Relating To The Residential Landlord-tenant Code.
The bill also mandates that landlords must provide applicants with a receipt for the application screening fee and a detailed breakdown of the costs covered by that fee. Furthermore, any portion of the screening fee that remains unutilized must be refunded to the applicant within thirty days of the screening request being submitted. This provision intends to create transparency and fairness in the application process, informing applicants of their financial obligations and ensuring they are not charged excessively for these basic screening services.
House Bill 644 aims to amend the Residential Landlord-Tenant Code by allowing landlords or their agents to charge an application screening fee when processing rental applications for residential properties. This fee is intended to cover costs related to obtaining information about applicants, such as credit checks and personal references. Notably, the bill specifies that this screening fee can only be charged for applicants who are at least eighteen years old and whose income is being used to qualify for the rental application. This measure is positioned as a way for landlords to offset the administrative costs involved in screening potential tenants.
While the bill is largely seen as a beneficial measure for landlords, there may be contention surrounding how these fees are perceived by tenants. Some advocates may argue that charging an application screening fee placed an additional financial burden on prospective renters, potentially limiting access to housing for low-income individuals or those with financial challenges. The requirement for landlords to return any unused portion of the fee could be seen as mitigating this concern, but discussions may arise about the appropriateness of the fee structure and its implementation in practice.