A Madison city committee yesterday approved several ordinances aimed to minimize loopholes landlords have used to exploit renters in recent years.
The Landlord-Tenant Committee voted unanimously to endorse the measures, which were sponsored by Ald. Mike Verveer, District 4. If passed and implemented by the Common Council, the ordinances will place several significant restrictions on landlords.
One measure curbs the ability of landlords to dodge an ordinance limiting late fees to no more than 5 percent of the rent. Another initiative forbids landlords from levying a mandatory carpet-cleaning fee on renters. A third measure will force landlords to paint porches which are aesthetically unpleasing.
Verveer, a member of the Landlord-Tenant Committee, said that it is not uncommon for landlords to coerce renters to sign an agreement to have money extracted from the renters’ security deposit to pay for carpet cleaning.
“It is currently illegal for landlords to have a carpet-cleaning fee deducted from a security deposit,” Verveer said. “However, many tenants are made to believe by their landlords that they must agree to forfeit money from their security deposit to go towards carpet cleaning.”
Verveer also pointed out that landlords on occasion have not followed through with carpet cleaning.
“Sometimes the landlords charge the renters for carpet cleaning and it doesn’t get done,” Verveer said.
David Sparer, president of the committee, shared Verveer’s sentiments.
“Lots of landlords try to make tenants pay for normal wear and tear,” Sparer said.
Student activist Phil Ejercito expressed concern at the possibility landlords might raise rents in response to the ordinance.
Verveer and other members of the committee agreed some landlords have been evading the city-mandated late-rent fee cap of 5 percent.
“Landlords get around the current percentage of 5 percent by offering tenants a significant discount by paying rent earlier,” Verveer said.
Verveer also sponsored a resolution adopted by the committee to give the Madison Police Department the discretion to dole out fines ranging into the hundreds of dollars for landlords who breach city ordinances.
The committee briefly touched on the date of Dec. 15, established several years ago as the beginning of the season when landlords can show apartments to prospective renters. David Presberry, an ASM representative, addressed the committee, telling them, “People are being taken advantage of,” and describing the rush to rent apartments come Dec. 15 as “a race.”
“Many students, unfortunately, are ignorant,” Presberry said. “They just do not know what the laws are.”
