A California bill, SB 1296, to require upfront disclosure of rental application pet restrictions before renters pay application fees has passed the Assembly Judiciary Committee.
Simply put the bill requires landlords to clearly disclose rental pet policies before charging an application fee.
Authored by Sen. María Elena Durazo and co-authored by Assemblymembers Isaac G. Bryan and Matt Haney, SB 1296 would help renters avoid spending money on applications for homes that do not fit their needs, while helping landlords reduce confusion, repetitive inquiries, and applications from renters who do not qualify under a property’s existing pet policy.
The following is a statement from Jennifer Naitaki, Senior Advisor to Michelson Center for Public Policy (MCPP):
“Clear upfront disclosure is good for everyone. We are not asking housing providers to change their pet policies. We are asking them to make those rules clear upfront. Renters should not spend time and money applying for housing only to discover later that a property’s pet policy makes them ineligible, and landlords should not have to waste time reviewing applications that were never a fit. SB 1296 is a commonsense transparency measure that avoids unnecessary costs and creates a clearer process for both renters and housing providers.”
