Missouri Tenant Rights: Your Comprehensive Guide
As a tenant, you have rights that protect you from unfair and unlawful practices of landlords. Being aware of your rights can help you avoid potential issues and protect yourself against any legal or financial troubles.
In this article, we will discuss Missouri Tenant Rights in detail, including recent updates and changes made to the law, common issues faced by tenants and how to deal with them, and much more.
What are Missouri Tenant Rights?
Missouri Tenant Rights are laws and regulations that protect tenants from any type of discrimination, eviction, or exploitation by landlords. These rights are meant to protect tenants’ personal privacy, security, and safety within their rental apartments or homes. These rights also ensure that landlords provide safe, healthy, and habitable living conditions, maintain the property, and handle security deposit and rent payments fairly.
Missouri Landlord-Tenant Law
The Missouri Landlord-Tenant Law is a set of regulations that governs the rights and responsibilities of both landlords and tenants in a rental agreement. This law specifies the conditions under which landlords can enter tenant’s homes, what they can and cannot do with the property, and how they should handle security deposit and rent payments. The law also outlines the legal process for tenant eviction and breach of contract, as well as the tenancy period and renewal process.
Recent Missouri Tenant Rights Updates
In 2018, Missouri Governor Michael Parson signed a new law that changed the landlord-tenant relationship for Missouri tenants. This law included the following updates:
1. Notice of Rent Increase: The Landlord is required to provide a written notice of rent increase to tenants at least 30 days before it takes effect.
2. Eviction for Criminal Records: The law prohibits landlords from evicting or refusing to rent to tenants solely based on their criminal records after seven years.
3. Tenant Privacy: The law requires landlords to provide tenants with at least 24 hours of notice before entering their apartment for a non-emergency.
4. Non-Refundable Fees: Landlords are not allowed to charge non-refundable application fees unless they account for actual costs and expenses of the screening process.
5. Security Deposit: The law outlines the regulations for the collection and return of security deposits, including the maximum amount that landlords can collect, the time frame for returning the deposit, and the deductions that landlords can make from the deposit.
These new updates provide additional protection to tenants, ensuring that Missouri landlords cannot take advantage of tenant’s needs for a safe and habitable apartment.
Common Issues Faced by Missouri Tenants
Despite the Missouri Tenant Rights, some landlords may still try to take advantage of tenants and exploit their rights. Here are some common issues faced by Missouri tenants and how to deal with them:
1. Repairs and Maintenance Issues
One of the most common issues faced by tenants is the lack of attention landlords pay to repairs and maintenance requests. Poor maintenance may result in broken appliances, mold, water damage, or pest infestations, which can cause health and safety concerns.
Solution: Tenants should report any maintenance or repair issues to landlords or management immediately. If landlords fail to respond promptly, tenants should send a written request via certified mail, with a clear description of the issue and a request for repair within a reasonable time frame.
2. Security Deposit Disputes
Another frequent issue Missouri tenants face is the mishandling of security deposits. Landlords may deduct excessive amounts and make unnecessary deductions from the security deposit, leaving tenants without sufficient funds to move elsewhere or pay other bills.
Solution: Tenants should take pictures of the rental unit at move-in and move-out, documenting the condition of the property thoroughly. Also, tenants should keep a copy of the lease agreement and any written communication regarding the security deposit. If landlords wrongfully withhold the security deposit upon move-out, tenants can file a complaint with the Missouri Attorney General’s Office or seek legal action in small claims court.
3. Unfair Rent Increases
It is not uncommon for landlords to raise rent prices after a year or so, leading to financial difficulties for tenants. They may raise the rent without giving enough notice or without providing a valid reason.
Solution: If landlords raise the rent without proper notice, tenants should notify the management and negotiate the price. If landlords refuse to negotiate, tenants can consult with a local housing authority or a tenant’s advocacy group for assistance.
4. Eviction
Landlords may try to evict tenants unjustly, such as refusing to renew their lease, discriminating against them, or asking them to move out without proper notice.
Solution: If tenants believe they are being unlawfully evicted, they should check whether their lease agreement is still valid and provide a written request for clarification. If they receive a notice of eviction, they should know their rights and file a complaint with the Missouri Attorney General’s Office or seek a legal attorney.
In conclusion, as a tenant, being aware of your rights can help you avoid potential legal or financial troubles. Missouri Tenant Rights guarantee that landlords provide safe, habitable, and healthy living conditions, handle security deposit and rent payments fairly, and maintain tenant’s privacy.
If you ever face any issues with your landlord, don’t hesitate to seek assistance from local housing authorities or tenant’s advocacy groups. Remember, it is always better to be prepared and knowledgeable about your rights than to be sorry later.
MO Tenant’s Rights
There are a number of general obligations that the landlord has to a tenant, generally involving the safety and security of a property, as well as its working order and adherence to the renter’s agreement.
Most MO tenant’s rights are not asserted by the law but provide the grounds to pursue civil litigation against employers that neglect the property or otherwise violate the tenant’s agreement.
Working with a free consultation from a MO tenant’s rights attorney will help you to determine the strength and relevance of a case and your ability to prove that you were not aware of unfavorable terms in the lease or other documents.
What Are The Missouri Tenant’s Rights Before One Moves In?
You are protected from housing discrimination, meaning that you cannot be barred from living in a property due to race, age, gender, ethnicity, religion or national origin. Any and all complaints made about housing discrimination can be handles by the local prosecutor depending on the location and severity of the case. There are fines and other penalties for housing discrimination as well.
Leases, Other Agreements and MO Tenant’s Rights
Both you and the landlord are obligated to hold up the terms of the lease in order for there for be MO tenant’s rights. The failure to do so will lead to the termination of the agreement, end of Missouri tenant rights and the possible eviction from the property. Regardless of the issue with the landlord, the tenant should continue to meet all obligations, including paying rent, so as not to give the landlord reason to terminate the rental agreement and maintain their Missouri tenant rights.
You may agree to a month-to-month lease, but be advised that this can be terminated with only 30 days’ notice by either party under Missouri tenant rights.
Security Deposits and MO Tenant’s Rights
The landlord has the right to collect a security deposit when the tenant moves in. Under Missouri tenant’s rights, that deposit can be no more than two months’ rent and if there are no damages to the property, that amount is returned in full. No rent paid by the tenant can be added or deducted from the security deposit. Under Missouri tenant’s rights, the tenant has the right to have a reasonable estimate of damages to the property that will be deducted from the security deposit.
Missouri Tenant’s Rights and Access By Landlord To Property
Under Missouri tenant’s rights, the tenant has the right to restrict the access of the landlord to the property. This means that there cannot be unfettered access, especially for harassment. The landlord does have the Missouri tenant rights to inspect the property and would have to give two days’ notice before entering the property. Under MO tenant’s rights, the landlord may show the property to prospective renters, make repairs and inspect the property.
Does The Landlord Have The Ability To Shutoff Utilities Under MO Tenant’s Rights?
The landlord will not, under any circumstances, shut off utilities while a tenant lives there. Missouri tenant’s rights give protection against retaliation by landlords and offers civil remedies against the landlord for such behavior. The landlord is obligated under Missouri tenant’s rights to provide hot water, adequate heating and electricity unless otherwise noted.
Failing to meet the obligation to the Missouri tenant rights for utilities, the tenants may take legal action or file a complaint with the applicable authority. This will ensure that the property is safe and habitable.
Too keep one’s Missouri tenant rights, they must continue to pay rent, regardless of the disputes and other issues that might arise under Missouri tenant rights.
