27 V.S.A. § ___ § 1358
Protection of nonpurchasing leaseholders
Operative Text
(a) A nonpurchasing leaseholder shall have the right to continue the leasehold interest in the site on which the leaseholder’s manufactured home is located. (b) A declarant or site purchaser shall not accept an offer for a site without providing the leaseholder the opportunity to purchase the site at the price, terms and conditions stated in the offer. If the leaseholder accepts the offer, the declarant or site purchaser shall sell the unit to the leaseholder; the leaseholder shall enter into a purchase and sales agreement with the declarant at the same terms stated in the notice of offer within 30 working days after the declarant’s notice to the leaseholder of the offer. The declarant’s notice of offer shall be delivered by certified mail. (c) If a nonpurchasing leaseholder elects to move from the manufactured home park and gives notice to the declarant during the conversion period, the declarant shall pay the nonpurchasing leaseholder’s relocation costs as follows: (1) The leaseholder shall make a good faith effort to move the manufactured home, and shall have the obligation to restore the site to the condition it was in prior to occupation by the leaseholder, reasonable wear and tear excepted. (2) Subject to the obligations stated in subdivision (1) of this subsection, the declarant shall pay to a nonpurchasing leaseholder who removes a manufactured home from the site the actual documented reasonable costs of relocating the household in possession and the manufactured home, not to exceed $2,200.00. (3) Subject to the obligations stated in subdivision (1) of this subsection, in the event the nonpurchasing leaseholder vacates the site but does not move the manufactured home from the site, the declarant shall pay to the nonpurchasing leaseholder the actual documented reasonable costs of relocating the household in possession, not to exceed $1,000.00, provided that: (A) the nonpurchasing leaseholder transfers title to the manufactured home to the declarant; (B) the nonpurchasing leaseholder transfers title to a third party who moves the manufactured home within 30 days after the date upon which the nonpurchasing leaseholder vacates the manufactured home; (C) the nonpurchasing leaseholder transfers title to the manufactured home to a purchasing leaseholder of the site on which the manufactured home is located. (d) After the date of the notice of conversion, and unless otherwise modified by this subchapter, the provisions of 10 V.S.A. chapter 153 shall apply to all leases within the manufactured home park. A leaseholder may not be required to vacate except for failure to comply with the obligation imposed on the leaseholder by this subchapter, or for the reasons specified in 10 V.S.A. § 6237(a), provided that the conversion of the manufactured home park shall not constitute a change in use or a termination of the park. (e) Any rights granted leaseholders under this subchapter against the declarant shall apply against any transferees of a site from the declarant. (Added 1993, No. 97, § 1; amended 2023, No. 6, § 368, eff. July 1, 2023.)
Under 27 V.S.A. ch. 15 § 1358, when a manufactured home park undergoes a conversion, residents who do not purchase their site retain the right to keep their leasehold interest in that site. Before any site can be sold to an outside buyer, the current leaseholder must first be given the chance to purchase it at the same price and terms offered to that buyer, with a 30-working-day window to accept. If a nonpurchasing leaseholder chooses to leave during the conversion period, the party conducting the conversion (the declarant) is required to cover documented relocation costs up to $2,200 if the home is moved, or up to $1,000 if the home is left behind under qualifying title-transfer conditions.
Plain English — not legal advice.
Under 27 V.S.A. ch. 15 § 1358, operators managing a manufactured home park conversion are generally expected to deliver certified-mail notice of any site offer to the current leaseholder before completing a sale to a third party, giving the leaseholder a full 30 working days to match the offer. Compliant declarants and site purchasers document and pay actual, reasonable relocation costs within the statutory caps—up to $2,200 when the home is physically relocated, or up to $1,000 when the home remains on-site and title is properly transferred. Operators should also be aware that standard manufactured-home-park tenancy rules under 10 V.S.A. chapter 153 continue to govern all leases after the conversion notice is issued, and eviction grounds remain limited to those specified in 10 V.S.A. § 6237(a).
General guidance for property managers — not legal advice for your specific situation. Consult an attorney for advice on your case.
Section 27 V.S.A. ch. 15 § 1358 gives manufactured home park residents who do not buy their site a right of first opportunity to purchase it at the same terms offered to any outside buyer, delivered to them by certified mail. Residents who choose to leave during a conversion period may be entitled to reimbursement of documented relocation expenses—up to $2,200 if the home is moved, or up to $1,000 under certain title-transfer arrangements if the home stays. Tenants who believe these rights have been violated may consider contacting a Vermont tenant-rights organization, reaching out to the Vermont Department of Housing and Community Development for guidance, or consulting a housing attorney familiar with 27 V.S.A. ch. 15 to understand available options.
General guidance for tenants — not legal advice for your specific situation. Consult a tenant-rights organization or attorney for advice on your case.
Generated October 18, 2026 — auto-generated, not yet human-reviewed. See /transparency for methodology.
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Rules and statutes that cite this regulation