By Tommie McNeil, WVTF Public Radio

Under many rental agreements, tenants sign off on a provision that allows housing managers and staff to enter a home to address concerns or inspect the premises.  Now state lawmakers are weighing whether such agreements should be extended to homes that are actually OWNED by tenants– who are leasing a lot.

Many property owners, such as those who own mobile home parks, impose specific rules for home OWNERS who lease the land. But the only way they’ll know if the occupant is compliant is by entering the home and inspecting it. But the Virginia Poverty Law Center’s Christie Marra believes that imposes on the homeowner’s privacy rights…

“For the landlord to have a statutory right to come into their home to make sure they’re complying with the lot lease.. certainly, a lot owner or a park owner would and should be able to look at the lot itself to determine whether or not there’s a systems problem, whether or not there’s a leak.”

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Aired December 11, 2014