Thanks for a few residents who complained and took action, and a law firm utilizing state rules and regulations, a Royal City mobile home park will be reimbursing it's tenants $53,000.

According to the Columbia Basin Herald, the Royal Coachman Park will reimburse it's tenants, paying back what was an illegal utility fee they began charging in the fall of 2014.

According to Columbia Legal Services (CLS), the repayment plan has been approved in Grant County Superior Court, and doesn't just stop at repayment. Officials with CLS said the management must print rental agreements and related papers in both English and Spanish (where applicable), make an effort to hire a bi-lingual manager, and remain open for another five years minimum.

Court papers for the class action suit indicate 'new' management began to charge what was called a 'new utilities fee' to the amount of $69, it was basically a duplicate of the utility fee tenants already paid. However, no evidence of 'new' utility services or improvements were indicated.

CLS also said it violated existing rules that stated the park could not raise rental fees on one-year contracts. CLS said the agreement was reached by way of "arms-length" negotiations, and both parties agreed amicably to the settlement. The Royal Coachman stopped charging the additional fee after 14 months, in December of last year.

There were also claims by some who said the management took advantage of the fact that many of the park's clients are minorities, and either don't speak or understand English very well.  CLS said there are many mobile home landlords who do an excellent job, but others do try to take advantage of their tenants.

According to the Herald, no comment was issued by park management.

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