I am being forced out of a home I own

[lostlilartist]

Hi, I am a 28 year old female, my name is erin marie smith. I just recently bought a trailer off my grandmother and moved in . I have spent everycent I have into fixing things and getting it livable. Now see I own the trailer not the lot it is on . I was raised by my grandparents and move from ohio to clermont , florida(this same trailer )when I was 15 years old. My grandfather lived and died here.
Today , the park manager handed me a letter saying that I had to move out in ten days. It wasnt given to me by an offical it was only on the parks letterhead. My grandparents have always paid their lot rent and I just recently paid it also . What the manager is saying is that I do not meet the parks age requirments, although there are others living in the same park that are the same age or younger than me. He also claimed that my music was disrupting the neighbors, yet I have just moved in and at night time only have my tv on very softly to fall asleep.
I am very heavily tattooed . I am a professional tattoo artist. I feel as if I am being discriminated against because of the way I look.
Is there anyway I can fight this , this is the only home I have.
By the way my grandmother wasnt given any lease agreements or docments in the last 14 years , and we pay monthy.
If there is anything you can do to help , please please help . I am broke and lost.
thank you for your time,
Erin Mare Smith

 

[Gail_in_Georgia]

Mobile home/lot rentals have different rules for evictions than other rental units.

In your case, your landlord (the mobile home park) wants to evict you from the land you are renting, not the actual residence (which is yours). This is different than evicting someone who is, say, renting an apartment or house where the actual unit doesn't have to be picked up and moved. It's a lot harder to pick up a trailer and move it than simply moving out of a rental unit!

Nevertheless, a park manager/mobile home park doesn't have the right to physically evict a person renting a space. Only a court ordered eviction can accomplish that. If you ignore the 10 day warning (and frankly, I would), then their next step would be to file against you in court. They would have to prove just cause for evicting you.

Typically mobile home evictions (like other rental units) involve nonpayment of lot rent. Keep up to date on this lot rental so they do not have this fuel on their side to add to the eviction fire.

The issue of age discrimination is especially ironic in Florida where so many elderly folks have fought for discrimination against them for their advanced age.

Gail

 

[jacksgal]

I would also get copies of the park rules and regulations. Especially those covering age! Then document ages of other tenants, without involving them! If there is a lease get a copy of that as well. As Gail states they cannot evict you without a court order so you do have time but sadly any court action will show up on future attempts to rent elsewhere. Find a Tenant/Landlord Attorney. Many grant free intial office vist. Discuss what you can and cannot do. Until this is resolved follow all park rules to the letter. Pay your rent on time and make sure you can prove you did so!

 

[lostlilartist]

thank you so much for your time

I have reveiwed other tenants in the same park many are younger than I am . Also I started nosing around about documents and lease agreements. There are no lease agreements or papers that anyone has seen specifying the age or anythiing for that matter, nothing. Everyone pays by cash or personal check. I've then started asking about what kind of "park " this is. I was surprised to find out it changes every year for taxes. One year it is a fishing camp, another year it is 65 and older , then its an Rv park , then its a mobile home park . I also found out the manager has buffloed other tenants , elderly and young completely out of their homes and the manager has taken over their properties. Not legally , they were given the same 10 day letter to get out. What can I do , I was thinking of going to the board of commisions . I have an attorny waiting on my call to start action . Is this a case I should fight , for not only myself but these other poor folks who live here.