Published: 2015-07-08
Key Benefits:
All new mobilehomes and manufactured homes sold to a buyer shall be covered by the warranty set forth in this chapter.
(Amended by Stats. 1982, Ch. 730, Sec. 1.)
As used in this chapter:
(a) “Contractor” means any person who is a general building contractor within the meaning of Section 7057 of the Business and Professions Code.
(b) “Dealer” means any person who is a dealer within the meaning of Section 18002.6 of the Health and Safety Code.
(c) “Mobilehome” and “manufactured home” have the meanings, respectively, defined in Sections 18007 and 18008 of the Health and Safety Code.
(d) “Substantial defects in materials and workmanship” means defects objectively manifested by broken, ripped, cracked, stained, or missing parts or components, or workmanship resulting in improper function of materials, components, appliances, or systems as installed or manufactured by the contractor, dealer, or manufacturer.
(Amended by Stats. 1993, Ch. 458, Sec. 1. Effective January 1, 1994.)
(a) The warranty provided for in this chapter shall apply to the manufacturer of the mobilehome or the manufactured home as well as to the contractor or dealer who sells the mobilehome or the manufactured home to the buyer. The warranty shall cover the electrical, plumbing, heating, cooling, fire safety, and structural systems, and all appliances of the mobilehome or manufactured home as installed or manufactured by the contractor, dealer, or manufacturer.
(b) Where a manufacturer sells a mobilehome or manufactured home directly to a city, city and county, or other public agency pursuant to the exception established in Section 18015.7, the manufacturer shall be responsible for providing the warranty required by this chapter.
(Amended by Stats. 1995, Ch. 185, Sec. 1. Effective January 1, 1996.)
The mobilehome/manufactured home warranty from the contractor, manufacturer, or dealer to the buyer shall be set forth in a separate written document that reprints all of the provisions of this chapter and shall be delivered to the buyer by the contractor or dealer at the time the contract of sale is signed, and shall contain, but is not limited to, the following terms:
(a) That the mobilehome or manufactured home is free from any substantial defects in materials or workmanship.
(b) That the contractor, manufacturer, or dealer or any or all of them shall take appropriate corrective action at the site of the mobilehome or manufactured home in instances of substantial defects in materials or workmanship which become evident within one year from the date of delivery of the mobilehome or manufactured home to the buyer, provided the buyer or his or her transferee gives written notice of those defects to the contractor, manufacturer, or dealer at their business address not later than one year and 10 days after date of delivery.
(c) That the manufacturer and the contractor or dealer shall be jointly and severally liable to the buyer for the fulfillment of the terms of warranty, and that the buyer may notify either one or both of the need for appropriate corrective action in instances of substantial defects in materials or workmanship.
(d) That the address and the phone number of where to mail or deliver written notices of defects shall be set forth in the document.
(e) That the one-year warranty period applies to the plumbing, heating, electrical, cooling, fire safety, and structural systems and all appliances of the mobilehome or manufactured home.
(f) That, while the manufacturers of any or all appliances may also issue their own warranties, the primary responsibility for appropriate corrective action under the warranty rests with the contractor or dealer and the manufacturer, and the buyer should report all complaints to the contractor or dealer and the manufacturer initially.
(g) That, if corrective action taken by the manufacturer or the contractor or dealer fails to eliminate a substantial defect, then the material, system, appliance, or component shall be replaced in kind. As used in this subdivision, “replaced in kind” means (1) replacement with the identical material, system, appliance, or component, and, if not available (2) replacement with a comparable or better material, system, appliance, or component.
(Amended by Stats. 1993, Ch. 458, Sec. 3. Effective January 1, 1994.)
The warranty under this chapter shall be in addition to, and not in derogation of, all other rights and privileges which the buyer may have under any other law or instrument. The contractor, manufacturer, or dealer shall not require the buyer to waive his or her rights under this chapter, and any waiver of these rights shall be deemed contrary to public policy and shall be unenforceable and void.
(Amended by Stats. 1993, Ch. 458, Sec. 4. Effective January 1, 1994.)
Every contractor or dealer shall display a copy of all of the warranty provisions required by this chapter. The copy of the warranty provisions required by this chapter shall be posted in each area where purchase orders and conditional sales contracts are written.
(Amended by Stats. 1993, Ch. 458, Sec. 5. Effective January 1, 1994.)
Manufacturers, contractors, and dealers shall keep records of all actions taken pursuant to this chapter, including all correspondence to or from the buyer for a period of three years from the date of delivery.
(Amended by Stats. 1993, Ch. 458, Sec. 6. Effective January 1, 1994.)
The contractor, dealer, or manufacturer shall complete warranty service to correct all substantial defects within 90 days of receiving the buyer’s written notice specified in subdivision (b) of Section 1797.3, unless there are circumstances which are beyond the control of the contractor, dealer, or manufacturer.
(Amended by Stats. 1993, Ch. 458, Sec. 7. Effective January 1, 1994.)