Buying a Manufactured Home in a Park in BC: A Guide for Downsizers

Many people who sell a family house want one level, a small garden and no strata council. A manufactured home in a park can give all three. In a park you buy the house and rent the ground it sits on, which sets it apart from every other home you have owned. That one fact changes the monthly cost, who must approve your purchase, and what happens if the park is ever sold.

This guide explains how ownership works in a park, how the site rent can rise, what to check before you buy, and how property tax works. It is general information about the rules the Province of BC publishes. Talk to your own lawyer or notary before you sign.

What do you own when you buy in a park?

A manufactured home is a house built in a factory and moved to its site. In a park, the house belongs to you and the land belongs to the park owner. The Province says a manufactured home site tenancy agreement "gives a manufactured home owner the right to occupy the site." The site is often called the pad, and the monthly rent for it is called pad rent.

So you are two things at once. You are the owner of a home, and you are a tenant of the park. The tenancy is covered by the Manufactured Home Park Tenancy Act, a BC law for this kind of site rental. The Residential Tenancy Branch, the provincial office that handles landlord and tenant questions, applies that law and hears disputes.

The tenancy agreement must be in writing, signed and dated by you and the park owner. The Province says it must list the parties, the site address, the rent and its due date, and the park rules. The park owner must give you a signed copy within 21 days of signing.

A home on your own rural lot is a different case. There you own the land too, and the land is bought and registered like any other property. This guide is about homes in parks.

How does pad rent work, and how much can it rise?

Pad rent is a monthly cost that stays with you as long as you live there. For many downsizers it takes the place of strata fees. The two are different things. A strata fee pays for the upkeep of a building you own a share of. Pad rent is rent for land you do not own.

The Province sets a yearly limit on increases. Its page on rent increases for manufactured homes says the limit for manufactured home site tenancies is 2.3% in 2026 and 2.2% in 2027. On top of that limit, the park owner may add a share of the change in local government levies and regulated park utilities, divided by the number of sites in the park. The park owner can also apply to the Residential Tenancy Branch for a larger increase in some cases, such as certain financial losses or qualifying repairs.

The park owner must give three full months' notice of an increase, and the notice must state the exact dollar increase and the date it starts. Rent can rise once every 12 months.

When you compare a park home with a condo or townhouse, put the monthly pad rent next to the monthly strata fee, then add your own upkeep. In a park, the roof, the furnace and the siding are yours to repair. Our guide to strata fees on a fixed income shows the strata side of that comparison.

Why does the park owner's consent matter to a buyer?

When you buy a home that will stay in the park, the seller's tenancy is usually passed to you. This is called an assignment. The Residential Tenancy Branch's information sheet on assignment says an assignment keeps the pad rent the same for the new tenant, and keeps the date of the next rent increase the same.

The seller asks the park owner in writing, using the Province's request for consent form. The information sheet says the park owner must reply in writing within 10 days, unless both sides agree to more time. If the park owner does not reply in time, consent is deemed given. The park owner may ask for information to run credit or reference checks, and may refuse if it appears the buyer will not be able to follow the tenancy agreement or park rules. The park owner "must not charge a tenant anything for considering, investigating or consenting to an assignment."

If the tenancy is not assigned, you and the park owner sign a new agreement. The information sheet says the park owner can then set the pad rent "at whatever rate they deem appropriate." That can change your monthly cost from the day you move in. We suggest making your offer subject to the park owner's written consent to the assignment, and confirming the pad rent in writing before you remove conditions.

Before the seller asks for consent, the information sheet says the seller must give you written copies of the park rules and the relevant parts of the tenancy agreement. Read them closely. Park rules often cover pets, visitors, sheds and additions, parking and how the site is kept. The Province says a park owner can only change the rules after giving tenants three full months' notice, so a rule can change after you buy.

What should you check about the home itself?

A manufactured home is recorded in the BC Manufactured Home Registry, which is separate from the land title office. The Province's registry page says it keeps a record of the registered owner, location and description of manufactured homes in BC.

Three checks matter before you buy.

Who owns it, and does anyone have a claim on it?

The registry offers a combined search of the home and any notices of legal claims in the Personal Property Registry, where a lender's claim against the home would be recorded. The Province lists the fee as $15 through staff, or $12 plus a service fee online. A home search alone is $10 through staff, or $7 plus a service fee online. Your lawyer or notary usually orders this search.

Is the transfer done properly?

The Province says "the sale, transfer or purchase of a manufactured home is only effective if the transaction is registered." The bill of sale must carry the original signatures of all owners. Transfers are filed by a qualified supplier, such as a lawyer or notary, and the ownership transfer form has a $50 fee. Our post on choosing a notary or a lawyer explains what each one does.

Is the CSA label on the home?

The Province says the CSA label must be on the home at the time of sale. The label shows the home was built to a Canadian standard. If it is missing, ask your lawyer what that means for the sale before you go further.

Is the house itself sound?

Look at the house the way you would look at any older home. A home inspection by a licensed inspector covers the roof, the plumbing, the heating and the skirting around the base. Our home inspection guide explains how inspections work in BC.

How does property tax work on a park home?

You still pay property tax. The Province's page on manufactured homes and property tax says that if you own a manufactured home, "you will be assessed and taxed like other residential property owners." The land value is left out of the assessment when the home is in a manufactured home park.

Annual property tax is billed on May 31. The Province warns that if a sale is not registered, the seller may receive the tax notice by mistake, which can lead to penalties and interest. Registering the transfer on time protects both sides.

The home owner grant reduces property tax on a principal residence. The Province's page lists the grant among the ways to reduce the tax, with categories for owners under 65, seniors, veterans and people with disabilities. Check your own eligibility with the Province before you count on it. Our guide to the home owner grant and property tax deferment explains the senior categories, and our post on property tax after downsizing covers the first tax year in a new home.

What happens if the park is sold or closed?

This is the risk that matters most in a park, because the land is not yours. A park owner can end a tenancy to convert the land to another use. The Province's page on ending a manufactured home site tenancy sets out the rules:

• The notice must be a 12 month notice that covers a full year.
• The park owner must have all the government permits and approvals before giving the notice.
• The park owner must pay the tenant $20,000 compensation on or before the date the notice takes effect.
• A tenant who shows they could not get the permits needed, could not move the home within a reasonable distance, and owes no tax on the home may claim more: the assessed value of the home, minus the first $20,000.
• If the park owner does not take steps toward the conversion within a reasonable time, they may owe the greater of $5,000 or 12 months' rent.
• A tenant who wants to dispute the notice must apply within 15 days of receiving it.

Moving the home is possible but needs a plan. The registry page says you must have a permit from the Manufactured Home Registry to move a manufactured home. The application fee is $25, and the permit expires 30 days after it is issued. You would also need a new site that accepts the home.

Before you buy, ask the seller and your agent what is known about the park's future. Check whether the city has received a rezoning application for the land. A city's planning department can tell you what is on file.

Is a park home a good fit for a downsizer?

In our view, a park home suits a downsizer who wants one level and a small yard more than they want to own land. It can also suit someone who prefers to avoid strata meetings and special levies. It suits less well someone who wants the home to grow in value with the land, or who wants full control over additions and pets.

Here is a short list to work through before you write an offer:

1. Read the tenancy agreement and the park rules from start to end.
2. Confirm the current pad rent and the date of the last increase.
3. Make the offer subject to the park owner's written consent to the assignment.
4. Have your lawyer or notary run the combined registry search.
5. Book a home inspection.
6. Ask a mortgage broker early how they would finance a home on a rented site.
7. Ask what is known about the park's future and any rezoning on file.

If you are still choosing between home types, our comparison of a condo, townhouse or rancher covers the other options, and our guide to 55 and over buildings explains how age rules work in a strata. The downsizing checklist puts the whole move in order.

This guide summarizes rules the Province publishes, and each park and each home is different. Confirm legal questions with your own lawyer or notary, and tax questions with an accountant, before you sign.

Next step

Most downsizers start by learning what their current house could sell for. Ask us for a free home value, and a BC-licensed REALTOR® will email you a price range based on recent sales of homes like yours. You can also try our downsizing calculator to see what you keep after selling, or read more on our downsizing page.