On January 2, 2003, Governor Taft signed House Bill 520. The purpose of the Bill was primarily to address the struggles mobile home parks are experiencing in evicting tenants. Buried within the Bill is a new tool which is designed for the operators of campgrounds. This tool is a procedure which gives a municipal judge the jurisdiction to transfer title of a trailer to the owner of the campsite when the vehicle was abandoned. Once the Camp Operator has title, then he or she can dispose of the vehicle as they see fit. However, to use this new tool, Camp Operators must not only know the procedures, but also must modify their Campsite Use Agreement accordingly.
Under the new law, Camp Operators are required to enter into a written Campsite Use Agreement with the Campsite User. This document shall include the name, address, and phone number of the Campsite User, shall designate the campsite that is the subject of the agreement, and shall contain a description of the procedures for removing abandoned property from the campsite
If your agreement is proper, you are now authorized to:
* Transfer abandoned vehicles into storage facilities. This leaves sites open for paying customers, while charging storage and late fees to the delinquent camper.
* Force primary lien-holders of a vehicle to pay the delinquent camper's fees before releasing the vehicle.
* File a complaint in Municipal Court to transfer to you title to an abandoned vehicles, regardless of the value of the property. Once title has transferred, and any primary lien-holders satisfied, you can keep or sell the property free of any claims by the camper.
Please note that each situation is different and different language may be used in furtherance of the different concerns and goals for each individual campground. The best advice is always to consult with an attorney so that he or she can tailor the language to your specific situation.
