How to read community rules and your lease

You don’t need a law degree to read a lease, but you do need to read all of it. These are the sections to slow down on.

The sections that matter most

1. Term, renewal, and notices

• How long is the lease: month to month, six months, a year?
• Does it renew on its own? How much notice do you need to give to leave?
• How will the community tell you about changes: email, posted notice, or mail?

2. Rent and fees

• When is lot rent due, and when does a late fee apply?
• Which utilities are included and which are billed separately?
• What other fees apply: pets, parking, amenities, trash?

3. Use rules

• How many vehicles can you have, and where do guests park?
• What are the speed limits and quiet hours?
• What are the pet rules?
• Which changes to your home or lot need written approval: sheds, fences, porches, carports, landscaping?

4. Who maintains what

• What’s your job: skirting, steps, roof, heating and cooling, yard?
• What’s the community’s job: roads, lighting, amenities, snow removal in common areas?
• Who handles a water or sewer line that fails between the main and your home?

5. Approvals and enforcement

• How do you ask for an approval, and how long does a decision take?
• What happens after a rule violation: a warning, a fine, a period to fix it?
• How much notice is required before a lease can be ended?

Questions to ask, in writing

1. What’s included with lot rent, and how are utilities billed?
2. What are the rules for extra vehicles, trailers, and guests?
3. What’s the approval process for improvements?
4. How are rule changes announced, and when do they take effect?
5. Are any fee increases or big projects planned for the next year?

Save every written answer with your lease and your move-in photos.

Red flags

• Late fees described only as “reasonable fees” with no amount.
• No written notice period for lot rent increases.
• Unusual limits on guests or visitors.
• Unclear lines between your maintenance and the community’s.
• Rules that can change without any notice.

If you see these, talk with a local attorney, legal aid, or a HUD-approved housing counselor before you sign.