House Bill No. introduced by J. Karlen and others aims to revise the laws surrounding residential tenant security deposits in Montana. The bill seeks to enhance tenant rights by requiring landlords to provide more detailed information regarding any cleaning that was not completed by the tenant, including an itemized list of the cleaning tasks and estimated costs for any uncompleted work. Additionally, the bill extends the time tenants have to complete required cleaning from 24 hours to 48 hours after receiving notice from the landlord.

Furthermore, the bill prohibits landlords from charging tenants an inspection fee for assessing the cleaning completed within the specified 48-hour period. It also clarifies that landlords can only deduct amounts from the security deposit for specific reasons outlined in the law, ensuring that tenants are not unfairly charged for normal maintenance or cleaning that should be the landlord's responsibility. Overall, the bill aims to provide greater transparency and fairness in the handling of security deposits and cleaning responsibilities.

Statutes affected:
LC Text: 70-25-201
HB0304_1(1): 70-25-201
HB0304_1(2): 70-25-201
HB0304_1(3): 70-25-201
HB0304_1: 70-25-201