SB 371 requires landlords in Kansas to offer tenants the right to purchase a rental property before listing it for sale to the public. It applies to residential properties (excluding buildings with four or more units) and mandates landlords to send tenants a written notice with key sale terms (like price and deadlines) at least 30 days before public listing. Tenants can submit a purchase offer within 30 days, and landlords must accept it if it matches the notice terms or provide a counteroffer within five days. If multiple tenants offer, landlords may choose the most favorable proposal. Violations are treated as consumer protection issues under Kansas law.
HB 2454 requires landlords in Kansas to accept partial rent payments from tenants and consider all types of income (like wages, government benefits, or pensions) when evaluating rental applications, excluding federal housing assistance like Section 8. It prohibits landlords from refusing partial payments or unfairly disqualifying applicants based on income sources. Violations would be treated as deceptive practices under Kansas consumer protection law, allowing tenants to seek remedies through that enforcement system. The bill directly affects landlords and renters under the state's residential landlord-tenant law.
SB 369, if passed, would require Kansas landlords to provide specific written disclosures to prospective tenants before accepting any payment, including estimated rent, non-rent expenses (like utilities), unit availability dates, and tenant eligibility criteria (e.g., credit, criminal history). It also restricts late fees to no more than 5% of rent, prohibits increasing fees based on prior late payments, and mandates a minimum 5-day grace period for rent payments. Violations would release tenants from agreements without penalty and require landlords to refund all payments plus an equal penalty for disclosure breaches. This bill directly affects landlords and prospective tenants under Kansas' residential landlord-tenant law, aiming to increase transparency and limit unfair fees. The bill is currently pending committee review after introduction in January 2026.
SB 370 modifies Kansas' Residential Landlord and Tenant Act to change how rental agreements end when landlords fail to meet lease terms or health/safety requirements. It gives tenants 30 days' written notice to terminate a lease for serious landlord breaches (like unsafe conditions), but requires landlords 14 days to fix the issue before termination takes effect. If the same problem recurs after the 14-day window, tenants can terminate without further notice. The bill also clarifies that tenants cannot terminate for issues they caused and mandates landlords to return eligible security deposits after lease termination. This directly affects renters and landlords in Kansas rental housing.
SB 415 would allow tenants to use Kansas's Consumer Protection Act to address landlords who create unsafe living conditions. Specifically, if a landlord's action or inaction makes a rental unit uninhabitable, tenants could pursue remedies under the Consumer Protection Act instead of (or in addition to) the standard landlord-tenant law. The bill treats landlords as "suppliers" and tenants as "consumers" under this law, removing the need to prove a typical consumer transaction. This change would give tenants stronger enforcement tools for habitability violations without replacing existing tenant protections. The bill is currently pending in committee with a hearing scheduled for February 11, 2026.
SB 388 limits late rent fees in Kansas to a maximum of 5% of the monthly rent amount, as specified in a rental agreement. This applies directly to landlords and tenants in residential rental agreements across the state. The bill requires that any late fee charged must not exceed this 5% cap, replacing any higher fees previously allowed under lease terms. It amends the existing residential landlord-tenant law to establish this clear financial boundary for late payments.
HB 2357 automatically seals court records in eviction cases where the rental agreement is governed by Kansas' residential landlord and tenant law (K.S.A. 58-2540 et seq.), restricting access to the tenant, involved parties, the court, and the clerk. The bill requires courts to offer mediation in such cases unless the court determines it would not help, and prohibits tenant screening agencies and landlords from collecting or sharing sealed eviction information. Sealed eviction judgments are automatically expunged (removed from public records) two years after the judgment is satisfied, unless a new judgment is entered within that period. This applies to all eviction cases under the residential landlord and tenant act, directly affecting tenants, landlords, and tenant screening entities.
SB 169 prohibits mobile home park landlords in Kansas from restricting tenants' choice of communications or video service providers (such as internet, cable, or broadband). It directly affects mobile home park tenants and landlords by requiring landlords to allow tenants to choose their own service providers, unless restrictions are reasonably necessary for health, safety, or welfare. The bill amends Kansas law to explicitly ban such restrictions in rental agreements, while permitting landlords to set reasonable connection standards that don’t charge more than actual costs. This creates a clear policy change ensuring tenants have unfettered access to service options without landlord interference.
HB 2099 allows cities and counties in Kansas to require periodic interior inspections of privately owned residential rental properties where the owner receives government rental subsidies, such as Section 8 vouchers. This directly affects landlords receiving these subsidies, who must now allow inspections for code compliance, and tenants, who must receive reasonable notice of inspection dates. The bill requires local governments to notify tenants before inspections and permits random inspections in response to code violation complaints. It repeals the existing prohibition on routine inspections for unsubsidized housing, creating a specific exception for subsidized properties.
