.20.045(4). It appears to me that the landlord is trying to use the rule to evade his obligation under the rental agreement to pay the utilities, so the rule is not enforceable. The landlord appears to believe he has amended the rental agreement by getting the tenant to sign the rules. I think RCW 59.20.045(4) prevents him from doing that.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal style='margin-bottom:6.0pt'><font size=2 face=Calibri><span lang=EN style='font-size:11.0pt'>Again, this is not my area, and I would very much appreciate the opinion of those who do practice in it.<o:p></o:p></span></font></p><p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 face=Calibri><span style='font-size:11.0pt'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p><p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 face=Calibri><span style='font-size:11.0pt'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p><p class=MsoNormal><font size=4 color="#1f497d" face=Arial><span style='font-size:13.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:#1F497D'>Rod Harmon</span></font><o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><b><font size=4 color="#1f497d" face=Arial><span style='font-size:13.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:#1F497D;font-weight:bold'> </span></font></b><o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><b><font size=4 color="#1f497d" face=Arial><span style='font-size:13.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:#1F497D;font-weight:bold'>RODNEY T. HARMON</span></font></b><o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><b><font size=2 color="#1f497d" face=Arial><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:#1F497D;font-weight:bold'> Attorney at Law</span></font></b><o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 color="#1f497d" face=Arial><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:#1F497D'> P.O. Box 1066</span></font><o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 color="#1f497d" face=Arial><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:#1F497D'> Bothell, WA 98041</span></font><o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 color="#1f497d" face=Arial><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:#1F497D'> Tel: (425) 402-7800</span></font><o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 color="#1f497d" face=Arial><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:#1F497D'> Fax: (425) 458-9096</span></font><o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 color="#1f497d" face=Arial><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:#1F497D'> <a href="http://www.rodharmon.com">www.rodharmon.com</a></span></font><o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 color="#1f497d" face=Arial><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:#1F497D'> <a href="mailto:rodharmon@msn.com">rodharmon@msn.com</a></span></font><o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal style='margin-top:6.0pt'><font size=2 face=Calibri><span style='font-size:11.0pt'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p><p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 face=Calibri><span style='font-size:11.0pt'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p></div></body></html>