HB 493 Summary

• Increases the abandoned personal property value threshold from $500 to $750 for landlords to deliver property to nonprofit organizations, and increases the threshold for automatic disposal from $100 to $500.

• Creates a new process allowing landlords to file an affidavit with the court clerk to take possession of a deceased tenant's personal property without filing for summary ejectment, requiring 10 days after the rental period expires and verification that no estate has been appointed.

• Establishes procedures for landlords to store, sell, or donate a deceased tenant's property after 90 days, with surplus proceeds from sales delivered to the clerk to be administered like other unclaimed estate funds.

• Expands permitted uses of security deposits to include damage to smoke and carbon monoxide detectors, reasonable re-renting fees paid to real estate brokers, and removes the waiver of partial payments as a violation of consumer protection laws.

• Allows vacation rental agreements to include a cleaning fee and requires the amount to be reasonably calculated to cover actual cleaning costs upon tenancy termination; effective October 1, 2012.