Tenancy: credit reporting.

Existing law, the Consumer Credit Reporting Agencies Act, defines and regulates consumer credit reports and consumer credit reporting agencies. Existing law, until July 1, 2025, requires a landlord of an assisted housing development to offer tenants obligated on the lease of units in the development the option of having their rental payments reported to at least one consumer reporting agency, as specified. Existing law authorizes a landlord to charge a tenant that elects to have rent reported a $10 fee and prescribes requirements regarding how the offer of rent reporting is to be made. This bill would require a landlord of a dwelling unit of residential real property to offer any tenant obligated on a lease the option of having the tenant's positive rental payment information, as defined, reported to at least one nationwide consumer reporting agency, as specified. The bill would require, for leases entered into on and after April 1, 2025, the offer of positive rental payment information reporting to be made at the time of the lease agreement and at least once annually thereafter, and for leases outstanding as of January 1, 2025, the offer of positive rental payment information reporting to be made no later than April 1, 2025, and at least once annually thereafter. The bill would authorize a tenant to request, and would require a landlord to provide, additional copies of the written election of positive rental payment information reporting at any time. The bill would authorize a tenant who elects to have positive rental payment information reported as described in these provisions to subsequently file a written request to stop that reporting and would require the landlord to comply with that request. The bill would prohibit a tenant who stops positive rental payment information reporting from electing reporting again for at least 6 months. The bill would authorize a landlord to charge a tenant that elects to have positive rental payment information reported the lesser of $10 per month or the actual cost to the landlord to provide the service, unless the landlord does not incur any actual cost to provide positive rental payment reporting. The bill would prohibit a landlord from taking certain actions if a tenant fails to pay the landlord's rent reporting charge. The bill would exempt from these provisions a landlord of a residential rental building that contains 15 or fewer dwelling units, unless specified conditions are met, and an assisted housing development, as defined.