Bill > S2271

This bill, amending the Residential Landlord and Tenant Act, establishes a rent stabilization measure that limits annual rent increases to a maximum of 4%, unless a landlord obtains an exemption from the secretary of housing, which can be granted for necessary repairs and improvements related to health and safety, or if municipal taxes and insurance costs increase by more than 4%. The bill also clarifies that landlords cannot reset rent by more than 4% above the previous rent when terminating a tenancy without cause or refusing to extend a tenancy at the tenant's request, and it provides tenants with a legal avenue to sue landlords for violations, potentially recovering three months' rent, actual damages, attorneys' fees, and even punitive damages if the landlord's actions were malicious or showed reckless disregard for the law.

Housing and Urban Affairs

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