MT SB421

Landlords must reimburse rental application fees within 20 days if the applicant does not sign a lease, minus actual out-of-pocket costs for services performed

Credit checks and criminal background checks performed by landlords remain valid for 6 months and must be accepted by all other landlords, preventing applicants from paying for duplicate screenings

Landlords must provide written notice itemizing how application fees are allocated to specific services, and may only retain costs for services actually performed, capped at $25 per service

Applicants who have application fees wrongfully withheld may sue for damages equal to the amount withheld, with the burden of proof on the landlord to show services were rendered

Effective immediately upon passage and applies to application fees collected after the effective date