QUESTION: As a Mobile Home Park Owner do you give Discounts to Police Officers / Cops on either Lot Rent or a Park Owned Home?My Husband and I own a MHP that we are trying to turn around. We have removed Abandoned MHs and removed Tenants doing illegal activities. We have several Park Owned Homes that came with the purchase of the MHP.These POHs were rented when we purchased the MHP. Since that period of time, the Tenants have moved out. We now are in the process of renovating the MHs.Today we just listed one of these POHs for rent on Craigslist and we have received an incredible response on the MH just this afternoon.One of the Potential Tenants is a Deputy Sheriff.We would love to have a Deputy Sheriff and his patrol car in our MHP.We were just curious if you gave discounts to Police Officers? If yes, how much?Thanks So Very Much!
No, If the officer is interested there is no need for a discount, discounts are offered to attract applicants reward those already applying. Incentives are used when landlords are desperate. Are you despirate for applicants.Do you want tenants in your park because they want to live there or because you have offered essentially a bribe to attract those otherwise not interested.
Greg, thank you for your comments.Offering discounts to Law Enforcement Tenants does not mean that we are desperate.In fact it is actually a common practice (in apartment buildings and mobile home parks) in our area to offer discounts.We were just curious what discounts other MHP Owners offer.This Deputy Sheriff actually contacted us in reference to a Craigslist Ad concerning living in our MHP.There was no mention in the Craigslist Ad about compensation for Law Enforcement Individuals.We actually have had quite a bit of people interested in renting our POH that we just advertised today.For us having a Law Enforcement presence in our MHP is a positive thing, which we might consider is worth the compensation.
Having a police officer live in your park can be either good or bad, depending on the individual. I once had one in a park and they were crazier than any other tenant and threatened to cause trouble with the city inspector if I made them do anything they didn’t want to do – like pay rent, for example. When they finally left I was thrilled. Police officers make decent money, so I’m not sure why they are wanting to live in the mobile home park to begin with. Just make sure they’re not going to be your worst nightmare before you get involved in that plan.
My point was that it is not worth the compensation if he is already interested in living in the park. You are throwing profits away if it is not a necessary business decision designed to attract applicants.
Everyone pays the same rate regardless of there station in life, education or profession. I personal care not to have police offices similar to what Frank mentioned. Our niche market only sees a police car due to death and really I am not referring to a shooting, drugs or domestic dispute, etc.
I’d bet the officer would be in violation of his departments ethics policies if he took you up on an a discount.