Manufactured Home Problems Reported

Depending on who you believe, manufactured homes--which include mobile homes--are mostly trouble-free or mostly troublesome.

A recent survey commissioned by the American Assn. of Retired Persons found more than three out of four manufactured homes had significant problems and most owners were not able to get their problems fixed through warranties.

The survey found that 57% of manufactured-housing owners have multiple problems involving construction, installation, systems or appliances. However, the Manufactured Housing Institute says its own research shows 88% of manufactured-home owners were satisfied with the quality of their homes. Yet the group acknowledges the industry could always see improvement.

The institute cited several initiatives it has taken to improve homeowner satisfaction, including federal legislation to improve manufactured-housing construction.