In an Arizona mobile home park, the landlord must keep the park's plumbing and sanitary facilities working and furnish water and sewer outlets at each space. The tenant maintains the home, including its plumbing, and the part of the space the tenant rents. RV spaces follow the same split, and the lease and park rules draw the exact line.
What does a mobile home park landlord have to maintain?
The park's infrastructure and common facilities. Under A.R.S. 33-1434(A), the landlord shall "Comply with the requirements of all applicable city, county and state codes materially affecting health and safety," "Make all repairs and do whatever is necessary to put and keep the premises in a fit and habitable condition," and "Maintain in good and safe working order and condition all swimming pool, shower, bathhouse, electrical, plumbing and sanitary facilities, including the recreational hall or meeting facilities supplied or required to be supplied or maintained by the landlord."
The same section covers the hookups: the landlord shall "Furnish outlets for electric, water and sewer services," and must give a prospective tenant "information concerning the type, size and power rating of all electrical, water and sewer connections." The Act defines a mobile home space as a parcel "designed to accommodate a mobile home and provide the required sewer and utility connections." So the water main that feeds the park, the sewer lines that serve the spaces, and the outlet at each space are the park's to keep working.
Utility interruptions have their own rule. The landlord must give tenants a statement of proposed interruption of utility service "within a reasonable time frame except in the case of an interruption caused by an emergency," and the Act says an emergency "does not include any failure or refusal on the part of the landlord to fulfill the landlord's duties and obligations."
What is the tenant responsible for?
The home and the part of the space the tenant rents. A.R.S. 33-1451(A) says a tenant "shall exercise diligence to maintain that part of the premises that the tenant has rented in as good condition as when the tenant took possession." The Act's definition of a mobile home matters here, because it includes the home's own systems: a mobile home is a residential structure "designed to be used as a dwelling when connected to the required utilities" and that "includes the plumbing, heating, air conditioning and electrical systems in the structure." Piping inside the home, its water heater, its fixtures, and its drains are the home owner's.
The tricky part is the connection between the two. The statutes say the landlord provides the outlets and the tenant keeps up the rented space, but they do not name the exact point where park pipe ends and home pipe begins. That demarcation is usually set by the rental agreement or the park rules, often at the point of hookup or the shutoff valve at the space. Ask the manager for it in writing before a repair, and ask who is responsible for the flexible connector, the riser, and any heat tape.
| Where the problem is | Usually handled by |
|---|---|
| Park water main, valves, and common lines | Park |
| Sewer lines serving several spaces | Park |
| Outlet at the space (the park's connection point) | Park, subject to the park's rules |
| Line from the park's connection into the home, and plumbing inside the home | Home owner |
| Water heater, fixtures, drains inside the home | Home owner |
| Damage the tenant caused to park lines | Tenant, under the lease |
Do RV parks follow the same rules?
Some do. Arizona's Recreational Vehicle Long-Term Rental Space Act applies, under A.R.S. 33-2101(A), to "a recreational vehicle space that is rented in a recreational vehicle park or mobile home park by the same tenant under a rental agreement for more than one hundred eighty consecutive days." It says it does not apply to "a property with one or two recreational vehicle rental spaces." For those long-term spaces, A.R.S. 33-2123 requires the landlord to "Make all repairs and do whatever is necessary to put and keep the premises in a fit and habitable condition" and to "Comply with all applicable provisions of city, county and state codes materially affecting health and safety." The tenant under A.R.S. 33-2131 must "exercise diligence to maintain that part of the premises that the tenant has rented in as good condition as when the tenant took possession" and "Comply with all park rules regarding sanitary and aesthetic guidelines."
For shorter stays, the park's rules and your reservation terms govern. In every case, the plumbing inside your RV is yours. The park maintains its pedestals and its dump station, and the connection hose or fitting you brought is yours to replace.
What if the park has its own water system?
A larger park can be a regulated water system. EPA says "A public water system provides water for human consumption through pipes or other constructed conveyances to at least 15 service connections or serves an average of at least 25 people for at least 60 days a year," and that such a system "may be publicly or privately owned." A park that supplies water from its own source or its own distribution system to enough homes can fall in that definition, which brings state drinking water requirements the park must meet. Smaller or city-connected parks have a different arrangement. Ask the manager whether the park buys water from a city or runs its own system.
Phoenix tells property owners that they are responsible for sewer and water lines through their property to the city's mains, with a note that "Your responsibility may vary." For a park, that property owner is typically the park owner, and the tenant's piece begins at the space.
What should you do about a leak or a backup?
- 1Close the valve at your home if the leak is on your side, and use our page on mobile home water lines that freeze and break under skirting if it is a winter break.
- 2Report in writing to the manager with the date, the location, and photos. A written report documents that the park was told.
- 3Do not dig or cut into park lines yourself. Underground pipes may serve other spaces, and a nick in a line can affect neighbors.
- 4Have the home's side repaired by a licensed plumber if it is yours. HQ repairs water lines, water heaters, and drains on the home side of the connection, and gives an upfront price and a free estimate. We are licensed and insured and offer 24/7 emergency service.
- 5Ask for the park to fix its side promptly. If a park will not make repairs that are the landlord's duty under the Act, an attorney or a tenant association can explain the remedies.
This page explains general Arizona rules and is not legal advice. Your rental agreement and the park's rules control the details.