This bill amends sections 37-15-2 and 37-15-6 of the Code of West Virginia, focusing on house trailers, mobile homes, manufactured homes, and modular homes. It introduces new definitions and tenant protections while establishing specific landlord notice requirements. Notably, the bill clarifies that a tenant will not be considered to have defaulted on their rental agreement due to circumstances beyond their control, such as natural disasters, unless the property owner can prove that the home site remains available for use. Additionally, the definition of "rent" is expanded to include various payments made by the tenant, such as utilities and late fees.

The bill also outlines the conditions under which a tenancy can be terminated, specifying that a factory-built home tenancy cannot be terminated for a minimum of 12 months for single-section homes and five years for multi-section homes, except for good cause. It mandates that landlords provide written notice of termination at least three months in advance and prohibits landlords from evicting tenants through willful interruption of essential services. Furthermore, landlords are required to specify the reasons for termination in their notice and must notify tenants of any utility rate increases, unless they receive insufficient notice from the utility provider. Overall, the bill aims to enhance tenant rights and ensure fair practices in rental agreements for factory-built homes.

Statutes affected:
Introduced Version: 37-15-2, 37-15-6