Modifying Your Mobile Home Rental: How You Can Legally Remodel Something You Rent

If you have any grand ideas of renting a mobile home and turning it into a luxury trailer house, you may be wondering if there are any legal issues with this. There are ways around modification of rental property laws. Here are the exceptions to the rule.

You Are Renting-to-Own

The leading exception to the "no modifications to rental property" rule is when you are renting-to-own the property. Since you fully intend to take full ownership of your mobile home rental, you are (usually) allowed to make whatever modifications you desire. There is only one caveat. Make sure you do not reverse your decision to buy the home or you might be paying the landlord for "damages," even though your remodeling might have improved the mobile home immensely.

You Have Your Landlord's Blessing, in Writing

If you want to overhaul your mobile home, but you are just a tenant, get your landlord's permission. The permission needs to be in writing too, so that there is proof that you were given the go-ahead to modify the home. Also, complete all of the remodeling before you terminate your lease. Otherwise, your permission slip for remodeling could be null and void and the landlord could sue you for monetary compensation to finish the work.

The Home's Manufacturer Has Several Luxury Add-ons

Some model homes are built by companies that make luxury add-ons for their many different home models. These luxury add-ons do not void the warranty on the home when they are installed by a licensed builder, a fact that may be agreeable to your landlord if you pay for the add-ons and you pay for the construction services. This may help you add on several rooms or double the width and length of the trailer so that you have more space than the traditional single-wide mobile home rental.

Your Rental Is a Bequest That You Know You Will Inherit

In a much less common situation, you may be able to remodel your rented mobile home if you know it is bequeathed to you in the will of the person who owns the property. This means you have a friend or family member that owns a mobile home, but he or she has decided that it is yours when he/she passes away. Verify first that it is officially bequeathed to you, and then you can begin whatever small remodeling projects you would like. Leave the larger remodeling projects after you have fully inherited the mobile home and it is legally yours.

For more information, talk to a professional like David McDonald Rentals.

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