Posted by Sharon on 2/06/10

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Saturday, Feb 6, 2010

http://arkansasmatters.com/content/news/fulltext?cid=290162

Arkansans Urged to Gets Facts before Buying FEMA Traile...

Arkansas Attorney General Dustin McDaniel is warning the
state's consumers about predicted efforts to resell the
more than 100,000 FEMA surplus manufactured homes and
travel trailers which are being auctioned by lot to brokers
and other resellers. The Attorney General predicts that the
retail market may soon be flooded with these surplus units
which have been stored by FEMA at several locations across
the South since shortly after Hurricane Katrina in 2005.

“We expect that these units will be offered to the public
in various venues, including the internet, and at prices
which may appear to be deeply discounted,” McDaniel
said. “However, a discounted price does not necessarily
mean the buyer is getting a good deal, and buyers
interested in acquiring a surplus manufactured home or
travel trailer need to proceed with caution.”

Over 90,000 of the surplus units being auctioned are travel
trailers. The buyer will not know how long the travel
trailer has been stored, or the conditions of storage. Many
of these units may suffer from a lack of maintenance, and
may have mold, mildew, or other water damage. There may
also be issues with possible formaldehyde giving off gas
and possible leaks in any LP gas equipment. Rules adopted
by the U.S. General Services Administration (GSA), which is
overseeing the auctions, prohibit the resale of the travel
trailers for use as housing.

While resllers are required to provide prospective buyers
with disclosure information received from FEMA regarding
the condition of the unit, McDaniel urged Arkansas
consumers who may be interested in purchasing any travel
trailer or manufactured home to ask questions about the
source of the unit and its condition before buying. He also
suggested that potential buyers not rely solely upon the
information provided by the seller, but also obtain an
independent inspection of the unit before buying.

Finally, the Attorney General noted that buyers may be
faced with issues regarding titling and registration of a
purchased unit, and questions regarding the payment of
sales tax on the purchase. “Proceed with caution, extreme
caution, if you are tempted to respond to what appears to
be an attractive offer for a travel trailer or manufactured
home,” McDaniel said.

For more information or to file a complaint, contact the
Public Protection Department of the Arkansas Attorney
General's Office at (501) 682-2341 or toll-free statewide,
at (800) 482-8982. A complaint form can also be found on
the Attorney General's Office website, by clicking here .

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