New Manager Demands I Remove My Business Trailer From The Premises

Muddyjeep810

New Member
Jurisdiction
Michigan
Hi all. First post here. I hope this is in the right section. I have been leasing a modular home since 2016. I am a small business owner and I haul my tools around in a 12' enclosed trailer that has my company logos on it. This trailer is usually left on my job sites but there are times when I keep it in my driveway at home. I had this trailer when I moved in. The manager at the time was made aware of it and mentioned something about trailers weren't supposed to be allowed. I told her that I could not move in if it wasn't allowed since I had nowhere else to park it. She said since it is a work trailer she would allow it because other residents keep work vans/trucks parked on their property and she didn't see a difference. She was recently replaced by a male manager. Less than a month after he took over he knocked on my door and demanded that I remove the trailer from the property and claimed it was against the rules in my lease. It had never been an issue for the two years I was living here. I looked over the rules in the lease and here is how the section he was referring to reads:

"Recreational vehicles and trailers of any kind, including motor homes, boats, snowmobiles, boat or snowmobile trailers, four wheelers, camper trailers, luggage trailers, unlicensed or inoperable vehicles shall not be stored within the community. Permission to bring a trailer or boat into the community for cleaning or stocking must be obtained in advance."

After reading the above rule, is it possible that my trailer would actually be allowed since it isn't technically a "recreational" trailer? It's quite obviously a business trailer and only used as such. Do I have any ground to stand on here as far as refusing to move it somewhere else or do I have to find a storage facility to store my trailer at putting at risk my $10,000+ investment in tools?
 
If I supported your view, or disagreed with your view, it would be meaningless.

The people you must convince are the people with whom you're leasing your space.
 
If I supported your view, or disagreed with your view, it would be meaningless.

The people you must convince are the people with whom you're leasing your space.

I don't think there is any convincing him. He was quite rude about it. He said he didn't care what she said or if I had no place to keep it. It had to go. I guess it all comes down to how does the law interpret this part of the rule "Recreational vehicles and trailers of any kind, including..." If it were "Recreational vehicles 'OR' trailers of any kind" my trailer certainly wouldn't be allowed. But since it says "Recreational vehicles 'AND' trailers of any kind" is this strictly prohibiting recreational trailers? How does the law interpret this?
 
"Recreational vehicles 'AND' trailers of any kind" is this strictly prohibiting recreational trailers? How does the law interpret this?

Only a judge in Michigan hearing the matter can adjudicate the matter.

In my view, I suggest you find another location to store the trailer ASAP.

You have nothing in writing to support your position.

What you possess in writing disavows your view.

I see no way you'll win this, in fact, it could lead to your eviction from your storage unit.

That eviction is UNLIKE an eviction from a residential property, by the way.
 
Only a judge in Michigan hearing the matter can adjudicate the matter.

In my view, I suggest you find another location to store the trailer ASAP.

You have nothing in writing to support your position.

What you possess in writing disavows your view.

I see no way you'll win this, in fact, it could lead to your eviction from your storage unit.

That eviction is UNLIKE an eviction from a residential property, by the way.

I don't understand what you mean by "it could lead to your eviction from your storage unit.That eviction is UNLIKE an eviction from a residential property, by the way".

I don't have a storage unit. I am leasing a modular home. The modular home has a driveway that I keep my trailer in.
 
I don't understand what you mean by "it could lead to your eviction from your storage unit.That eviction is UNLIKE an eviction from a residential property, by the way".

I don't have a storage unit. I am leasing a modular home. The modular home has a driveway that I keep my trailer in.

Okay, it could lead to your eviction from the modular home.

Your lease is the controlling legal document.

Real property is leased under contract.

Nothing agreed to outside the contract means anything, especially if the current owner wishes to enforce the contract.

You are free to do whatever you wish.

I am not the boss of you, mate.

However, if I were in your position, I would comply with the demand to remove the trailer.

More than likely the trailer's presence violates a local ordinance, either way, its presence is prohibited via your lease.
 
If it were "Recreational vehicles 'OR' trailers of any kind" my trailer certainly wouldn't be allowed. But since it says "Recreational vehicles 'AND' trailers of any kind" is this strictly prohibiting recreational trailers? How does the law interpret this?
Your interpretation is clever but it may not matter. Do you value the renewal of your existing lease? You can argue in court that the provision was waived by the prior manager. So when your existing lease term ends, the new manager can request to change the lease provision to explicitly exclude your trailer.

But there is another essential gap here which needs an explanation. Why is your trailer possibly being treated differently from all other vehicles which you are assuming have not been requested to be removed? If you explained that the prior manager gave you permission and others are doing the same, what exactly did the manager say when you asked for permission to extend this agreement? Are others being ordered to remove their vehicles? What is the motivation of the new manager - fees? We don't know.
 
Your interpretation is clever but it may not matter. Do you value the renewal of your existing lease? You can argue in court that the provision was waived by the prior manager. So when your existing lease term ends, the new manager can request to change the lease provision to explicitly exclude your trailer.

But there is another essential gap here which needs an explanation. Why is your trailer possibly being treated differently from all other vehicles which you are assuming have not been requested to be removed? If you explained that the prior manager gave you permission and others are doing the same, what exactly did the manager say when you asked for permission to extend this agreement? Are others being ordered to remove their vehicles? What is the motivation of the new manager - fees? We don't know.

My lease is up in two months. Management already sent me a letter a month or so ago stating that they are no longer renewing my lease but I have the option to buy the place. The original manager also approached me with this option when I renewed my lease last time. She told me they really didn't want to renew it again but she could probably get one more year for me. And she did. They renewed the lease. I expected the letter saying they would no longer renew my lease. I was actually considering buying it until this stuff with the trailer happened. This is going to be a tremendous inconvenience for me. On jobs where I cannot store my trailer I will have to leave the house earlier, go to the storage facility, pick up my trailer, and drop it off back there after work. That's on top of obviously paying the extra money for a storage space somewhere else. So the buying option as far as I am concerned is out the door. I'm not doing that for any extended period of time. This is why I was asking about the terminology of the rule. I was hoping that maybe there were a way I could just argue my way into keeping my trailer here for the last couple of months.

As far as I know there aren't any other trailers being stored in here. I don't think this is a case of him singling me out or anything. I think he is just trying to enforce the rules with new residents and it's kind of hard to do with my trailer sitting in my driveway right across from the clubhouse. I don't think this will turn out good for me in any way to try and fight it. I certainly don't want to fight this in court. I was just hoping that the law professionals on here would view the explanation of the rule as I did. But I see now that it can be interpreted in various ways and like Army said I have nothing in writing on my side.
 
I don't have all the details and it's moot because you won't have the case heard in court before the end of the lease nor will it matter. The real question is whether, if you're interested in purchasing the property, you will be allowed to store your trailer. The answer seems to be in the negative and it may just be to ensure that residents have a better aesthetic experience free from other similar trailers in the area. But you might as well ask before making any firm decisions. At the same time you might want to request some leeway as you make arrangements. You might be able to come to some peaceful agreement, perhaps also if they think you are considering a purchase but need time to determine whether your needs can be accommodated. I don't know. But I do wish you the best of luck in finding a solution.
 
"Trailers of any kind seems pretty clear".
In reading over the text I noted a different phrase though- "shall not be stored".
The intent seems to be to prevent things from piling up and cluttering the property.

How long does this trailer remain parked at the residence? Does it go with you to work every day? If so I think you could argue it is not being stored any more than any other vehicle parked in a driveway.

If the new manager can not be convinced you can still try and go higher up. Perhaps a polite letter to the owner from a long term tenant in good standing can get the relief you seek.
 
"Trailers of any kind seems pretty clear".
In reading over the text I noted a different phrase though- "shall not be stored".
The intent seems to be to prevent things from piling up and cluttering the property.

How long does this trailer remain parked at the residence? Does it go with you to work every day? If so I think you could argue it is not being stored any more than any other vehicle parked in a driveway.

If the new manager can not be convinced you can still try and go higher up. Perhaps a polite letter to the owner from a long term tenant in good standing can get the relief you seek.


The majority of the time the trailer is parked on jobs. I do have down time between jobs every now and then though and that's when it's at the house. It's usually not more than 2-3 days but this time it's been over a week. I do kitchen/bath renovation and everybody is focused on outside stuff here in Michigan during the summer.
 
"Recreational vehicles and trailers of any kind, including motor homes, boats, snowmobiles, boat or snowmobile trailers, four wheelers, camper trailers, luggage trailers, unlicensed or inoperable vehicles shall not be stored within the community.

My opinion. Recreational vehicles of any kind shall not be stored within the community. Trailers of any kind shall not be stored within the community.

Recreational vehicles need not be trailers. Many recreational vehicles are self propelled. Trailers need not be recreational vehicles. Yours certainly isn't. By your own admission it's a work trailer.

I don't think you will win by arguing the meaning of that phrase.
 
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