RV Community Lease Agreements: A Line-by-Line Walkthrough

A long-term RV lease is a legal agreement, and most people sign it after reading the first page and the signature line. That’s a mistake. The rules that will shape your next 12 months live in the clauses most residents skim — the rules-and-regulations exhibit, the utilities schedule, the pet clause, and a little paragraph about attorneys’ fees you’ll wish you’d read if anything ever goes wrong. Here’s what each section actually says.

This post pairs with two others: annual vs seasonal vs monthly if you haven’t picked the right lease type yet, and early termination fees for the specific clause that trips up the most people.

Cover sheet: verify every field

The cover sheet lists the parties, site number, term, base rent, deposit, and start date. Every field should match what the manager quoted you during the tour. Mismatch here is almost always a clerical error, but catch it before you sign. Rent a dollar off, a start date a week early, a site number that doesn’t match the pad you looked at — all of those are corrections that take two minutes at signing and become disputes later.

Term and renewal

The term paragraph sets the length. Look for the renewal language: does the lease auto-renew, or does renewal require written opt-in? The quiet trap is an auto-renewal clause that bumps to “market rate” — which the operator defines at their discretion — unless you give 60 or 90 days’ notice. Our renewal and extension guide walks through the timeline and leverage.

Rent and fees schedule

Base rent is usually the only number residents look at. The fees list is where the real monthly cost lives: utility pass-through, trash, WiFi tier, pet fee, guest fee, storage, mail handling, amenity charges. Sum them up and compare to the number you budgeted. The per-month gap between the advertised rate and the real total often runs $100-$400.

Security deposit

The deposit clause should spell out: the amount, what it covers (damage, unpaid rent, early-exit consequences), the refund timeline (state law usually caps this at 14-30 days after move-out), and the itemized-deduction requirement (most states require the landlord to list each deduction with dollar amounts).

Rules and regulations incorporation

One sentence in the lease usually reads: “Resident agrees to comply with the Park Rules and Regulations attached hereto as Exhibit A and incorporated herein by reference.” That sentence makes Exhibit A enforceable. Quiet hours, pet rules, rig condition standards, guest limits, site modifications, vehicle rules, pool and clubhouse rules — all live in Exhibit A, and violating them is violating the lease. Read the exhibit. Ask what happens at first, second, and third violation. Guest and visitor limits are one of the most commonly-violated categories — confirm the written policy before you sign.

Rig condition and skirting

If the park enforces an age-of-RV rule (commonly called the 10-year rule) or requires skirting in cold climates, the lease references it or incorporates it from the rules. Look for the cure period: how many days do you have to bring the rig back into compliance after a notice? That number matters if your skirting blows off in a winter storm.

Pet clause

Pet rules live in two places: the rules exhibit and the lease itself. Breed restrictions, weight limits, monthly pet rent, pet deposit. Service animals and emotional-support animals are protected under the Fair Housing Act in housing contexts and cannot be charged pet fees or excluded by breed restrictions. The distinction matters — confirm the park’s FHA process and documentation requirements before move-in.

Utilities

Electric is almost always metered and paid by the resident. Water, sewer, and trash are often included but verify. Propane is usually a separate delivery account. The lease should specify the per-unit rate for any metered utility, the billing cycle, and the settlement process at move-out. Ask for the last 12 months of meter readings on the site — especially in Phoenix or any park where summer AC pushes the bill past $200.

Default and cure period

If rent is late, when does default kick in? Five days? Ten? The cure period is the window during which you can pay and reinstate the lease. Most states mandate a minimum cure period; some parks offer more. Know the number.

Eviction procedures

Eviction is state-law controlled. The lease references the state statute and usually outlines the park’s notice process. What it should not do is authorize self-help — no park can legally lock you out, tow your RV, or cut utilities without a court order. If a lease clause suggests otherwise, that clause is unenforceable.

Attorneys’ fees clause

This one paragraph is worth a full read. A prevailing-party attorneys’-fees clause means the loser of any lawsuit pays the winner’s legal bills. It cuts both ways — if you’re in the right and the park sues you, you can recover your fees. But if you’re wrong on a $500 dispute, you could owe $15,000 in fees. Understand the leverage before you sign.

Assignment and subletting

Almost universally prohibited. Don’t rent your site or your rig to someone else without written permission from the park — doing so voids the lease in most states. If your plans change and you want to let a family member or friend use the site, get it in writing first.

Improvements and modifications

Sheds, decks, landscaping, hard-surface pads, carports. Who owns them at move-out? Usually the operator — improvements typically become the property of the park. If you want to remove what you built, negotiate that into the lease before you buy the materials — and document the tax and insurance implications before you start construction.

Jurisdiction and choice of law

Which state’s law governs, and which court hears disputes. Usually the state the park sits in, but not always — some national chains put Delaware or their HQ state on the contract. If you ever need to sue or be sued, this paragraph determines where you’ll be doing it.

Signatures and initials

Don’t initial a page you haven’t read. Ask for a day to take the lease home and review. Most operators will give you 24-48 hours; the ones who won’t are sometimes worth a second thought. Sign with your legal name exactly as it appears on your driver’s license, and keep a fully executed copy in your files.

The partnership frame

Read the lease as a partnership agreement, not a trap. The operator is committing to provide a quiet, well-maintained site. You’re committing to pay rent, follow the rules, and be a good neighbor. The clauses exist because both sides have experienced the scenarios — residents who stopped paying, operators who failed to maintain the park, disputes over pets or noise that went sideways. The paperwork is the product of those scenarios. Reading it is respecting the partnership.

The one concrete behavior to adopt

Before signing any long-term lease, sit down with the complete lease packet (cover sheet, rules exhibit, utility schedule, pet addendum, any amendments) and a cup of coffee. Read every clause and underline three items: the early-termination fee, the pet policy if you have pets, and the rules-violation cure period. If any of the three look wrong, ask. If you don’t get a clear answer in writing, that’s the answer. It is never an issue until it is. Document. Keep records. Follow the rules. Never assume.

This post is educational, not legal advice. Have a local attorney or state tenant-advocacy organization review the lease if anything is unclear. State laws on deposit refunds, eviction procedures, and breed restrictions vary significantly.