Utah 2025 Regular Session

Utah House Bill HB0182 Compare Versions

Only one version of the bill is available at this time.

Old	New	Differences
1	1	01-13 15:40 H.B. 182
2	2	1
3	3	Rental Amendments
4	4	2025 GENERAL SESSION
5	5	STATE OF UTAH
6	6	Chief Sponsor: Gay Lynn Bennion
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8	8
9	9	3
10	10	LONG TITLE
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12	12	General Description:
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14	14	This bill enacts provisions related to rent increases.
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16	16	Highlighted Provisions:
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18	18	This bill:
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20	20	▸ defines terms;
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22	22	▸ establishes a period of time by which a landlord must provide a notice of rent increase to
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24	24	a tenant; and
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26	26	▸ makes technical and conforming changes.
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28	28	Money Appropriated in this Bill:
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30	30	None
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32	32	Other Special Clauses:
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34	34	None
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36	36	Utah Code Sections Affected:
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38	38	AMENDS:
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40	40	57-22-2, as last amended by Laws of Utah 2017, Chapter 19
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42	42	57-22-4, as last amended by Laws of Utah 2021, Chapter 98
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46	46	Be it enacted by the Legislature of the state of Utah:
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48	48	Section 1. Section 57-22-2 is amended to read:
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50	50	57-22-2 . Definitions.
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52	52	As used in this chapter:
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54	54	(1) "Low-income housing tax credit" means the same as that term is defined in Section
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56	56	59-2-102.
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58	58	[(1)] (2)(a) "Owner" means the owner, lessor, or sublessor of a residential rental unit.
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60	60	(b) [A] "Owner" includes a managing agent, leasing agent, or resident manager [is
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62	62	considered an owner ]for purposes of notice and other communication required or
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64	64	allowed under this chapter unless the agent or manager specifies otherwise in writing
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66	66	in the rental agreement. H.B. 182 01-13 15:40
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68	68	[(2)] (3) "Rental agreement" means any agreement, written or oral, which establishes or
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70	70	modifies the terms, conditions, rules, or any other provisions regarding the use and
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72	72	occupancy of a residential rental unit.
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74	74	[(3)] (4) "Rental application" means an application required by an owner as a prerequisite to
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76	76	the owner entering into a rental agreement for a residential rental unit.
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78	78	[(4)] (5) "Renter" means any person entitled under a rental agreement to occupy a residential
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80	80	rental unit to the exclusion of others.
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82	82	[(5)] (6)(a) "Residential rental unit" means a renter's principal place of residence and
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84	84	includes the appurtenances, grounds, and facilities held out for the use of the
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86	86	residential renter generally, and any other area or facility provided to the renter in the
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88	88	rental agreement.
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90	90	(b) [ It] "Residential rental unit" does not include facilities contained in a boarding or
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92	92	rooming house or similar facility, mobile home lot, or recreational property rented on
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94	94	an occasional basis.
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96	96	Section 2. Section 57-22-4 is amended to read:
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98	98	57-22-4 . Owner's duties.
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100	100	(1) To protect the physical health and safety of the ordinary renter, an owner:
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102	102	(a) may not rent the premises unless [they] the premises are safe, sanitary, and fit for
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104	104	human occupancy; and
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106	106	(b) shall:
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108	108	(i) maintain common areas of the residential rental unit in a sanitary and safe
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110	110	condition;
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112	112	(ii) maintain electrical systems, plumbing, heating, and hot and cold water;
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114	114	(iii) maintain any air conditioning system in an operable condition;
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116	116	(iv) maintain other appliances and facilities as specifically contracted in the rental
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118	118	agreement; and
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120	120	(v) for buildings containing more than two residential rental units, provide and
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122	122	maintain appropriate receptacles for garbage and other waste and arrange for [its]
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124	124	garbage and waste removal, except to the extent that the renter and owner
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126	126	otherwise agree.
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128	128	(2) Except as otherwise provided in the rental agreement, an owner shall provide the renter
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130	130	at least 24 hours [prior notice of the owner's entry] notice before the owner enters into
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132	132	the renter's residential rental unit.
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134	134	(3)(a) Before an owner accepts an application fee or any other payment from a
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137	137	prospective renter, the owner shall disclose in writing to the prospective renter:
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139	139	(i) a good faith estimate of:
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141	141	(A) the rent amount; and
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143	143	(B) the amount of each fixed, non-rent expense that is part of the rental agreement;
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145	145	(ii) the type of each use-based, non-rent expense that is part of the rental agreement;
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147	147	(iii) the day on which the residential rental unit is scheduled to be available;
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149	149	(iv) the criteria that the owner will consider in determining the prospective renter's
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151	151	eligibility as a renter in the residential rental unit, including criteria related to the
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153	153	prospective renter's criminal history, credit, income, employment, or rental
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155	155	history; and
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157	157	(v) the requirements and process for the prospective renter to recover money the
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159	159	prospective renter pays in relation to the residential rental unit, as described in
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161	161	Subsection (4).
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163	163	(b) An owner may satisfy the written disclosure requirement described in Subsection
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165	165	(3)(a)(i) through a rental application, deposit agreement, or written summary.
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167	167	(4)(a) A prospective renter may make a written demand to the owner of a residential
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169	169	rental unit requesting the return of money the prospective renter paid in relation to
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171	171	the rental of the residential rental unit, if:
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173	173	(i)(A) an amount the owner provides in the good-faith estimate described in
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175	175	Subsection (3) is different than the amount in the rental agreement; or
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177	177	(B) the rental agreement includes a type of use-based, non-rent expense that was
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179	179	not disclosed under Subsection (3); and
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181	181	(ii) the prospective renter:
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183	183	(A) makes the written demand within five business days after the day on which
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185	185	the prospective renter receives the rental agreement; and
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187	187	(B) at the time the prospective renter makes the written demand, has not signed
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189	189	the rental agreement or taken possession of the residential rental unit.
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191	191	(b) If a prospective renter makes a written demand in accordance with Subsection (4)(a),
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193	193	the owner shall return all money the prospective renter paid the owner within five
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195	195	business days after the day on which the owner receives the written demand.
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197	197	(5) An owner may not charge a renter:
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199	199	(a) a late fee that exceeds the greater of:
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201	201	(i) 10% of the rent agreed to in the rental agreement; or
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203	203	(ii) $75; or
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206	206	(b) a fee, fine, assessment, interest, or other cost:
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208	208	(i) in an amount greater than the amount agreed to in the rental agreement; or
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210	210	(ii) that is not included in the rental agreement, unless:
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212	212	(A) the rental agreement is on a month-to-month basis; and
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214	214	(B) the owner provides the renter a 15-day notice of the charge.
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216	216	(6) Before an owner and a prospective renter enter into a rental agreement, the owner shall:
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218	218	(a) provide the prospective renter a written inventory of the condition of the residential
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220	220	rental unit, excluding ordinary wear and tear;
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222	222	(b) furnish the renter a form to document the condition of the residential rental unit and
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224	224	then allow the resident a reasonable time after the renter's occupancy of the
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226	226	residential rental unit to complete and return the form; or
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228	228	(c) provide the prospective renter an opportunity to conduct a walkthrough inspection of
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230	230	the residential rental unit.
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232	232	(7) At or before the commencement of the rental term under a rental agreement, an owner
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234	234	shall:
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236	236	(a) disclose in writing to the renter:
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238	238	(i) the owner's name, address, and telephone number; or
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240	240	(ii)(A) the name, address, and telephone number of any person authorized to
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242	242	manage the residential rental unit; or
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244	244	(B) the name, address, and telephone number of any person authorized to act for
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246	246	and on behalf of the owner for purposes of receiving notice under this chapter
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248	248	or performing the owner's duties under this chapter or under the rental
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250	250	agreement, if the person authorized to manage the residential rental unit does
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252	252	not have authority to receive notice under this chapter; and
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254	254	(b) provide the renter:
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256	256	(i) an executed copy of the rental agreement, if the rental agreement is a written
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258	258	agreement; and
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260	260	(ii) a copy of any rules and regulations applicable to the residential rental unit.
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262	262	(8)(a) An owner shall provide notice of an increase in the monthly rental amount 60
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264	264	days before the day on which the rent increase takes effect, unless:
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266	266	(i) the term of the rental agreement is month-to-month;
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268	268	(ii) the rent increase is in response to an increase in maximum rent allowed in:
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270	270	(A) a low-income tax credit community; or
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272	272	(B) housing subject to Section 8 of the Housing Act of 1937, 42 U.S.C. Sec. 1437f
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275	275	et seq.; or
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277	277	(iii) the renter agrees in writing to an increase that takes effect sooner than 60 days.
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279	279	(b) Nothing in this Subsection (8) prevents an owner from increasing the amount the
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281	281	renter pays for any cost, fee, assessment, or fine allowed under the rental agreement,
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283	283	including any automatic increase to a cost, fee, assessment, or fine provided in the
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285	285	rental agreement.
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287	287	[(8)] (9) Nothing in this section prohibits any fee, fine, assessment, interest, or cost that is
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289	289	allowed by law or stated in the rental agreement.
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291	291	[(9)] (10) A renter may not use an owner's failure to comply with a requirement of
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293	293	Subsection (2), (3), (4), (5), (6), [or ](7), or (8) as a basis:
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295	295	(a) to excuse the renter's compliance with a rental agreement; or
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297	297	(b) to bring a cause of action against the owner.
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299	299	Section 3. Effective date.
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301	301	This bill takes effect on May 7, 2025.
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