Landlord Accountability ACT

It is a most unfortunate thing that in these the United States of America, tenants or renters, do not enjoy the same freedoms or privileges as home owners. Therefore they are often not treated with the same level of respect as a home owner. This even though the Constitution says that all people have the right to the same quality of life. The Constitution does not say that home owners are better than renters. Many of which would love to own a home but to whom it will never be a reality. Millions of innocent renters have their rights abused every year, and the unfortunate thing is, it goes unreported to the Federal Government. It is estimated that 65% of the U.S population are renters, and America's renters are getting fed up, with landlord rhetoric.

I therefore on this 8th Day of September 2011 institute the Landlord accountability act. The law will require landlords once and for all to be legally accountable for the acts of their tenants in relation to their respective properties. To answer to the law and their renters for not enforcing rules and laws on their respective properties, and for committing slander or illegal evictions against their tenants. If passed in the Senate and House and signed by the president, this bill will become Federal law in all 50 states of the U.S. Making landlords fully accountable. Below is the provisions of the bill:

*Give law abiding renters many of the some rights as home owner, with regard to their quality of living. Does not include real property rights.

*In respect to small business: Landlords shall charge small business a responsible rent fee. It shall be a violation of this law for commercial landlords to charge above what is considered legally responsible.

*This law entitles all law abiding persons in the United States, who have proof of citizenship or residency, to decent quality housing in the 50 states. Landlords will be required to ask for proof of citizenship, or residency when a prospective tenant files an application. All rental applications must be on file at a state level with the local housing authority agency.

*Making landlords legally accountable to State and Federal governments for failure to enforce rules on the respective properties, including mandatory jail time for allowing illegal activities to happen knowingly on such properties. This includes failure to enforce no smoking laws, noise, drugs and any other activity which violates the human rights of fellow tenants.

*Would require landlords to view tenants as a customer, rather than a renter, and would require landlords to accommodate tenants as a regular customer. Landlords would be required to afford all the same rights to tenants, as if they were a home owner. Again this excludes real property rights. Landlords cannot sue or file charges against tenants for repairs made by the tenant, if landlord fails to properly maintain rental unit.

*Known landlord slander, and false accusations issues against tenants, could carry a possible jail sentence of at least three months for landlords. The courts could convict if the tenant has three or four witness. Which would also be considered viable evidence in court. Photos and evidence may be requested by the presiding judge.

*The maximum length of a legal rental lease agreement would be reduced to six months. Thus giving tenants more control over their living situation. Tenants will have power equal to the landlord, to fully terminate their lease, if the landlord breeches any part of the rental agreement, and does not comply with corrective measures, when given the opportunity to do so. No landlord in the United States can force tenants to sign a 12 month lease. If a tenant wishes to sign a 12 month lease, the city in which the property is located must first approve such a lease, before such rental agreement can be put into force legally. The city can also delegate it's local housing agency to authorize such leases. This will insure only landlords who are serious about accommodating their tenants stay in the business. As a means to raise government revenue the city can charge an authorization fee of $35 to the landlord.

*Landlords cannot intimidate, insult, threaten, refuse emergency maintenance after hours, or make snide remarks to a law abiding tenant who is a paying customer. A tenant can report this to their local housing agency as a form of discrimination. The housing agency then may choose to summon the landlord to a hearing to give an account for their mis actions. Landlords who do not heed the summons will receive the same legal consequences, as people who ignore a subpena to court.

*Landlords must show proof to their local housing authority agency and the tenants, the background checks for all tenants. Landlords will pay a $350 fine for tenants to whom they have not conducted a background check. Enforced by the local police or constable. If a tenant suspects that a landlord is not conducting a background checks, they can report it...