PR-10-40 -- Court Orders Manufactured Home Installer To Pay $477,000 Penalty For Violating PSC Rules

Contact: Kevin Kelly (573) 751-9300

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE -- AUGUST 25, 2009

JEFFERSON CITY----A Washington County Circuit Court has ordered a manufactured home installer to pay more than $470,000 for violating Missouri Public Service Commission manufactured housing rules and regulations and federal installation standards.

The circuit court granted a default judgment in favor of the Public Service Commission against Louis Theiss on seven counts related to his failure to properly install seven new manufactured homes. The violations alleged by the PSC occurred between April of 2007 and May of 2009. Theiss, a resident of Potosi, Missouri, has been ordered by the court to pay a penalty of approximately $477,000 to the state public school fund.

The Public Service Commission had suspended Theiss’ installer’s license for repeated failure to install new homes as required by manufactured home installation standards and pursuant to federal and state guidelines.

Installation standards adopted by the Missouri Public Service Commission are designed to ensure that homes meet required tie down and anchoring standards and meet the applicable building and safety standards.

"The Public Service Commission licenses and works with all new Housing and Urban Development (HUD) home installers in Missouri to ensure that all new manufactured HUD homes are properly installed," said Ron Pleus, Director of the PSC’s Manufactured Housing and Modular Units Program. PSC Manufactured Housing and Modular Units Program staff also work with local building officials to ensure homes meet applicable building and safety standards.

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