HB 516 Utah House · 2026 General Session

Landlord Communication Amendments

HB 516 amends Utah law to give renters clearer rights when landlords fail to fix housing issues. It allows tenants to take "commercially reasonable steps" to repair deficient conditions (like broken heating) and deduct costs from rent, up to two months' rent, or choose rent abatement if the landlord doesn't act within 3-10 days. Tenants must provide written notice detailing the issue, the required fix timeline, and their chosen remedy before taking action. The bill also defines "dangerous conditions" requiring landlords to fix problems within 24 hours and clarifies when tenants cannot be evicted for lease violations.

Issues: ✓ Housing

Bill status in committee 1 of 4 stages cleared

Introduction

Feb 2026

Committee Review

Floor Vote

Governor

Introduced Feb 9, 2026 Last action Mar 7, 2026

Maddy AI version diff · 1 comparison

What changed between versions

Introduced → Substitute #1 · 7 edits

MODERATE

This bill substitutes a new version of HB 516 that expands tenant protections and clarifies landlord obligations regarding habitability issues. The changes include new remedies for tenants facing deficient conditions, updated definitions of unlawful detainer, and modified notice requirements for dangerous conditions. The bill also adds provisions allowing tenants to take commercially reasonable steps to correct certain issues and clarifies when owners may terminate rental agreements due to habitability concerns.

Scope change

The bill's scope remains focused on residential rental unit habitability and unlawful detainer, but the applicability has been expanded to include new tenant remedies and clearer definitions of when tenants can be held liable for unlawful detainer.

REQUIREMENT

Added provision allowing renters to take commercially reasonable steps to correct deficient conditions in their residential rental units.

Added new renter remedies including rent abatement and repair and deduct options when owners fail to correct deficient conditions within the corrective period.

DEFINITION

Updated definitions section to clarify terms like 'commercial tenant', 'occupant of real property', 'peaceable possession', and 'unlawful detainer' with more specific language.

ENFORCEMENT

Added new grounds for unlawful detainer including animal attacks and violations of lease provisions designated as incurable violations.

TIMELINE

Modified notice periods and corrective timelines for dangerous conditions and deficient conditions, with specific day counts for different types of violations.

ELIGIBILITY

Modified circumstances under which tenants are guilty of unlawful detainer, particularly regarding conditions that cannot be reasonably remedied while the tenant occupies the property.

TECHNICAL

Made technical changes to formatting, numbering, and some language throughout the bill text to improve clarity and consistency.

Floor votes

How they voted

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Full legislative history

Actions timeline

Total actions

Key actions

Committee

Mar 5, 2026

Lower · Passed

House/ comm rpt/ sent to Rules [House Rules Committee]

lower

Mar 4, 2026

Lower · Passed

House Comm - Recommends Returned to Rules [House Business, Labor, and Commerce Committee]

lower

Feb 19, 2026

Lower · Passed

House Comm - Held [House Business, Labor, and Commerce Committee]

lower

Feb 17, 2026

Committee

House/ to standing committee [House Business, Labor, and Commerce Committee]

lower

Feb 9, 2026

Introduced

House/ 1st reading (Introduced)

lower

0 primary · 1 co-sponsor