Utah landlord-tenant bill deemed 'not ready for prime time'

SALT LAKE CITY – A bill in the Utah Legislature that would give landlords more power to terminate rental agreements in certain situations failed to move forward this week.

HB516, sponsored by Rep. Dave Shallenberger, R-Orem, was held by the House Business, Labor, and Commerce Committee on Wednesday, halting its progress for now.

The measure would allow landlords to immediately terminate a lease agreement if they determine a home has a condition that makes it "not habitable," or if a tenant has an animal that attacks or bites someone. It also requires tenants to report problems with their home to their landlord, whereas now it's only optional.

The bill was supported by Titan Legal, a Utah law firm specializing in evictions. Justin Allen, government affairs director at the Rental Housing Association of Utah, a landlord advocacy group, also spoke in support, saying the bill is necessary to address "rare situations where there is a serious habitability issue that needs to be resolved," particularly when a tenant refuses to move out.

But multiple people expressed concerns. Jake Anderegg, who represents the National Association of Housing and Redevelopment Officials, said the bill's language is vague and could potentially be used to "get rid of an annoying tenant."

He also said a tenant could "find themselves in a desperate situation struggling to find a new place to live in a short period of time."

Tara Rollins, executive director of the Utah Housing Coalition, spoke against the bill as written, but noted she is willing to work with the lawmaker to "come to an agreement" that protects both landlords and tenants.

Steve Erickson, with Crossroads Urban Center, told the committee the bill is "not ready for prime time yet."

In the end, the House committee agreed, voting 11-1 to hold the bill.

"It feels like it's not quite there," said Rep. Cory Maloy, R-Saratoga Springs. "It's just not ready to go."

It's unclear if HB516 will be heard again before the legislative session ends on March 6.

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