PINELLAS COUNTY, Fla. — People who live in an RV home park said their community has a new rule that’s keeping them from selling their homes.
Residents at Yankee Traveler RV Park said they weren't expecting the change made by the park's owners.
WATCH: RV park homeowners face a new rule that keeps them from selling their homes
"We never would have bought it if we thought we couldn’t sell it," said Beth and Dave Cole who live in a home in the Yankee Traveler RV Park.
Beth and Dave Cole are thinking about selling their mobile home in the Yankee Traveler RV Park, but a new rule is creating a roadblock.
"The park instituted a new guideline that said that trailers that were at the age of 1984 and older could not be resold," said Dave Cole.
Their home was built right at the cutoff in 1984.
"This really isn’t fair, we didn’t get any heads up to have an idea that when our time is up we wouldn’t be able to sell our unit," said Beth Cole.
"44 people in the park are going to walk away with nothing," said Jim Nelson, who lives in the park.
Cole said the neighborhood management told them they could either rent the home or move it off property to sell it.
"We worked hard for our money all our lives…I was a teacher, dave was in retail for 34 years. We want to enjoy our retirement and not worry about every last penny and now we aren’t going to get anything out of it," said Beth Cole.
Homeowners said they’ve invested thousands of dollars in their homes and believe they have the right to sell them.
Documents that Cole received from Yankee Traveler owners said “homes that are older and not well maintained bring down the quality of our neighborhood"...and that “homes older than 1985 were built with tip-outs and slide-outs that often create maintenance problems.”
The documents also said that if a home is well-maintained, the seller may petition to keep their home in the park.
The Coles said even though they’ve maintained their home, they did not qualify for the exception.
Ardella MacPherson with Florida Retreat Mobile Home Sales said privately owned TV parks can enforce any rules they choose.
“Every park is different though…that could be…but I've never heard of that, I've never heard of a park that…because we have parks that are selling homes and they are in the 50’s, 1950, 1955," said MacPherson.
Tampa Bay 28 did reach out to the owners of Yankee Traveler RV Park and hasn't heard back yet.
In the meantime, the Coles are spreading one message.
"We really want people aware. Be careful of what you’re buying and what the rules are and that they can change at any time," said Beth Cole.
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