A bill from Del. Paul Nichols, D-Dist. 51, requiring landlords facing foreclosures to provide written notification to renters in a timely manner made it out of committee and onto the House floor on Thursday.
Neither Nichols nor his aide, John Murphy, could be reached for comment Friday afternoon. But in a press release, the measure was described as a means of helping renters who have paid their rents on time but are nonetheless evicted due to their landlord’s inability to pay the mortgage.
“This is the first step I plan on taking to ensure renters are protected,” said Nichols, whose area of representation includes Woodbridge. “Stories about families who have done nothing wrong, being forced out of their homes, tug at your heart. It completely tears a person’s life apart when they have to unexpectedly deal with where their child will go to school, or where they will spend their nights.”
Notification would at least allow those facing such plight “to plan more effectively for their future,” Nichols continued.
The actual text of the bill limits the amount of time landlords have to notify tenants in writing of impending mortgage defaults or foreclosures to five days.
“Failure of the landlord to provide the notice … shall immediately terminate the rental agreement at the option of the tenant,” the text reads.
But the bigger help to tenants is this: “The tenant shall be entitled to return of the security deposit and any accrued interest, without any deductions, damages or charges by the landlord within 10 days after termination of the tenancy,” the text continues.
The Legislative Information System did not have listed the date of House consideration of the bill, yet. But it was reported out of the General Laws committee 19-0; three members did not vote.
Staff writer Cheryl Chumley can be reached at 703-670-1907.
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