The Senate Judiciary Committee heard Sen. Bohacek’s SB 422 on habitability standards. The bill allows a tenant to terminate a rental agreement if the landlord fails to deliver the rental premises under certain conditions and requires the landlord to return to the tenant any amounts previously paid to the landlord; requires notice to a tenant regarding lease termination to include a statement about failure to pay fees; and provides that notice is not required to terminate a formal or informal lease in certain situations. At the hearing on February 20, the committee amended the bill to change “or fees” to “and fees”, remove provisions allowing a tenant to terminate a rental agreement if the landlord fails to deliver the rental premises under certain conditions, and for the landlord to return to the tenant any amounts previously paid, and provide that a court must hear a cause of action filed by a tenant to enforce an obligation of a landlord no later than 30 days after the date of filing. The amended bill passed 5-3.
Read the bill at http://iga.in.gov/legislative/2019/bills/senate/422