The new California law, signed by Gov. Gavin Newsom last fall, will no longer require tenants to pay certain fees starting next month.
Under Senate Bill 611, a landlord or lease agent is not permitted to charge tenants a fee for “providing, posting or otherwise delivering notifications” regarding the termination of a lease from April 1st.
The bill also prohibits landlords or agents from charging tenants the fees to pay rent or security deposits via checks.
Additionally, the new bill prohibits landlords from receiving security payments beyond the month’s rent except in certain circumstances, and requires that they provide written explanations to request larger security deposits from military service members.
For example, if a service member is charged a higher security payment than is advertised due to a lower credit score or a housing history, you should explain why the amount is being charged.
Additionally, landlords will need to refund this additional amount within six months if a service member has made all rental payments.
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SB 611 is just one of several new laws aimed at increasing tenant rights and ensuring transparency in the rental process.
Under Congress Bill 2801, landlords must take a photo of the unit before a tenant lease.
However, landlords are permitted to be billed for instances that require extensive repairs, such as broken doors and structural damage caused by water leaks.
California Civil Code Section 1950.5(b)(2) prohibits landlords from claiming tenants for repair of damage caused by forces from “normal wear.”
Tovener Ravencroft LLP, a lawyer for Tenant, California, describes “normal wear” as small nail holes or tips, faded paint, scuffs on the floor, bathtubs or sinks, pulling loose cabinets, and leaky faucets.
However, AB 2801 amends state law to limit what landlords can store in “the amount they need” from their deposits to perform repairs on the unit.
Another law, which comes into effect on April 1, will give tenants the option to report positive rental payment information to consumer credit reporting agencies.
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