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Landlords and platforms warn rental-bill package would curb tenant representation, hurt seasonal renters and reduce agent jobs
Summary
Multiple landlords, rental platforms and attorneys opposed a set of proposed bills that would limit tenant-paid broker fees and shorted the allowable lease-signing window to 90 days before a start date, saying the language is ambiguous, would curtail tenant choice and harm students and small landlords.
A string of landlord representatives, rental-platform executives and attorneys told the Joint Committee on Consumer Protection and Professional Licensure they oppose several tenant- and landlord-related bills that together would ban most tenant-paid broker fees and shorten the rental-signing window to 90 days before a lease start date.
Witnesses named bills including House Bill 335, House Bill 336, House Bill 374, Senate Bill 224 / House Bill 449 and Senate Bill 268 and argued the package — as written — could ban tenants from retaining brokers, limit tenant access to privately owned apartments and disrupt the September 1 rental cycle widely used by students and seasonally timed moves.
"By putting an overall blanket ban on broker fees altogether, these laws effectively do ban and prevent tenant representation in all forms," attorney Kirstin Preston told the committee, urging amendments to preserve a tenant's right to hire and pay a broker.
Several small landlords and rental agents said the bills were ambiguous about verbal versus written agreements and would reduce access to privately owned apartments that are not represented on national portals. Trevor Turner, who manages hundreds of rentals, said a 90-day window would compress the market and force students and others to choose by remote or off-site means. "A 90 day window leaves me June, July, and August to rent out a unit for September 1...That means apartment tours will have lines out the door," Turner said.
Dimitris Alpaglios (Boston Pads) and others said committee members had not solicited input from local landlords, property managers and brokers before drafting the bills, and warned of job losses among licensed agents and downstream impacts on local services. Alpaglios said the bills risk sending commission revenue to out-of-state platforms rather than local businesses.
Opponents urged the committee to clarify contract and agency definitions, require written agreements to trigger fee rules and add exemptions for students, exchange students and families with children. Several witnesses said they would submit detailed written testimony and asked the committee to work with local landlords and broker groups on amendments.
No committee vote was taken at the hearing.
