Housing (Renters)

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.

HB 478 updates Utah's landlord-tenant laws to clarify obligations for both landlords and renters. It requires landlords to provide 60 days' written notice before rent increases (except for month-to-month leases or low-income housing), disclose all fees and rent estimates upfront in writing, and limit late fees to $75 or 10% of rent, whichever is greater. The bill also mandates written move-in inspections and specifies that landlords must detail all non-rent costs (like utilities) before a lease is signed. These changes directly affect all residential landlords and renters in Utah by standardizing communication and financial disclosures in rental agreements.

SB 187 requires public funds recipients (landlords receiving state housing funds who own 50+ rental units) to offer rent reporting to tenants at lease signing and annually. Tenants can enroll or unenroll in rent reporting at any time, but must pay a fee not exceeding the actual cost of the service. If a tenant fails to pay the fee or opts out, they cannot rejoin the program for six months. The bill takes effect on May 6, 2026, and applies only to qualifying landlords, not all rental properties.

SB 215 would allow eviction records to be removed from public databases under two specific conditions: (1) if a case was fully dismissed with no pending appeal and at least one year has passed since dismissal, or (2) if both the tenant and landlord agreed to expunge the record and formally filed a stipulation with the court. The bill directly affects tenants whose eviction cases meet these criteria, enabling them to have the records removed from their history. Key provisions require either a court dismissal with a waiting period or a written agreement between parties filed with the court. This change aims to provide relief for individuals with dismissed cases or resolved disputes, without altering eviction procedures themselves.

SB 76 creates an optional system for landlords with 16 or more rental units to report rent payments to credit bureaus at a renter’s request. Landlords may charge a fee up to their actual reporting cost, and renters can join or leave the program anytime during their lease. However, renters who miss a fee payment or voluntarily leave the program cannot rejoin for six months. The law applies only to large landlords (entities or individuals owning 16+ units), not small-scale property owners.