Committee advances bill defining when landlords may enter rental units; debate centers on 14-day standard

The Housing Committee voted to advance House Bill 6949 as amended by substitute LCO 5975, a measure that defines when a tenant may be deemed to have “unreasonably withheld consent” to a landlord’s request to enter a dwelling unit and clarifies landlord access in emergencies.

Representative Zulu, the bill proponent, told the committee the change grew out of a common practical problem: owners who rent their homes and then need access to prepare them for sale cannot get into the unit to photograph or show the property. “If you’re not able to get into a property…you’re more likely to miss the spring market,” Zulu said, adding the substitute “adds a little more teeth” by better defining what unreasonably withholding consent would mean and that the current draft sets that period at 14 days.

Opponents and questioners pressed on whether 14 days is too long. Senator Sampson said 14 days could be “way too long” in cases where landlords must make prompt repairs to prevent property damage, and said he would vote no on the bill as written. He argued the draft risks allowing tenants to deny access for repairs that could quickly exacerbate damage and costs.

Other legislators raised routine-lease concerns. One member noted that many leases already specify 48- or 72-hour notice and asked whether the bill would override those lease terms; proponents said the draft is intended to create a statutory default definition for “unreasonable” withholding that would operate where a lease is silent. Committee members also asked what counts as an emergency. The chair read section (b) aloud: “in the case of an emergency, a landlord may enter the dwelling unit without consent.” The chair agreed that immediate flooding and boiler failures would likely qualify as emergencies that allow earlier entry.

Senator Anwar asked whether there is a penalty for refusing entry; the chair answered that defining “unreasonable” would create a path to summary process eviction but is not itself a penalty. Several members said the bill was not yet final and could be revised before floor consideration to address the time period and other concerns.

The committee adopted the substitute and moved the bill JF to the floor on a roll-call vote. The committee record shows the roll call and will be published with the committee minutes.

The committee debate focused on three discrete issues: whether 14 days is a defensible default, how the statutory default interacts with existing lease terms, and how the emergency exception will be interpreted in practice. Sponsors and critics said they expect to refine the language before further action.