questions & answers

Question: We recently got new park owners. They started to charge more for water and sewage. They tripled it within the last couple months. Now they want to change all the parks water meters and mind you they added a bunch of trailers that are lobsided and looks like they’re going to fall. Are they allowed to change the whole parks water meter.. how do parks normals measure water here in Arizona

Answer: It might be wise to contact an attorney to discuss this situation in more detail. There are links to free and low-cost legal services on this website (at http://www.azlawhelp.org/accessToJustice). Section 33-1413.01 of the Arizona Mobile Home Parks Residential Landlord and Tenant Act says the following about utility metering: A. If a landlord charges separately for gas, water or electricity there shall be a separate meter for every user. For each billing period the cost of the charges for the period shall be separately stated, along with the opening and the closing meter readings and the dates of the meter readings. Each bill shall show the computation of the charge generally in accordance with the serving utility company billing format for individual service supplied through a single service meter. B. If the landlord separately charges for utilities, the landlord shall not charge more than the prevailing basic service single family residential rate charged by the serving utility or provider. C. For the purpose of regulating mobile home parks as public or consecutive water systems, the state shall not adopt rules pursuant to title 49, chapter 2, article 9, that are more stringent than authorized by the federal government. Submetering solely to determine the charges for individual water use by park tenants for the purpose of water conservation, without other evidence indicating a transaction subject to regulation under title 49, chapter 2, article 9, shall not be used as a basis for treating any mobile home park as a public or consecutive water system. D. A landlord may charge separately for removal of waste, garbage, rubbish, refuse and trash and for sewer services. Any charges for removal or sewer services may not exceed the prevailing single family residential charge, fee or rate for these services levied by the political subdivision or provider.