Ask Me Help Desk - Mobile Home Electrical Service

Thgis is a combination electrical/legal guestion. Who is responsible for the service drop in a mobile home park? I live in Pennsylvania and was recently told by a human services agency here that weatherization could not be started on my mobile home until a problem with the main electrical disconnect was repaired. Here's the situation:

The 100-amp disconnect box is located just after the meter with two receptacles in it - one of which was in use when the receptacle overheated, causing full power to be lost into the mobile home. This happened very suddenly, and no electrical work was changed inside the mobile home prior to the failure. The cartridge fuses - two (2) 30-amp fuses supplying each receptacle - blew, and the holder in which the fuses are held was almost too hot to touch. I immediately unplugged the mobile home's main plug, removed the fuses and holder from that side of the disconnect box, and re-inserted the plug into the other receptacle, which restored electrical service to the home - but because the box overheated, the weatherization crew won't begin work on my home until it is repaired.

The problem is, I don't know who is responsible for this particular repair. The electric company's responsibility ends at the meter, of course - but since I don't own the equilment on the service drop on my mobile home site, is the landlord responsible? I am responsible for paying the electric bill, but if I move the mobile home, the electrical equipment stays there - so I shouldn't be responsible for repairing it if it remains in the landlord's possession if I were to move.

This is a difficult situation, and I'm not sure if you can help - but I would thank you to point me in the right direction if you can't!

Have you spoken to the park management? Sounds to me like they are responsible.

Quote:

Originally Posted by chuckiii3

Thgis is a combination electrical/legal guestion. Who is responsible for the service drop in a mobile home park? I live in Pennsylvania and was recently told by a human services agency here that weatherization could not be started on my mobile home until a problem with the main electrical disconnect was repaired. Here's the situation:

The 100-amp disconnect box is located just after the meter with two receptacles in it - one of which was in use when the receptacle overheated, causing full power to be lost into the mobile home. This happened very suddenly, and no electrical work was changed inside the mobile home prior to the failure. The cartridge fuses - two (2) 30-amp fuses supplying each receptacle - blew, and the holder in which the fuses are held was almost too hot to touch. I immediately unplugged the mobile home's main plug, removed the fuses and holder from that side of the disconnect box, and re-inserted the plug into the other receptacle, which restored electrical service to the home - but because the box overheated, the weatherization crew won't begin work on my home until it is repaired.

The problem is, I don't know who is responsible for this particular repair. The electric company's responsibility ends at the meter, of course - but since I don't own the equilment on the service drop on my mobile home site, is the landlord responsible? I am responsible for paying the electric bill, but if I move the mobile home, the electrical equipment stays there - so I shouldn't be responsible for repairing it if it remains in the landlord's possession if I were to move.

This is a difficult situation, and I'm not sure if you can help - but I would thank you to point me in the right direction if you can't!

Thanks for your quick reply!

No - I haven't spoken to the property owner yet as I need to determine if he is, in fact, legally responsible before I do so. What I'm hoping for here is a definite answer so I have something to stand on if he won't accept the responsibility. I really want to aviod lawyers and legal fees if at all possible!

I have already contacted a few mobile home dealers in my area, as well as my electric company and the PUC - and all have indicated that it is "probably" the responsibility of the mobile home park owner. Unfortunately, "probably" won't hold up if push comes to shove! This is a small rural area and I have a feeling that the park owner isn't going to be cooperative, which is why I'm not contacting him until I know "for certain" that he has to fix the problem.

Whether you are sure or not, if the park owner says no you will still have to take him to court. So before you file you then have to nail it down. At that point it will, most likely, be the utility who will make the definitive determination.

Maybe the owner will surprise you. I would approach them with the determination of the company that the disconnect needs repairing and ask them how soon they can have it repaired. Don't ask them whether they are responsible just approach it as if you are sure they are.

That sounds like a good idea, and one I will definitely consider. The real difficulty I'm in here is that I need the weatherization people to come in and do their work before the really cold weather hits. The longer it takes to get the electrical problem fixed, the longer it'll be before I get my home weatherized. I've been on the waiting list for 5 years and I need to get this scheduled ASAP. I'd like to avoid a court battle if at all possible.

I have already contacted the electric company, and they won't replace anything past the meter. They told me to call a licensed electrician - an option I can't really afford right now. This will undoubtedly be an expensive repair and will also require an electrical inspection before the electric company will reconnect the mobile home. This is really a mess...

This can go either way, the park owner may be responsible because of the reason you mention, since the service remains it is part of real property,or he may have a clause in rental documents that puts the maintenance back on you because he knows that this equipment is ignored and will be damaged only because of the load you draw.

Do as ScottGem says, go talk to them, and I like his approach, show confidence that you know that they are responsible, and don't back down until they show proof that you are responsible.

Quote:

Originally Posted by chuckiii3

The real difficulty I'm in here is that I need the weatherization people to come in and do their work before the really cold weather hits.

All the more reason not to wait until you get a definitive answer. Put the onus on him to prove its NOT his responsible. Explain you expect him to take care of it immediately because of the coming cold weather. If he balks, hint that you will hold him responsible if your family gets sick because you can't keep the unit warm enough.