Landlord and Tenant Rights and Responsibilities

questions & answers

Question: Who is responsible for landscaping on annually or monthly rented Mobile home lots

Answer: This is for informational purposes only; you may want to contact an attorney for legal advice. The short answer is that it depends what area needs landscaping.

A.R.S. 33-1434 states: Landlord to maintain fit premises: A. The landlord shall:
1. Comply with the requirements of all applicable city, county and state codes materially affecting health and safety.
 2. Make all repairs and do whatever is necessary to put and keep the premises in a fit and habitable condition.
3. Keep all common areas of the premises in a clean and safe condition. This may or may not include landscaping for each space.

A.R.S. 33-1436 states:

A. Before execution of the rental agreement the landlord or any person authorized to enter into the rental agreement shall provide the tenant with the statements of policy of the mobile home park and the date of expiration of each statement. The landlord or any successor in interest shall not delete or amend any statement of policy while it is in force.

B. The statements of policy shall be attached to the rental agreement and shall include a statement of the following:

1. The classification of the mobile home park as a family community or a housing community for older persons.

2. The period of time before any change in use is expected.

3. Any method of determining rent changes.

4. The right of first refusal on the sale of the mobile home park if any is given to the tenants and under what conditions the right may be exercised.

5. The size and other specifications of mobile homes allowed in the mobile home park including whether the mobile home must be new or used and whether it must be set at ground level or above ground level.

6. The improvements required as a condition of tenancy. If consistent with the rental agreement, the statement of policy may require improvements that the tenant will be required to furnish, install and maintain to the mobile home space being rented and that constitute permanent improvements that cannot be removed at the expiration of the rental agreement including the estimated cost of each permanent improvement. Any change in a statement of policy regarding permanent improvements does not apply to an existing tenant or to any renewal of a rental agreement by an existing tenant.

7. That insuring the mobile home is the tenant's responsibility including fire department response insurance in unincorporated areas.

C. At least sixty days before the expiration of a statement of policy, the landlord shall notify all of the tenants of any new statement of policy.

D. Beginning on January 1, 2000, a landlord may have only one set of statements of policy in effect at any period of time and that set of statements of policy applies to all tenants. A landlord with more than one set of statements of policy in effect on January 1, 2000 shall provide to all tenants by February 1, 2000 a copy of the set with the longest expiration date and that set of statements of policy applies to all tenants at that park.

So, the landlord should have included your responsibilities in the lease when it was signed. If the whole park needs landscaping, that should be your landlord's obligation. If it is your specific spot, it could be either your obligation or your landlord's depending what the lease says.