[§521-46] Application screening fee.
(a) When a landlord or the landlord's agent receives a request from an
applicant to rent a dwelling unit, the landlord or the landlord's agent may
charge the applicant an application screening fee at the time the application
is processed for the dwelling unit to cover the costs of obtaining information
about the applicant; provided that a landlord or the landlord's agent shall
only charge an application screening fee for an applicant who is eighteen years
of age or older or an emancipated minor. Information sought by the landlord or
the landlord's agent charging the fee may include personal reference checks,
tenant reports, criminal background checks, and credit reports produced by any
consumer credit reporting agency.
(b) Upon request by the applicant, a landlord
or the landlord's agent shall provide to the applicant a:
(1) Receipt for payment of the application screening
fee; and
(2) Breakdown of costs covered by the application
screening fee.
(c) A landlord or the
landlord's agent shall return to the applicant any amount of the application
screening fee that is not used for the purposes authorized by this section
within thirty days after the landlord has submitted screening requests.
(d) For the purposes of this section:
"Consumer credit reporting agency"
has the same meaning as in section 489P-2.
"Credit report" has the same meaning
as in section 489P-2. [L 2023, c 200, §1]
Note
The office of consumer protection of the department of
commerce and consumer affairs shall produce and make available informational
materials regarding, and widely publicize the requirements for, application
screening fees. L 2023, c 200, §2.