Committee Advances Fields & Exum’s Bill to Reduce Financial Barriers for Renters
HB23-1099 will implement portable screening reports, lower financial burden for prospective tenants
DENVER, CO – Today, Senator Rhonda Fields, D-Aurora, and Senator Tony Exum’s, D-Colorado Springs, bill to require landlords to accept and provide portable screening reports passed out of the Senate Local Government and Housing Committee.
Currently, renters can have their credit negatively impacted and pay redundant fees for screening reports when searching for a place to live. HB23-1099 would require landlords to provide applicants with a copy of their screening report that they can present to any other prospective landlord within 30 days of the report publication.
“Too many Coloradans searching for a rental find themselves spending hundreds of dollars in unnecessary fees for things they’ve previously paid for,” said Fields. “Applying to rent a home shouldn’t involve redundant fees and an outsized impact on one’s credit. We have to continue to fight rising housing expenses across the board, including transaction costs like these, so that every Colorado family can find a place to call home without breaking the bank.”
“Our state is in a housing crisis, which is why we’ve been fighting to reduce the many barriers to housing that exist in our state,” said Exum. “Paying for a new screening report every time someone applies for a lease is a financial burden, especially if they’ve applied for other leases recently. This bill allows for greater transparency between landlords and tenants, while also reducing the cost of finding a new place to live.”
Additionally, HB23-1099 also opens avenues for prospective tenants whose application was denied based on their screening report to dispute the accuracy of the report. It would also bar landlords from charging an application fee if an applicant provides a screening report from the past 30 days.
HB23-1099 will now move to consideration on the Senate floor. To follow the bill’s progress, click HERE.