Utilities

Utilities may include electricity, natural gas, water, sanitary sewers, trash and recycling pick-up and cable TV. Utility services may be provided by local governments, public utilities and private companies.

In some cases, utilities charge parks a single fee for the services they provide to a master meter. Park owners operate sub-utility systems and deliver electricity, natural gas and other utility services to individual homes. Park managers pass through utility charges to home owners plus and additional fee.

Sub-meters have been installed in some parks for specific utilities. Charges to homeowners are based on actual utility use. When parks do not have sub-meters, homeowners pay an average amount for utility service.

Park managers must separately state utility charges on homeowner bills, whether calculated from a master meter or sub-meters. Managers must post the prevailing residential utility rates published by utility companies providing services. If a park hires a billing agency to prepare utility bills, managers must disclose on each homeowner’s bill the name, address and telephone number of the billing agent.

In selected parks, management includes utility costs in rent bills. Park managers may decide to change and bill home owners separately for space rent and utilities. On the first separate billing, average utility charges should be subtracted from space rents. Utility charges should be based on utility service during the previous twelve months. Space rents without utility charges may continue to be covered by local government rent control ordinances. Park management begins to bill separately for utility service charges, which are not subject to local rent control.

Civil Code Sections 798.40 & 798.41.

Copyright - Carl Eric Leivo, Ph.D.

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