The Senate Judiciary Committee heard SB 202 on various housing matters authored by Sen. Qaddoura. The original bill:
- Allows a city, county, or town to bring a nuisance action against a tenant or other person responsible for a nuisance.
- Defines “essential services” as certain utility services needed for the safe and habitable occupation by a tenant of the tenant’s rental unit.
- Defines “essential systems” as certain systems used to deliver essential services to a rental unit. Requires a landlord to repair or replace an essential system not later than 24 hours after being notified by a tenant that the tenant’s rental unit is without essential services under certain circumstances.
- Allows for certain remedies to the tenant for the landlord’s noncompliance. Provides that, during the pendency of a court action brought by a tenant, the court may order the tenant to make the regular rental payments otherwise due under the rental agreement to the clerk of the court or an attorney trust account, to be held in trust for disbursal to the prevailing party, as ordered by the court. Provides that a landlord may apply for release of rent deposits; and
- Provides that, after June 30, 2023, a landlord may not manage a rental property in Indiana unless: (1) the landlord resides, is domiciled, or is authorized to do business in Indiana; (2) the landlord maintains an office at one or more physical locations in Indiana; or (3) the landlord has appointed a licensed real estate broker or broker company to manage the rental property.
The bill was amended by consent to strip the bill and assign it to an interim study committee. The amended bill passed 11-0.
Read the bill at: https://iga.in.gov/legislative/2023/bills/senate/202