723.041 Entrance fees; refunds; exit fees prohibited; replacement homes. - Florida Statutes

723.041 Entrance fees; refunds; exit fees prohibited; replacement homes.

   (1)

   (a) Entrance fees on new mobile home placements shall be specifically set forth in the prospectus or offering circular. Any such fee shall be clearly identified in writing at the time that the rental agreement is signed or otherwise concluded.

   (b) The failure on the part of a mobile home park owner or developer to disclose fully all fees, charges, or assessments shall prevent the park owner or operator from collecting such fees, charges, or assessments; and a refusal by the mobile home owner to pay any undisclosed charge shall not be used by the park owner or developer as a cause for eviction in any court of law.

   (c) It is unlawful for any mobile home park owner or developer to make any agreement, written or oral, whereby the fees authorized in this subsection will be split between such mobile home park owner or developer and any mobile home dealer, unless otherwise provided for in this chapter. Any person who violates any of the provisions of this paragraph is guilty of a misdemeanor of the second degree, punishable as provided in s. 775.082 or s. 775.083.

   (d) With respect to the first rental agreement for a mobile home lot in a developing park, the park has the right to condition such initial rental agreement upon the prospective resident’s purchasing the mobile home from a dealer chosen by the park developer. A park developer may also buy down rentals on the initial rental agreement of a mobile home lot, and such buy-downs may be split between the owner of a developing park and the dealer.

   (e) Whenever an entrance fee is charged by a mobile home park owner or developer for the entrance of a mobile home into the park and such mobile home is moved from the park before 2 years have passed from the date on which the fee was charged, the fee shall be prorated and a portion returned as follows:

   1. The entrance fee shall be refunded at the rate of one twenty-fourth of such fee for each month short of 2 years that the mobile home owner maintained his or her mobile home within the park.

   2. The entrance fee shall be refunded within 15 days after the mobile home has been physically moved from the park.

No new entrance fee may be charged for a move within the same park. This paragraph does not apply in instances in which the mobile home owner is evicted on the ground of nonpayment of rent; violation of a federal, state, or local ordinance; or violation of a properly promulgated park rule or regulation or leaves before the expiration date of his or her rental agreement. However, the sums due to the park by the mobile home owner may be offset against the balance due on the entrance fee.

   (2) No person shall be required by a mobile home park owner to pay an exit fee upon termination of his or her residency.

   (3) No entrance fee may be charged by the park owner to the purchaser of a mobile home situated in the park that is offered for sale by a resident of the park.

   (4) Except as expressly preempted by the requirements of the Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles, a mobile home owner or the park owner shall be authorized pursuant to this section to site any size new or used mobile home and appurtenances on a mobile home lot in accordance with the lot sizes, separation and setback distances, and other requirements in effect at the time of the approval of the mobile home park.

History. s. 1, ch. 84-80; s. 9, ch. 86-162; s. 27, ch. 91-110; s. 168, ch. 91-224; s. 920, ch. 97-102; s. 6, ch. 2003-263.