Landlord-tenant relations: security deposits.

Existing law requires that no later than 21 calendar days after the tenant has vacated the premises, but not earlier than the time that either the landlord or the tenant provides a notice to terminate the tenancy, as specified, or not earlier than 60 calendar days prior to the expiration of a fixed-term lease, the landlord furnish the tenant, by personal delivery or by first-class mail, postage prepaid, a copy of an itemized statement indicating the basis for, and the amount of, any security received and the disposition of the security and to return any remaining portion of the security to the tenant. Existing law also requires that along with the itemized statement, the landlord include copies of documents showing charges incurred and deducted by the landlord to repair or clean the premises, as specified. This bill would, in addition, provide that after either the landlord or the tenant provides notice to terminate the tenancy, a landlord and tenant may mutually agree to have the landlord deposit any remaining portion of the security deposit electronically to a bank account or other financial institution designated by the tenant. The bill would also provide that after either the landlord or the tenant provides notice to terminate the tenancy, the landlord and the tenant may agree to have the landlord provide a copy of the itemized statement along with the copies of documents showing charges incurred and deducted by the landlord to repair or clean the premises to an email account provided by the tenant. This bill would incorporate additional changes in Section 1950.5 of the Civil Code proposed in AB 2521, that would become operative only if AB 2521 and this bill are both chaptered and become effective on or before January 1, 2013, and this bill is chaptered last.