How to Find Out if a Mobile Home Has Been Condemned

Mobile homes are regulated only when they're immobile.

In many communities, building inspectors, fire marshals and code enforcement officers are empowered to condemn buildings if they are unsafe for the owners, the tenants and the public. A mobile home is not exempt from local ordinances, even if it's not used as a residence. Town officials can even call for the mobile home's removal, but their authority is limited to the community they serve. The mobile home owner is free to move the building to another community and try the patience of other codes officers.

Things You'll Need

• Access to town/village/city hall

Instructions

1. Visit the city/town clerk's office to see if there are any ordinances governing mobile home or trailer parks. In some cases, the park owner or manager, not the tenants, is responsible for complying with the codes and could lose his permit if violations are not corrected. You could request a file on the entire park and search for condemned trailers/lots that way, instead of searching by address for one parcel.

2. Stop in at the code enforcement office. Ask if they have any records on the mobile home you are interested in, including daily log reports, written warnings, citations and responses from the owner. If a notice of condemnation has not been issued yet, these records should help you get a sense if it's something that could happen soon.

3. Ask the town assessor if he is aware of any abandoned or vacant mobile home properties. Regardless of the building's condition or who currently owns it, the parcel and information of the building still must be listed on the assessment roll. The assessor may also have aerial shots of every property in the community and may be able to pinpoint ones that were previously condemned and are no longer on active file in the code enforcement office.

Tips & Warnings

• Some communities have ordinances that differentiate trailers from mobile homes and manufactured homes. Some local laws prohibit using mobile homes that are more than 20 or 30 years old. Essentially, such laws automatically condemn mobile homes, even if they are in good condition and have no other code violations.

References

• Legal Match