Bill > HB3016

This bill modifies existing Missouri law regarding landlord-tenant relations, primarily by establishing new provisions and repealing and reenacting others. Key changes include clarifying termination notice requirements for month-to-month tenancies, with specific protections for mobile home owners leasing land, requiring landlords to have "cause" to terminate such leases or refuse renewal, and allowing tenants a fifteen-day period to fix lease violations. The bill also introduces new protections against landlord retaliation, defining prohibited actions such as rent increases or lease termination if a tenant has complained to a government agency about housing code violations, organized a tenant union, or exercised their legal rights. Landlords can rebut claims of retaliation under certain conditions, and tenants can recover damages if retaliation is proven. Additionally, the bill outlines procedures for landlords to regain possession of a property after a court judgment, including breaking and entering with law enforcement present, and clarifies landlord liability for personal property left behind. Finally, it modifies rules for filing answers and defenses in eviction lawsuits, allowing defendants to present legal and equitable defenses, counterclaims, and cross-claims by the summons return date.