BC Realtor's Guide to Manufactured Home Parks: Land Lease Communities (2026)

What Is a Manufactured Home Park (Land Lease Community)?

A manufactured home park — also called a land lease community — is a development where the land is owned by a park operator and individual homeowners lease pads (lots) on which their manufactured homes sit. In BC, this structure is governed primarily by the Manufactured Home Park Tenancy Act (MHPTA), which functions somewhat like residential tenancy law but with provisions specific to park living.

The defining characteristic of a manufactured home park transaction is the separation of home ownership from land tenure:

• The homeowner holds title to the manufactured home (registered in the Manufactured Home Registry)
• The homeowner does not own the land — they hold a tenancy agreement with the park operator
• The land itself is owned by the park operator and is registered in the Land Title Office

This separation has significant implications for financing, security of tenure, and what happens at a park closure — all of which you must understand before advising clients.

Manufactured Home vs. Modular Home vs. Standard Home

The Manufactured Home Registry (MHR): Title for Mobile Homes

Unlike standard real estate, manufactured homes in BC parks are not registered in the Land Title Office. Instead, they are registered in the Manufactured Home Registry (MHR), administered by BC Registries and Online Services.

Each manufactured home is assigned a unique BC Decal Number— a physical decal affixed to the home. The Decal Number is the home's primary identifier in the MHR, similar to a PID number in the Land Title Office.

Key MHR Searches at Due Diligence

• MHR title search — confirms current owner and any registered interests (security agreements, liens). Order through BC Registries.
• PPSA search (Personal Property Security Act)— searches for chattel mortgages and other security interests registered against the home's serial number or decal number. Critical for uncovering unpaid chattel loans.
• BC Assessment search — manufactured homes in parks are assessed for property tax; confirm current assessment and tax status.

Pad Rent: How It Works and How It's Regulated

Pad rent is the monthly fee a manufactured home owner pays the park operator for the use of their pad (land lot), plus typically access to shared park infrastructure (roads, utilities, common areas). Pad rent is separate from the home's value and must be factored into a buyer's monthly carrying cost calculation.

BC pad rents vary significantly by park location, amenities, and age of the tenancy. In Metro Vancouver and the Fraser Valley, pad rents typically range from $600 to $1,200 per month. In the Interior or on Vancouver Island, $400 to $800 per month is more common.

MHPTA Rent Increase Rules

Under the MHPTA, pad rent is subject to the same annual increase cap as residential tenancies — set by the Province each year based on inflation (CPI-based formula). For 2025, the allowable increase is 3.0%.

• Park operators may only increase pad rent once every 12 months
• They must provide 3 months' written notice of any increase
• Increases above the allowable cap require Residential Tenancy Branch approval (rare)
• Utility pass-through charges (water, sewer) are separate and may increase more freely if structured as direct cost pass-through, not as base rent

What Pad Rent Typically Includes

• Use of the pad (land lot)
• Access to park roads and common areas
• Sometimes: water, sewer, garbage pickup
• Sometimes: basic landscaping of common areas
• Not included: home insurance, home maintenance, interior utilities (hydro, gas)

Financing Manufactured Homes in BC Parks: The Key Challenge

Financing is the single biggest practical challenge for buyers of manufactured homes in BC parks. Because the buyer does not own the land, major chartered banks (the Big Six) generally will not provide conventional mortgages on these properties. This significantly limits the buyer pool and affects property values.

Available Financing Options

Park Closure: The Tenure Risk Unique to Manufactured Home Parks

The most significant risk unique to manufactured home park ownership is park closure — when the park operator decides to redevelop the land for higher-density use. In BC's urban fringe areas, particularly around Metro Vancouver, many older manufactured home parks sit on high-value land that is increasingly being targeted for redevelopment.

BC has strengthened closure compensation rules, but closure still creates significant hardship. Buyers purchasing in parks in areas with active rezoning activity face elevated risk.

MHPTA Park Closure Rights and Compensation

The MHPTA Tenancy Agreement: What Buyers Inherit

When a manufactured home is sold, the existing MHPTA tenancy agreement transfers to the new owner. This is a key difference from standard real estate — the buyer steps into the seller's tenancy shoes with respect to the park operator. This means:

• The buyer assumes the current pad rent amount
• The buyer assumes any rights the seller had under the MHPTA, including dispute history
• The buyer must be approved by the park operator (many parks have approval processes for new tenants, though operators cannot unreasonably withhold approval)
• The tenancy agreement's terms (pet rules, parking rules, subleasing restrictions) apply to the buyer

Park Rules and Regulations

Park operators may have Rules (sometimes called Park Rules or Rules and Regulations) that supplement the tenancy agreement. These may restrict:

• Age of occupants (some parks are age-restricted 55+; the HRC exemption applies as in strata)
• Types of structures permitted on the pad (sheds, decks, carports)
• Pet ownership (some parks allow, some restrict by size or breed)
• Vehicle storage and parking
• Home appearance standards (skirting, condition of the home exterior)

Due diligence step: Obtain a copy of the current tenancy agreement AND the park rules before subjects are removed. These should be conditions of sale, not post-completion discoveries.

Property Tax and the Home Owner Grant in Manufactured Home Parks

Manufactured home owners in BC parks are assessed for property tax on their home by BC Assessment, and they pay property tax directly — typically as part of a municipal or rural tax notice. The BC Home Owner Grant applies to manufactured homes that are the owner's principal residence, subject to the standard eligibility criteria.

Because manufactured homes in parks are often lower-assessed than detached homes or strata units, their annual property tax is frequently low — sometimes $1,000 to $2,500 per year after the HOG is applied. This is one of the affordability advantages of this housing type.

The pad rental cost, however, is not tax-deductible for owner-occupants (it would be for investors who rent the home to a tenant).

The Purchase Process: Key Differences from Standard Real Estate

Subject Conditions Unique to Park Purchases

Standard subject conditions (financing, inspection) apply, but park purchases also typically include:

• Subject to MHR title search satisfactory to buyer — reveals any encumbrances, liens, or security interests registered against the home
• Subject to PPSA search satisfactory to buyer — searches for chattel mortgages registered against the home serial number
• Subject to review of tenancy agreement and park rules satisfactory to buyer — ensures buyer understands the leasehold terms they are inheriting
• Subject to park operator approval of buyer as new tenant — most parks require the buyer to be approved; build in 5–10 business days
• Subject to home inspection — manufactured homes require inspection by an inspector experienced with manufactured construction (different from site-built)

What the Selling Realtor Should Prepare

• Current BC Decal Number and MHR registration details
• Current tenancy agreement (with pad rent amount and term)
• Park rules and regulations
• Confirmation of whether utility costs are included in pad rent or separate
• Park operator contact information for buyer approval process
• Most recent BC Assessment notice showing assessed value and taxes
• Any outstanding pad rent arrears (if applicable)
• Chattel loan information if there is an existing chattel mortgage on the home

Listing and Marketing Manufactured Homes in BC

Manufactured homes in parks appear on MLS and are listed as real estate, even though the tenure is a leasehold and the title registry is the MHR rather than the LTO. BCREA contract forms and standard listing forms are used, but certain fields require adaptation for the manufactured home context.

MLS Listing Accuracy Requirements

When listing a manufactured home in a park, BCFSA disclosure obligations require you to accurately represent the land tenure. The listing must clearly indicate:

• That the home sits on leased land (not freehold ownership)
• The current monthly pad rent
• Any significant park rules that would affect a buyer's decision (age restrictions, pet restrictions)
• Whether the home is skirted, on a permanent foundation, or mobile

Misrepresenting a leasehold manufactured home as a freehold property is a material misrepresentation and a BCFSA compliance breach.

Manufactured Home Parks in the Context of BC Housing Affordability

Despite their complexity, manufactured home parks serve a critical affordability function in BC — particularly in the Interior, on Vancouver Island, and in the Fraser Valley. Entry prices for manufactured homes in parks are often $150,000 to $400,000, making homeownership accessible to buyers priced out of conventional markets.

For buyers who understand the leasehold structure and can arrange chattel financing, a manufactured home park can be an excellent entry into ownership — with lower property tax, no strata fees (though pad rent replaces this), and community living. Your job as a realtor is to ensure the buyer understands what they are buying before subjects are removed, not after.

Realtor Due Diligence Checklist: Manufactured Home Park Transactions

Frequently Asked Questions

Bottom Line for BC Realtors

Manufactured home parks are a legitimate and important part of BC's housing landscape — but they require a specialized approach. The leasehold structure, MHR title registration, chattel financing constraints, pad rent regulation, and park closure risk are all material facts that your buyer must understand before committing. Your seller deserves accurate advice on how to prepare the disclosure package. And your MLS listing must accurately reflect the tenure.

Agents who take the time to understand manufactured home park mechanics build a reputation in a market segment where most generalist realtors stumble — and in BC's affordability-constrained market, that niche expertise serves real clients with real housing needs.