BC Realtor Manufactured Home & Mobile Home Guide: Pad Leases, Financing & Buying in Parks (2026)

Park owners can only increase pad rent once per year. The allowable increase is tied to CPI (Consumer Price Index) — the same annual cap applies as under the RTA. Pad rent is a recurring cost that directly affects the buyer's monthly affordability calculation — don't overlook it when analyzing a manufactured home purchase.

Residents cannot be evicted without cause. The MHPTA lists specific grounds for eviction (non-payment of rent, breach of park rules, etc.). Evictions require proper notice and can be disputed through the MPDR. This protection is significant — manufactured home residents have stronger tenure security than most rental tenants.

If a park owner wants to sell the park, residents have a right of first refusal — the opportunity to purchase the park on the same terms as the proposed sale. Residents' associations can organize to exercise this right collectively. This provision has enabled some BC manufactured home park communities to transition to resident ownership.

If a park owner wants to close or redevelop the park, 12 months written notice is required. Residents are entitled to compensation of at least 12 months pad rent. Despite this notice, park closure forces residents to relocate their home (expensive and difficult) or sell it. Park closure risk is the most significant financial risk of manufactured home ownership.

Disputes between residents and park owners are handled by the Manufactured Home Park Dispute Resolution Office (MPDR), not the RTB. The MPDR handles rent disputes, eviction challenges, and other MHPTA disputes. As a realtor, you should disclose the existence of the MPDR as a resource to buyer clients.

"Manufactured homes in BC parks are one of the most affordable ownership pathways in the province — especially in the Fraser Valley and on Vancouver Island, where you can find good-quality homes for $150,000–$350,000 that would be $800,000+ as conventional houses. The important thing to understand going in: you own the home, but you rent the pad. Your monthly costs include the mortgage payment plus the pad rent, which is typically $600–$1,200/month in BC parks right now. The pad rent is protected by BC law — increases are limited annually. The main risk to understand is park closure — the park could eventually be redeveloped, which would require you to move the home. I can walk you through specific parks that have strong long-term security if that's a concern."

"Park closure is the most significant risk in manufactured home ownership, and you're right to ask about it. Under BC law, you'd get at least 12 months notice and compensation of at least 12 months pad rent — but moving a manufactured home costs $10,000–$25,000+, and some older homes can't survive a move at all. Here's how I research park closure risk before we write an offer: I check for any rezoning applications or development permits filed for the park land, look up the park ownership structure (individual owners are lower risk than REITs or developers), and check how long the park has been operating. I'll also review whether there's a residents' association — parks with active associations that have exercised their right of first refusal are much lower risk."

"Major banks are inconsistent with manufactured home lending — some branches will do it, others won't, and it often comes down to the age of the home and the specific park. The most reliable lenders for manufactured homes in BC are credit unions — First West Credit Union, Coastal Community, Envision, and Interior Savings all have manufactured home lending programs. I'd recommend we connect with a mortgage broker who specializes in this segment — they know which lenders will work for this specific home and park combination. The other thing to confirm is the home's CSA plate — lenders require the CSA Z240 standard plate, and some older homes don't have one or it's not accessible."

"The process for selling a manufactured home in a park is a bit different from a standard property sale. The title transfer goes through BC's Manufactured Home Registry — not the Land Title Office — so we're not using a standard real estate contract; we're using a chattel purchase agreement adapted for this transaction, and I'll have a lawyer experienced in MH transactions review it. For buyers, they'll need to qualify for the pad lease assignment from the park, so the park gets to approve the new resident. Most parks just require a standard credit and background check. The marketing is similar to conventional real estate — we list it the same way, but I'll be clear in the listing details about the pad rent and lease terms so buyers understand the full cost picture."

"Manufactured home parks can be good income properties — steady demand, lower purchase prices, and the MHPTA protects you as a landlord too. A few things to model: your income is the pad rent (or whole-home rent if it's a rental unit). Expenses are minimal since residents own and maintain their homes on your pad. Exit strategy matters though — financing for buyers of individual manufactured homes is more restricted, so your resale pool is smaller, and the home depreciates (not appreciates) unlike land. If you're looking at park ownership — buying the entire park — that's a commercial transaction with very different analysis. Individual MH units in parks can work as affordable rentals if your numbers work at today's pad rent levels."

"Manufactured homes on owned land are a completely different proposition from park homes. When the home is permanently affixed to land you own, it can be treated as real property — registered at the Land Title Office, potentially eligible for CMHC financing, and it appreciates along with the land. The challenge is finding these — most manufactured homes in BC are in parks on leased land. When you do find a manufactured home on owned land, confirm the home is properly affixed (concrete perimeter or pier foundation), that it meets CSA A277 or Z240 standards, and that it's been converted from chattel to real property in the LTO records. An experienced real estate lawyer can confirm the title status. In terms of value, land-owned manufactured homes generally hold value much better than park homes over the long term."

What is the difference between a manufactured home and a mobile home in BC?

In BC, 'mobile home' typically refers to older units built before 1976 (pre-CSA Z240 standard) that were designed to be frequently relocated. 'Manufactured home' refers to units built after 1976 to CSA Z240 or later standards (including modular homes built to CSA A277). For practical purposes, most modern 'manufactured homes' in BC parks are relatively fixed on pad foundations — they aren't regularly moved. The distinction matters for financing (lenders treat them differently), insuring, and for BC's Manufactured Home Park Tenancy Act, which applies regardless of terminology.

Can you get CMHC-insured financing for a manufactured home in BC?

CMHC insures manufactured homes under certain conditions: the home must be built to CSA Z240 or CSA A277 standards, permanently affixed to a foundation on land the buyer owns (not a pad lease), located in a community that meets CMHC's location criteria, and appraised by a CMHC-approved appraiser. For manufactured homes on leased land (in parks), CMHC does not insure — buyers must use conventional financing, which typically requires 20–25% down. Some credit unions specialize in manufactured home financing and have more flexible criteria than major banks.

What is a pad lease and what protections do BC tenants have?

A pad lease is the rental agreement between a manufactured home park owner and a resident for the use of the pad (land) on which the home sits. In BC, pad leases are governed by the Manufactured Home Park Tenancy Act (MHPTA) — a separate law from the Residential Tenancy Act. The MHPTA provides key protections: 12 months written notice for park closures, right of first refusal if the park is sold, rent increase rules, dispute resolution through the Manufactured Home Park Dispute Resolution Office (MPDR), and security of tenure. Residents own their home but rent the land.

What happens when a manufactured home park closes in BC?

Under BC's Manufactured Home Park Tenancy Act, park owners must give at least 12 months written notice before closing or redeveloping a park. Residents are entitled to compensation — a minimum of 12 months' pad rent per resident household. Park owners must also provide relocation assistance in some circumstances. Despite these protections, park closure is one of the most significant risks of manufactured home living — the home can be relocated but relocation is expensive ($10,000–$25,000+) and not all homes are in condition to move. Buyers should research the park's long-term status and any development applications.

How is a manufactured home registered in BC?

Manufactured homes in BC that are on leased land are registered under the Manufactured Home Act through the BC Manufactured Home Registry (MHR). Unlike conventional real estate, they are NOT transferred through the Land Title Office unless they are permanently affixed to land that the owner also owns (in which case they can be treated as real property). MHR registration is done through Service BC. Title transfers require a Manufactured Home Transfer document. Some older homes may have encumbrances (loans) registered against the home in the MHR — title search requires searching the MHR, not the LTO.