MT HB501

Property owners may request local law enforcement to immediately remove unauthorized occupants from residential dwellings by filing a verified complaint, provided the occupant is not a current/former tenant under a written lease, an immediate family member, or involved in pending litigation with the owner

Law enforcement must verify ownership and serve a 24-hour notice to vacate; officers may charge up to $50 for processing and an hourly rate for standing by while owners change locks and remove the occupant's personal property

Unauthorized occupants who are wrongfully removed may sue the owner for actual damages, statutory damages equal to fair market rental value, court costs, and attorney fees

Amends the deceptive practices statute (45-6-317, MCA) to make it a crime to present false lease agreements, deeds, or other property documents, or to list/advertise property for sale or rent without legal ownership or authority

Penalties for deceptive practices involving property fraud range from fines up to $500 for offenses under $1,500 in value, to fines up to $10,000 and imprisonment up to 10 years for offenses exceeding $5,000