Mobile Homes

If residents are charged individually for water, these rules apply: Each month, property managers must provide water billing information for the entire mobile home park's monthly water bill, amount owed to the utility provider and amount paid by park management. Property managers must also provide the formula used to calculate what each resident owes for water. No additional fees for water utility billing are allowed.

If water is included in rent, there are currently no rules about water billing transparency

That depends on your situation. For most mobile home parks in Fort Collins, the park is the customer for water utilities (stormwater, wastewater and drinking water), and the resident is the customer for electric utilities. Parks receive a bill from the utility company for water services, which they may re-bill to residents or include in monthly rent. Electric customers receive their own electricity bill.

If you are the direct electric utility customer and believe you've been billed incorrectly, contact your provider's customer service. The Fort Collins Utilities Customer Service line is 970-212-2900.

If you receive a water utility re-billing and believe it is incorrect, contact your park manager first. If you need more help or this doesn't resolve the issue, submit an Access Fort Collins request.

For Homeowners: The only improvements residents can be required to make are for maintenance, repair and upkeep of the mobile home's exterior to comply with current park rules. Interior upgrades cannot be required.

For Renters: The owner/landlord must meet minimum standards set by the International Property Maintenance Code as adopted by the City of Fort Collins. We recommend contacting us first through phone at 970-657-9521 or email at rentalhousing@fortcollins.gov so we can learn more about your situation and provide suggestions or resources. You can also fill out an inspection request online. After the form is submitted, we will work with you to schedule the inspection.

Mobile Home Park managers/owners must maintain the park in a clean, orderly, safe and sanitary condition at all times. This includes utility connections and common areas. Residents are responsible for maintaining individual lots.

ADA Requirements: The ADA was passed in 1990. All structures and buildings built before this act do not need to follow ADA codes. If a park does a remodel, new building or other construction that requires a building permit, accessibility codes will apply.

All MHPs must comply with standards set by the International Property Maintenance Code (IPMC). All sidewalks, walkways, stairs, driveways, parking spaces and similar areas must be kept in proper repair and free from hazardous conditions. The IPMC also states that all premises must be graded and maintained to prevent soil erosion and standing water.

Tree maintenance is the responsibility of the property owner or manager. Tree maintenance costs cannot be charged to residents.

Damage to a mobile home caused by fallen limbs is not covered under this law. Check park rules or contact park management for help. Residents should strongly consider mobile home insurance for these situations.

City of Fort Collins code states that common area maintenance is the responsibility of park management, including watering grass and keeping grass under 6 inches tall.

Snow removal from streets within the mobile home park is the responsibility of the mobile home park, not the City of Fort Collins. Mobile home parks must clear snow from sidewalks and roadways under state law.

Lot rent can be increased only once in a 12-month period. There are no restrictions on the percentage or amount of increase. In Colorado, there is no local authority for rent control, meaning the City of Fort Collins cannot limit rent increases or amounts.

Yes. According to state law, "the owner of a mobile home park or the owner's agents may charge a security deposit in an amount not greater than one month's rent."

After a mobile homeowner's initial lease period ends, the homeowner defaults to a month-to-month tenancy and is not required to sign a new lease with new park rules.

A landlord must give a resident a "Notice to Quit" or a "Notice of Non-payment of Rent" before they can start an eviction. This applies to both mobile home renters and owners. Notice can be served by handing it to the resident or family member or by posting it on the home's main entrance. Threats and verbal warnings do not count. Residents have 90 days to address issues after a "Notice to Quit" posting. For "Non-payment of Rent" notices, residents have 10 days to pay rent.

Note: A landlord/park manager needs a court order to evict a resident. A landlord cannot use self-help (like turning off utilities). If served with an eviction complaint, residents must go to court on the listed date. If they don't, judgment can be entered and they will be evicted.

The City partners with Colorado Poverty Law Project (CPLP) to provide free services for tenants and landlords experiencing eviction issues. Services include:

• Direct legal representation for tenants
• Attorney advice
• Legal clinics
• Bimonthly "Know Your Rights" trainings
• Other self-advocacy resources for tenants and landlords

For more information and to access these services, go to the Legal Funds and Legal Assistance page or email contact@copovertylawproject.org.

The Fort Collins Community Mediation and the Larimer County Court Self-Help Center partner to help resolve landlord-tenant disputes before they reach eviction notice or filing. For more information, contact the Community Mediation at 970-224-6022 or mediation@fortcollins.gov, or visit the Community Mediation webpage.

All MHP owners must follow Section 38-12-217 of the Colorado Mobile Home Park Act, summarized here:

All MHP owners must provide notice of their intent to sell to all tenant homeowners and the municipality or county where the park is located.

Within 14 days of listing the park for sale, they must notify each tenant homeowner, any homeowners association, the municipality or county where the park is located and the Colorado Division of Housing.

Within 14 days of intending to make a final, unconditional acceptance of an offer for sale or transfer of the park, they must notify each tenant homeowner, any homeowners association, the municipality or county where the park is located and the Colorado Division of Housing.

After each notice above, MHP owners must give tenant homeowners a 90-day opportunity to make an offer to purchase the park. The MHP owners must negotiate in good faith with any group or association of homeowners or their assignees who submit an offer to buy the park.

No, MHPs are not required by law to have a community gathering space. Residents, property managers and owners should discuss options for a community space if desired, as this amenity helps build community and connection.

However, state and local law protects residents who join community meetings, neighborhood groups, and tenant groups from retaliation.

All trash/recycling haulers in Fort Collins city limits must provide baseline recycling service to all customers, including mobile home parks unless the MHP gets a variance from the City. This gives MHP residents the same level of recycling access as single-family homes.

For parks where each household has individual containers and there is no community recycling/trash receptacle, this code applies:

• Trash must be stored in plastic or metal cans with tight-fitting lids or in sealed plastic bags.
• Trash containers can be placed out for collection no earlier than 12 hours before scheduled pickup and cannot remain there for more than 12 hours after pickup.
• Trash containers should be placed at the curb on the street and not on the sidewalk. They should not interfere with bicyclists, pedestrians or vehicles.

Pet Waste: City code states that "the owner or keeper of any animal shall be responsible for the immediate removal of any feces deposited by such animal on any property, public or private, not owned or exclusively occupied by the owner or keeper." Pet waste issues should be discussed between the resident and property manager/owner.

Off-leash Pets: In the City of Fort Collins, it is unlawful to have a pet, other than a pet bird, off-leash outside, except within a designated off-leash area such as a dog park or yard.

Loud parties, people and vehicles can be reported to City of Fort Collins Police Services. Call the non-emergency dispatch at 970-419-3273 while the noise is happening.

Construction noise is exempt from the noise ordinance between 7 a.m. and 8 p.m.; however, contractors may get a noise variance that allows them to work outside these hours. You may report violations online, or call Code Compliance at 970-416-2350.

If the home poses a health/safety issue, contact the Larimer County Health Department at 970-498-6700 to set up an inspection. If the home does not pose a health/safety issue but has obvious exterior disrepair such as visible holes to the outside, contact the City of Fort Collins Building Inspection team at 970-221-6769 or buildingservices@fortcollins.gov.

For nuisance violations such as trash, weeds or inoperable vehicles, call the Nuisance Hotline at 970-416-2200 during business hours (9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday through Friday). You can also submit a request through Access Fort Collins.

If there's a crime in progress, an emergency or a medical incident, call 9-1-1.

If it is a 'cold' crime or one that happened overnight or several weeks ago within the Fort Collins city limits, you can make an online report or call 970-221-6540.

For non-emergencies, call 970-221-6540. This includes noise violations involving parties, suspicious vehicles or behavior and high volumes of in/out traffic to homes.

The City provides free and confidential Community Mediation to help Fort Collins residents in conflict. Mediation is a dispute resolution process that is an alternative to hiring lawyers, going to court, calling enforcement agencies or letting the conflict escalate. The program provides professionally trained volunteer mediators to guide the process and help people resolve conflict in a civil and respectful way.

Learn More and Request Mediation