State-by-state law changes
General information, not legal or tax advice. Landlord-tenant and tax rules vary by state, county, and city and change often. Confirm against current statute or a licensed professional in the relevant jurisdiction before acting.
For landlords
Residential
California stacked several changes for 2026. AB 414 tightens security-deposit return mechanics and emphasizes electronic refunds. AB 628, effective January 1, 2026, requires a working refrigerator and stove in rental units, with limited exceptions. AB 246 lets tenants raise certain federal-payment disruptions as a hardship defense in eviction. And the Tenant Protection Act's annual rent cap remains about 5% plus regional CPI.
Just-cause rules continue to apply broadly across the state. These summaries move fast — verify the current text and any city ordinance (Los Angeles, San Francisco, and others add their own layers) before you act.
For landlords
Residential
Florida's 2026 updates touch deposits, notices, and fees. Security deposits must be returned within 15 days when there are no deductions, or 30 days with an itemized claim. Some notice periods were extended and email-notice options formalized, while the notice to pay rent or vacate runs 3 business days.
On fees, late, NSF, and similar surcharges must now be reasonable and disclosed in writing before the lease is signed, and certain debt-trap 'probation period' clauses are barred. Confirm specifics against the current statute, since several of these reforms phased in through 2026.
For landlords
Residential
Very. Landlord-tenant law is overwhelmingly state and local, so the right answer changes at the border. Deposit caps differ (New York limits to one month; Texas has none), as do return deadlines (roughly 14 to 45 days), notice-to-enter rules (from none to 48 hours), late-fee limits, just-cause requirements, and rent caps. Cities then layer on their own ordinances.
The practical rule: never assume what worked in one state applies in another. Confirm the statute — and any city ordinance — for each property's location. Collabrio scopes deposit-holding rules and records by property so a portfolio spread across states keeps each unit's paperwork straight.
For landlords
Residential
New York is one of the most tenant-protective states, driven by the 2019 Housing Stability and Tenant Protection Act (HSTPA) and the 2024 Good Cause Eviction law. Security deposits are capped at one month's rent and must be returned within 14 days with an itemized statement. Late fees are capped at $50 or 5% of rent, whichever is less, with a mandatory 5-day grace period. Notice to end or not renew a month-to-month tenancy (or to raise rent 5% or more) is tiered: 30 days under a year, 60 days for one to two years, 90 days beyond two.
Landlords owe a warranty of habitability and must make repairs within a reasonable time after written notice, and retaliation against tenants who report code violations is barred. Good Cause Eviction extends just-cause-style protection to many market-rate tenants in New York City and localities that opt in — limiting non-renewals and outsized rent increases. Confirm whether Good Cause applies to your specific locality before issuing a non-renewal.
For landlords
Residential
Texas is comparatively landlord-friendly but still imposes core duties. There's no statutory cap on the deposit amount, and the deposit must be returned within 30 days with an itemized list of any deductions. Landlords must repair conditions that materially affect health and safety after proper written notice, and the tenant's 'repair and deduct' remedy has strict statutory prerequisites. Essential-service failures (like sewage backup) must be addressed quickly.
Eviction starts with a 3-day notice to vacate (unless the lease specifies otherwise), then a forcible-detainer suit. SB 38, effective in 2025, streamlined the process — justice-court hearings now focus on possession and bar most counterclaims. Retaliation against tenants for good-faith repair requests is prohibited, and 24-hour entry notice is standard practice even where the statute is light. Always check city ordinances (Austin, Dallas, Houston add rules).
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