The bill amends the "Residential Landlord and Tenant Act" to update notice requirements for terminating tenancies. For month-to-month tenancies, landlords must now provide a written notice at least sixty days before termination, or at least one hundred twenty days for tenants aged sixty-two years or older. The bill does not change the existing notice requirement for year-to-year tenancies, which remains three months.

Additionally, the bill introduces new language for eviction notices and establishes standardized forms, including a five-day demand notice for nonpayment of rent and a notice of noncompliance. It also allows tenants to formally respond to eviction actions, enabling them to assert defenses and file counterclaims against landlords. A standardized form for tenants to answer eviction complaints is included, detailing defenses such as the landlord's refusal to accept rent or failure to maintain habitable conditions. The act is set to take effect immediately upon passage.

Statutes affected:
7765: 34-18-37, 34-18-56