Tree limb damaged tenant’s car. Is it typical practice for park owner to pay the deductible? Do you offer any concessions?
What I personally do and what I’ve been told is if the limb was alive it’s an act of god and not the park owners responsibility. If the branch is dead then the park owner should have had it removed before it fell and it is your responsibility.
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Totally accurate! This is tenants insurance to cover. Dont have it? Oh well.
Great example of 'how much do you value your landlord/tenant relationships? You can explain it 100 different ways about whether the tree was alive or dead… and you will still be looked at with disdain. I would explain it to them and then pay it as a courtesy. That’s just me though…
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My thoughts exactly. It’s the way I’ve done it in the past but was curious if I was being “too nice”
So if a tree totals their car or lands on the MH you guys would step in and pay for it? Ok.
I’m with @JAY-E… This is why insurance exists, tell them to file a claim and that’s that. I parked my car on a street last year and had a branch fall in it, my town certainly didn’t offer any help.
Fir heavens sake no… We’re just talking the deductible here. But then again I haven’t had a vacancy or a late payment in over three years. It’s customer service.
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Here is what I would do as long as the customer is a decent and reasonable individual. I have 20+ years in the mhp biz.
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Talk to the tenant and pay for the damage.
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Trim and/or remove the trees throughout your park. We remove most trees that have potential to do this kind of damage. Once you get on top of trees, this stuff doesn’t happen much.
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Likely get a loyal customer for years to come.
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If the tree limb was dead or damaged, BEFORE it fell, then as owner of land, you were required to take care of the property, keep it well-kept, safe, etc. It is on you. If the limb just got blown down in a storm, but it was perfectly healthy, then not your fault.
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You need to be careful when offering help; it can be considered an admission of guilt. If you are liable, then your insurance will cover it. They will call their insurance company and submit a claim; if their insurance believes the park has any liability, their insurance carrier will contact the park to get your insurance information.
Another reason to be careful is the rumor mill. If word gets out that you helped out Space #1, then get ready for all the open hands looking for some money. For example, “A tree fell last year on my shed. Where’s my money?”
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Agree, paying their deductible could turn into a precedent that could multiply.
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Since buying this park in 2019, I have had a total of two insurance claims for tree limb damage (both cars). Not quite enough to be considered a conspiracy. There are a lot of tall cottonwood trees in the park and they provide valuable shade in the 100 degree heat June-Sept. Tree trimming is ongoing but limited to obviously dead limbs. When it gets windy we do lose some branches but are quickly removed by my crew. I believe most tenants are willing to accept that risk for the 15-20 degrees of cooling they experience in the desert heat.
I only trim trees one time… to the ground…
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It seems to me more often the. Not owners want to get out of anything they can. You come across as genuinely caring for your tenants and I applaud you for that.
Trees provide numerous benefits to both the environment and our communities, including essential shade for mobile home parks. Given their importance, why choose to cut them down rather than preserve them? How does removing trees align with being environmentally aware and ensuring proper shading for residential areas?
Additionally, if you are not willing to trim the trees, do you allow tenants to do so, or do you charge them for this service? Tenants are expected to maintain their mobile homes and comply with various requirements we set. However, removing trees without consideration raises concerns about our decision-making process. How do you handle trees and tenants in your park?
I agree that Trees are an essential resource for our environment.
My problem is when tenants plant fast-growing, non-native trees within the park.
A tenant recently complained about the trees in one of my parks. They called the local health department, which sent me a code violation order to trim the trees. Residents planted all those trees, and they are now gone.
This policy encourages tenants to trim their trees and only complain about problem trees.
We have a licensed arborist inspect each park once a year and remove trees as recommended.
Could you clarify your policies on tree maintenance? Specifically, do you charge tenants for tree trimming, or do you handle it? Additionally, do you have a rule or regulation prohibiting tenants from planting new trees? How are you currently managing the tree situation? Please elaborate on your approach.
My policy is pretty simple.
Trim it one time - To the ground.
There are some exceptions. We have one park with many beautiful Oak Trees. I hate cutting down the Oak trees, but I will only do so if necessary. Oak trees rarely need maintenance. If my arborist thinks a tree will die if we don’t trim it, I will try to save it. Usually, if the Oak tree needs trimming to save it, it’s too late.
I will also trim Oak trees if they are hanging over someone’s house.
Most of the time, a current or past tenant has planted a tree in their yard. Then, they neglect it for 10-20 years. No, it’s supposed to be my problem. I don’t think so.
Here is an example of a tree that I will remove. This one is in the park that received the Code Violation to trim the trees. We spend about $1500/year cleaning up leaves in this park and $11,800 in 2023 trimming trees. We have a bid to remove all the trees in the park for $80,000. We will do a little bit each year until the trees are gone.
Before
After
When a new tenant moves in, why should they be responsible for the neglect of management over the past 10 to 20 years? It’s clear the problem stems from management’s failure to address it when it first arose. As responsible landlords, we should notice these issues right away and nip them in the bud.
Letting it go for years and then pushing the cost onto a new tenant is not taking care of the land we own. Tenants already have to navigate all the rules and hoops we set up. Adding this burden isn’t the right approach. As mobile home park owners, we need to take responsibility for proper maintenance.
Moreover, simply chopping down trees is not good for our environment. Numerous studies show that trees are not only beneficial for the environment—providing cleaner air, reducing heat, and supporting wildlife—but they also increase property values. Removing trees rather than maintaining them is short-sighted and environmentally irresponsible.
We need to balance cost-saving measures with ensuring a pleasant living environment and preserving the natural beauty of our parks. Taking care of our tenants and our environment should be a priority.