SB 405 - This act revises several provisions relating to manufactured homes. Most notably, the law revises the procedure for obtaining a title to an abandoned manufactured home.NOTICE TO BUYER OF USED HOME SETUPS - Under this act, a manufactured home dealer may have his or her license suspended or revoked for failing to provide notice to a purchaser of a used manufactured home that the Public Service Commission does not regulate setup of used manufactured homes (Section 700.100.3(7)).
MANUFACTURED HOME BENEFICIARY TITLES - This act allows owners of manufactured homes who own the home as joint tenants with the right of survivorship or as tenants by the entirety to receive a certificate of ownership in beneficiary form from the Director of the Department of Revenue. The certificate of ownership shall direct the director to transfer the certificate on the death of the owners to the beneficiaries. A certificate of ownership in beneficiary form shall not be issued to persons who hold their interest in a manufactured home as tenants in common.
During the lifetime of the owners, the signature of the beneficiary shall not be required for transactions relating to the manufactured home. The owner may revoke the certificate of ownership or change beneficiaries before the death of the owner under certain conditions. For instance, the certificate of ownership may be revoked by the sale of the home with proper assignment of certificate of ownership. The certificate of ownership in beneficiary form may also be revoked by filing an application to reissue the certificate of ownership with no designation of a beneficiary or with the designation of a different beneficiary.
A beneficiary's interest in the home shall be subject to contracts of sale, assignments of ownership, or security interests which to which the owner or owners were subject to during their lifetime. A beneficiary interest in a certificate of ownership may not be changed or revoked by will or other instruments.
The director shall issue a new certificate of ownership to the surviving owners or beneficiaries upon proof of death (Section 700.330).
RELEASE OF LIEN ON ELECTRONIC CERTIFICATE OF OWNERSHIP - This act requires a lienholder to notify the director within 10 business days of any release of a lien if an electronic certificate is being held by the director. The director shall note the release on the electronic certificate and deliver the certificate free of any lien to the owner if no other lien exists (Section 700.370).
This act requires persons who hold security interests in manufactured homes to verify to the Department of Revenue that he or she has paid the landowner in which the manufactured home was repossessed from all past due rent that the holder is obligated to pay under this act (Section 700.385).
ABANDONED MANUFACTURED HOME - Under this act, a manufactured home situated upon land of another person pursuant to a rental agreement shall be deemed abandoned if:
(1) The property owner reasonably believes the homeowner has vacated the premises and does not intend to return;
(2) The rent is past due for 30 days; and
(3) The homeowner has failed to respond to the landowner's notice or has failed to contest a petition regarding the issue of abandonment (Section 700.526).
LIEN AGAINST MANUFACTURED HOME FOR UNPAID RENT - Under this act, a landowner shall have a lien for unpaid rent against a manufactured home if the home is abandoned on the landowner's land and is not subject to a lien perfected Sections 700.350 to 700.380.
The process for enforcing the lien on unpaid rent is modified under the act. The landowner must provide the manufactured home owner notice before enforcing the lien. The landowner must give the manufactured home owner opportunity to redeem the manufactured home by paying all unpaid rent. The notice must also advise the home owner of his or her legal rights and that the manufactured home owner may contest the lien filing by filing a petition to that affect in the county circuit court in which the manufactured home is located. If the manufactured home owner does not redeem the home within 30 days from the date of the mailing , and no petition has been filed in circuit court, the real property owner may apply for a certificate of title.
If the Director of the Department of Revenue is satisfied with the contents of the application, a certificate of ownership or certificate of title shall be issued to the land owner (captioned "lien title")(Section 700.527.8).
Upon receipt of the lien title, the holder shall within 30 days begin proceedings to sell the home. The real property owner may recover actual and necessary expenses incurred in obtaining the lien title (including reasonable attorney’s fees and advertising costs).
The owner of the home must be given at least 20 days notice of the sale of the home.
The owner of the manufactured home may redeem the home by paying all past due rent and expenses. If not redeemed, the landowner may sell the home.
The act sets forth how the proceeds of the sale are to be distributed. Any excess proceeds shall be paid to the homeowner. If the homeowner cannot be located within 30 days of the sale, the excess proceeds shall be deposited with the county treasurer. The county treasurer shall credit the excess to the county's general revenue fund, subject to the right of the homeowner to reclaim the excess within three years of its deposit. The act provides that a person who fails to deposit the excess proceeds with the county treasurer shall be liable for double the amount of the proceeds.
A landowner who follows the requirements of this section shall be absolved from any liability resulting from the taking of possession of the home (Section 700.527).
MANUFACTURED HOMEOWNER'S RIGHT TO CONTEST LIEN - The manufactured homeowner may, within 10 days of the mailing of the notice, may contest the real property owner's lien in the home. If the owner contests the lien in circuit court, he or she will have to post a cash or surety bond for the unpaid rent in order to have the home released. Once the bond is posted, the court will direct the land owner to release the home to the home owner. The court will also determine whether unpaid rent is due. The court may direct that the rent be paid from the posted bond or grant the landowner a security interest in the home (Section 700.528).
LIEN FOR REAL PROPERTY OWNER ON AN ABANDONED MANUFACTURED HOME WHERE ANOTHER LIEN EXISTS - If a person abandons a manufactured home on real property of a person who is leasing the land to the manufactured homeowner and there is an existing lien on the home and is in default, the real property owner shall a have a lien for unpaid rent against the manufactured home provided the real property owner gives notice to the manufactured home owner and the party holding the lien in the manner set forth by the act.
The notice must contain a statement that if the rent is not paid within 30 days from the mailing of the notice and the lien is not contested, the real property owner will have a lien against the manufactured home which will superior to the other party’s perfected lien. The homeowner and the perfected lienholder shall not remove the manufactured home from the property until the landlord is paid for past due rent. The perfected lienholder is not entitled to a certificate of title from the Department of Revenue until the lienholder has paid all rent it is obligated to pay to the real property owner. The owner of the abandoned home or the perfected lienholder may file a petition, within 10 days of the mailing of the notice, to contest the real property owner’s lien. If the court determines that the homeowner or the perfected lienholder owe unpaid rent, the court shall declare a lien in the real property owner's favor (Section 700.529).
The act also repeals several provisions of law relating to Missouri's current procedure for obtaining title to an abandoned manufactured home.
STEPHEN WITTE