Bill > HB517

This bill creates new regulations for application fees in residential rental property leasing in Kentucky. Specifically, the bill defines an "application fee" as a nonrefundable payment collected by a landlord or their agent to cover costs of processing a rental application, such as obtaining a credit report. The bill requires landlords to disclose in writing the number of available rental units before collecting an application fee, and prohibits landlords from charging such a fee if they know or should know that no rental unit is currently available or will be available in the near future. If a landlord charges an application fee in violation of these new rules, the applicant can request a full refund of the fee. This legislation aims to protect potential tenants from being charged fees for rental applications when no viable housing option actually exists, providing a consumer protection mechanism in the rental application process.