West Virginia Mobile Home Park Rent Control: 2026 Guide

Is mobile home lot rent controlled in West Virginia?

No. West Virginia does not cap lot rent or limit how much you can raise it. There is no statewide rent control, no local rent control anywhere in the state, and no percentage ceiling on increases. You set lot rent by the lease and the market.

One correction worth knowing: West Virginia does have a mobile-home-park tenancy statute — the factory-built home rental community law at W. Va. Code Article 15 (§§37-15-1 to 37-15-8). It governs the written lease, the fees you can charge, and how you end a lot tenancy. It does not, however, regulate the rent amount itself.

No rent cap — statewide or local

West Virginia has no statewide rent control statute and no percentage limit on rent or lot-rent increases. Landlords set rent freely, and there is no state ceiling to track.

No West Virginia city or county has enacted rent control or rent stabilization, so there is no local cap or program to comply with today. Nothing in Article 15 or general law caps the number itself.

West Virginia's mobile-home-park law regulates the lease, not the rent

Article 15 requires a written lease that states the rent and the term, and it bars recurring fees beyond fixed rent, utilities, and reasonable incidental charges (§37-15-3). It also gives lot tenants minimum terms and good-cause protection against termination.

But nothing in Article 15 caps rent or sets a rent-increase notice period. A rent change happens at renewal or per the lease. To end or restructure a lot tenancy you must give the statutory notice — at least three months' written notice under §37-15-6, which is longer than the one-month / 'one full period' notice §37-6-5 requires for an ordinary month-to-month residential tenant.

So on rent, your lease governs the amount and the timing of increases; the statute's teeth are on fees, minimum terms, and termination — not price.

Local rent control in West Virginia

No West Virginia municipality or county has rent control or rent stabilization. WV municipalities operate under a limited home-rule framework and none has created a lot-rent cap, so there is no local ordinance to plan around.

Honest note: there is no clear express statewide preemption statute barring localities, so the accurate statement is that no locality caps rent today and none is in effect — build around the lease and Article 15, not a local ordinance. Still verify the specific city and county before any large park-wide increase.

Rent-increase rules at a glance in West Virginia

• Statewide rent cap
  None. No statute limits lot rent or the size of an increase.
• Percentage cap
  None. West Virginia sets no maximum percentage on rent increases.
• Local rent control
  None in effect. No WV city or county caps lot rent.
• Rent-increase notice
  No statutory notice period. Timing follows the lease — typically at renewal.
• MHP tenancy law
  W. Va. Code Article 15 (§§37-15-1 to 37-15-8) governs factory-built home rental communities: written lease, limited fees, minimum terms, good-cause protection.
• Notice to terminate a lot tenancy
  At least three months' written notice under §37-15-6 — longer than the one-month notice §37-6-5 sets for ordinary month-to-month tenancies.
• Allowable charges
  Fixed rent, utility charges, and reasonable incidental charges only — no other recurring fees (§37-15-3).
• Mass evictions
  Limited: no more than 25 tenants in 18 months absent consent, six months' notice, or lease breach (§37-15-6a).

Operator best practices in West Virginia

• Put rent and every fee in the written lease
  Article 15 requires a written lease stating the rent; charge only fixed rent, utilities, and reasonable incidental fees — other recurring charges are prohibited (§37-15-3).
• Time increases to renewal
  With no rent cap and no statutory increase notice, raise lot rent at lease renewal on clear written terms rather than mid-term.
• Give the full three-month notice to terminate
  Lot tenancies require at least three months' written notice with the reason stated (§37-15-6); do not rely on the shorter one-month general-tenancy notice.
• Respect minimum terms and good-cause rules
  Single-section homes generally cannot be terminated in the first 12 months, and multi-section homes for a longer minimum, except for good cause — document the cause.
• Mind mass-eviction limits
  Closing or redeveloping a park triggers §37-15-6a caps (25 tenants per 18 months, six months' notice) — plan and notice accordingly.
• Check the specific city and county
  No WV locality caps rent today, but confirm local ordinances before a large increase or park-wide change.
• Build a relationship with a West Virginia MHP attorney
  Article 15's termination, notice, and good-cause rules are lot-tenancy-specific — have WV counsel review your lease, notices, and any park closure.