HF 93

as introduced - 90th Legislature (2017 - 2018) Posted on 02/09/2017 05:59pm

A bill for an act
relating to housing; prohibiting landlords from charging a prospective tenant more
than the actual cost of a tenant screening service; amending Minnesota Statutes
2016, section 504B.173, subdivision 1.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MINNESOTA:

Section 1.

Minnesota Statutes 2016, section 504B.173, subdivision 1, is amended to read:

Subdivision 1.

Limitations.

A landlord may not:

(1) charge an applicant a screening fee when the landlord knows or should have known
that no rental unit is available at that time or will be available within a reasonable future
time;

(2) collect or hold an applicant screening fee without giving the applicant a written
receipt for the fee, which may be incorporated into the application form, upon request of
the applicant; deleted text begin or
deleted text end

(3) use, cash, or deposit an applicant screening fee until all prior applicants have either
been screened and rejected, or offered the unit and declined to enter into a rental agreement deleted text begin . deleted text end new text begin ;
or
new text end

new text begin (4) charge more than the actual cost of obtaining the screening or more than the customary
costs charged by screening services in the surrounding area.
new text end

new text begin EFFECTIVE DATE. new text end

new text begin This section is effective August 1, 2017, and applies to tenant
screening fees collected on or after that date.
new text end