TENANTS HANDBOOK !! THB

Preview ! THB Leapfrog Lawn Mower Manuals - Lawn Mower Manuals – The Best Lawn Mower Manuals Collection

User Manual: !! Leapfrog Lawn Mower Manuals - Lawn Mower Manuals – The Best Lawn Mower Manuals Collection

Open the PDF directly: View PDF .
Page Count: 41

Download
Open PDF In Browser	View PDF

KANSAS
TENANTS
HANDBOOK
Written and Produced by

HOUSING & CREDIT COUNSELING, INC.
1195 Buchanan, Suite 101
Topeka, Kansas 66604

1

FOREWORD
As we celebrate the 30th Anniversary of Housing and Credit Counseling, Inc., we are proud to bring you
the 5th Revision to the fourth edition of our Kansas Tenants Handbook. In addition to making a few
clarifications and updates in the text, we have also included new information in response to frequently
asked questions and changes in local, state and federal laws. Look for:
♦
♦
♦
♦
♦
♦
♦
♦
♦
♦
♦

More categories of subsidized rental housing
Performing cleaning, maintenance and repairs in lieu of paying a security deposit
Impact on a current lease agreement when the property in which a tenant resides is sold
Prohibited lease provisions providing for automatic forfeit of security deposit for ending a lease early
Guests, and when guests stay
Expanding our list of cities that have adopted housing codes to include Dodge City, Emporia,
Hutchinson and Ottawa
Language that must be included in paperwork provided by a landlord that serves as notice to vacate
More discussion on crime-free and drug-free housing
Resources for obtaining the most current information about mold contamination
Finding the person who will accept legal papers for a corporation in a small claims suit or other legal action
Resources for obtaining current information regarding tenant organizations and organizing

Many people assisted with our revisions to this handbook as well as our Kansas Landlords Handbook.
We especially would like to thank...
Outside of HCCI: Marilyn Harp, Regional Director, Kansas Legal Services; Kansas Bar Association Legal Aid
and Referral Committee; James Dunn and Robert Ebey, President and Vice President, Landlords of
Lawrence, Inc.; Patrick Delapp, Shawnee County Landlords Association, Inc.; Sandy Watson, Landlords
Incorporated of Kansas City, Kansas; Richard Jackson, ECKAN of Ottawa, Kansas; Matthew Brady, Dodge
City Housing Authority; Mike Gurnee, City Planner, Dodge City, Kansas
Housing and Credit Counseling, Inc. Staff: Dee Daniels, Debbie Eubanks, Lee Geary, Brandy Holmes,
Louise Kirkpatrick, Curtis Brown and especially Cornell Mayfield and Jonell Passariello
Special Thanks: A special thanks to the Kansas Bar Association, Topeka, Kansas, for contributing the
printing of this handbook. In particular, thanks to Btissam Touijer, Public Services Director, for handling all
of the arrangements.
We hope this Handbook continues to be as useful to you, and the people with whom you share it, as our
previous publications have been.
Enjoy!
Karen A. Hiller
Executive Director & Author
Housing and Credit Counseling, Inc.
December 2003
Copyright 1985, 1990, 1994, 1996, 1999, 2003
Housing and Credit Counseling, inc.
1195 Buchanan, Suite 101, Topeka, kansas 66604
Material in this book is dated. If your Kansas Tenants Handbook is very old, you may want to doublecheck your information with an attorney or local housing counseling center or contact Housing and Credit
Counseling, Inc. for information about a new publication.

2

TABLE OF CONTENTS
Page
Definitions ........................................................................................................ 4
Chapters
Before You Rent ....................................................................................... 5
Low Rent Housing .................................................................................... 9
Private Housing ..................................................................................... 13
Security Deposits ............................................................................. 13
Leases ............................................................................................ 15
Rules and Regulations ...................................................................... 16
Move-In Checklists ........................................................................... 16
Rent and Late Fees .......................................................................... 17
Landlord Responsibilities .................................................................. 18
Landlord Entry ................................................................................. 22
Tenant Responsibilities ..................................................................... 23
Terminating the Tenancy ................................................................... 24
Discrimination ....................................................................................... 29
Small Claims Court ................................................................................. 33
Tenant Organizations ............................................................................. 37
Highlights
Renter’s Insurance ................................................................................... 8
Worksheet For Computing Public Housing and Section 8 Rents .................... 10
To Locate Low-Rent Housing ................................................................... 12
Examples From Topeka’s Housing Code ..................................................... 20
Housing Codes....................................................................................... 21
Lead-Based Paint Regulations ................................................................. 21
Mold Contamination ............................................................................... 22
Mobile Home Parks ................................................................................. 28
Civil Rights Commissions ........................................................................ 30
How to Shop for An Attorney ................................................................... 32
Legal References ................................................................................... 38

3

DEFINITIONS
The text of this book has been prepared in accordance with the Kansas Residential Landlord and
Tenant Act. Under that Act in K.S.A. 58-2543:
TENANT is defined as “a person entitled under a rental agreement to occupy a dwelling unit
to the exclusion of others.”
LANDLORD is defined as “the owner, lessor, or sublessor of the dwelling unit, or the building
of which it is a part,” and it also means a manager of the premises who fails to disclose as
required by K.S.A. 58-2551.
OWNER is defined as “one (1) or more persons, jointly or severally, in whom is vested:
(1) all or part of the legal title to property; or (2) all or part of the beneficial ownership
and a right to prevent use and enjoyment of the premises; and such term includes a
mortgagee in possession.”
PERSON “includes an individual or organization.”
ORGANIZATION “includes a corporation, government, governmental subdivision or
agency, business trust, estate, trust, partnership or an association, two (2) or more
persons having a joint or common interest, and any other legal or commercial entity.”
The following relationships are not governed by the Act:
COMMERCIAL rental agreements are not covered.
“Unless created to avoid application of this Act, the following relationships are not governed
by this Act:
(a) Residence at an INSTITUTION, public, or private, if incidental to detention or the
provision of medical, geriatric, educational, counseling, religious, or similar service;
(b) Occupancy under a CONTRACT OF SALE of a dwelling unit or the property of which
it is a part, if the occupant is the purchaser or a person who succeeds to the
purchaser’s interest;
(c)

Occupancy by a member of a FRATERNAL OR SOCIAL ORGANIZATION in the
portion of a structure operated for the benefit of the organization;

(d) TRANSIENT occupancy in a hotel, motel, or rooming house;
(e) Occupancy by an EMPLOYEE of a landlord whose right to occupancy is conditional
upon employment in and about the premises;
(f)

Occupancy by an owner of a CONDOMINIUM unit or holder of a proprietary lease in
a COOPERATIVE; and

(g) Occupancy under a rental agreement covering premises used by the occupant primarily
for AGRICULTURAL purposes.” (K.S.A. 58-2541)
The definition of “dwelling unit” says that it “… shall not include REAL PROPERTY USED TO
ACCOMMODATE A MOBILE HOME unless such mobile home is rented or leased by the landlord.” Refer to K.S.A. 58-25,100 through 58-25,126 for detailed statutes regarding mobile
homes.

4

BEFORE YOU RENT

FOR
RENT

move-in expenses such as utility deposits,
truck rental and furniture and drapery purchases. Sometimes two people decide to
rent a place together. You both should be
sure of what happens if one of you decides
to move out! You may be stuck paying
everything if your roommate moves and you
can’t find someone else to share the cost.

So, you’ve decided to rent. LOOK BEFORE
YOU LEAP! What you do before you put any
money down or sign any paper could be more
valuable than anything you do after you enter
into a new rental relationship. TAKE YOUR
TIME AND BE THOROUGH!

WHAT DO YOU NEED?

D. How long do I want to live there? This
question comes up when it’s time to decide
on a lease. If you think you might be moving, getting married or getting divorced, or if
there is any uncertainty in your life which
might make for a questionable length of
stay, think twice about signing a long-term
lease. You may want a written agreement
but on a month-to-month basis. Everyone
should check to see what provision there
is for breaking a lease, if the need arises.
Don’t just accept a verbal promise of, “We
could work it out if something would happen.” Know what it is, and have it in writing.

It goes without saying that people have to
balance what they need vs. what’s available.
When you start looking for a place, hopefully
you’ve asked yourself (and answered) the
following questions:
A. Where? Is the place quiet enough? Is it
too quiet? Will I be close enough to work?
Church? Is it near a bus line? Stores? Do I feel
safe there? If I have a family, is it close to
schools? Play space and recreation?
B. Does it match who I am? If I’m elderly,
does it have too many steps? If I am young
and entertain a lot, will I be able to do it? Can
I plant a garden? If I like to work on my car,
can I? Is there a garage or off-street parking?
Can I have a pet? Take the time to think
about your needs and wants before you
start looking.

FINDING A PLACE
Once you’ve answered all these questions,
it’s time to find a place. The most common
way is to check the newspaper. Sometimes
people post notices on public bulletin boards
in stores and laundromats. Real estate
companies often manage apartments; you
can call the ones listed in your phone book
and ask them. If there’s a neighborhood you
particularly want to live in, it may be worthwhile to drive through it and see if there are
any “For Rent” signs. If you see a place that
looks vacant, but there’s no sign, you can check
with the County Clerk to see who pays the taxes
at that address and then contact them directly.

C. How much does it cost? It’s generally
recommended that you should not spend
more than 25% to 35% of your monthly
income on rent and utilities. For people on
limited incomes, this is often very hard to do.
Things that are important to consider include
what utilities you will be responsible for and
whether there are other costs you’ll need to
figure in. Your landlord or your local utility
companies should be able to tell you what
utility usage and costs have been for the past
couple of years. Are you responsible for cutting the lawn? If you are, and the landlord
won’t provide the mower, maybe you’ll have
to pay somebody to do it. You may have

In some neighborhoods or communities, housing is very scarce. Plan ahead and let people
know you’re looking well in advance. Housing is
often rented by word of mouth.

5

Be wary if a place is for sale. Check out
whether it is likely to remain a rental after
sale. Be extra careful by having arrangements
for showing the property to potential buyers in
writing. If someone promises to take a property off the market because you have moved
in, get that in writing too.

(6) Look for signs of rodents and insects.
Check for droppings in cupboards and corners
of the kitchen and bathrooms. Go to the place
at night and flip the lights on to see if bugs go
scurrying. Ask the landlord if he or she sprays
regularly. Shredded paper often means rats or
mice are nesting nearby.

Look around and try to find what you want.
Don’t just settle on a place because you’re out
of time. You may regret it later.

(7) Check the heat. It is advisable to have a
way to control the heat within each apartment
(thermostat or controls on radiators or heating vents). Find out if circulation is adequate to
heat all rooms. If you are worried about
whether your heater is safe, you can get someone from your utility company to come out and
inspect your unit. (There may be a fee.) If you
are renting during the summer, you might ask
other tenants in the building about the heat in
the winter.

CHECKING IT OUT
(1) Check the hallways and stairs. Are they
lit at night? Are stairs wobbly or broken? Will
you feel secure passing through the halls at night?
(2) Check the locks on the doors. If there
are no dead-bolt locks, you might want to
request they be installed. What about fire exits?

(8) Ask about utilities. Who pays for the
heat and hot water? Who pays for gas and
electricity? You may find apartments where
heat, water, and hot water are included in the
rent. If they are not included, be sure to figure
these expenses into the monthly total that
you will be paying. You will probably also have
to pay deposits to utility companies, including
the phone company, before they will connect
your services.

(3) Check the plumbing, including pipes
around any radiators. Are there any leaks?
Test everything. Run the hot and cold water in
all sinks, bathtubs and showers. Flush the
toilet. Examine all fixtures in the bathroom for
leaks. Does the water drain freely? Is the hot
water hot? How long did it take to get hot?
(Doing this might make you feel kind of silly,
but when do you want to find out, now or later?)

(9) Check for garbage or trash containers.
Where are they? Is the area well kept? Is the
landlord responsible for maintaining the containers and seeing that the trash is picked up?

(4) Check the electrical wiring. Look for
exposed wires and frayed wiring. Are the
outlets where you will need them? Be sure
there is enough electricity coming into the
apartment to run all the appliances you will
want to use. If you have a 220 volt air conditioner, dryer, or stove, check to see if there
are outlets available. If not, you will want a
written agreement with the landlord about
whether appropriate outlets can be installed
and who will pay.

(10) Do the appliances work? Check those
that are provided (for example, stove or
refrigerator). Do they possess all their parts
(broiler pans, ice trays, etc.)?
(11) Check the windows and screens.
Are they broken? Do they open? Are there
latches? Are there storm windows?

(5) Check the floor, walls, and ceilings.
Make sure there are no holes, cracks, or
broken plaster. Look for spots or streaks on
the ceilings and walls. They may mean rain
water or water from pipes above are leaking
through. Carefully examine basement apartments. They are more prone to bugs and
water leakage.

(12) Check for lead paint. If the wall paint is
peeling or flaking, there is a danger to young
children. The taste of lead paint is sweet; therefore children like to eat it like candy. If you have
young children, do not move into a place that
has lead paint. If the paint is old, assume it is
lead paint.

6

GETTING ACCEPTED

(13) If an apartment is furnished, check
the condition of the furniture.

Some landlords may decide whether or not to
rent to you by just looking you in the eye;
some may ask you a few questions about
where you work and who your current landlord is; and some may ask you to fill out very
long, detailed application forms. All are acceptable ways of screening tenants.

(14) Find out who is expected to take care
of the yard, halls, and sidewalks (mowing,
cleaning, scooping snow, etc.).
(15) Is parking available and/or guaranteed?

At this time, there are almost no laws limiting
what landlords may ask for on application
forms, though Fair Credit Reporting laws
require that the landlord not pass the information gained from credit checks on to anyone
else and Fair Housing laws require that you
cannot be turned down because of a need for
accessibility modifications. If you are asked to
give information that seems unnecessarily
personal, you may want to inquire as to exactly why that information is needed and
possibly leave it out. Some landlords know
exactly why they want certain information;
some simply got the forms from someone
else and only use a fraction of what you tell
them anyway. Obviously, the most important
information a future landlord needs to know is
whether you’ll pay your rent, whether you’ll
take good care of the place, and whether
you’ll keep from disturbing your neighbors.

(16) Is there a lease? If so, get a copy. Take
it home and look it over. Ask someone to help
you if you don’t understand it. If the landlord
doesn’t have one and you want one, now is the
time to mention it and suggest a model.
(17) Ask about “house rules.” Rules and
regulations are enforceable by the landlord as
long as they are reasonable and applicable to all
tenants equally and the tenant has had notice of
them at the time he or she enters the agreement. If a rule or regulation changes, or if new
ones are adopted, the tenant must consent in
writing before the landlord can enforce the new
rules and regulations. Are pets allowed? What is
the policy on guests? Look around and check
with neighbors about noise and other living
conditions.
(18) If possible, check with former tenants
about any defects that they know of in the
apartment. You might also talk with neighbors
to get an idea of what kind of service you can
expect from the landlord.

On the other hand, make sure that what you
write down is factual. Kansas law makes it a
criminal offense to falsify an application; conviction could result in fines or jail.
A landlord has the right to select tenants on
pretty much any basis as long as he or she
does not illegally discriminate (see the section
called Discrimination in this handbook). If you
are rejected, ask why. Maybe a reference was
in error. Maybe you need to “clean up” your
credit records. If the reasons don’t seem good
enough to you and you really want the place,
make your case to the landlord. Maybe there
are other credit references you can offer to
convince the landlord that you (and your
family or roommates) are a good risk.

(19) Check anything else relevant to the
dwelling you are renting. You should make
notes on concerns or questions you have and
go over all of them with the landlord before you
decide whether or not you want to rent a particular place. If possible, you should get any
promises made by you or the landlord in writing.
Kansas law says that, if a place is not in compliance with Kansas law and/or your rental agreement on the day you are supposed to move in,
you have the right to get all your money back
and go elsewhere. Having promises in writing
can make it easier to prove whether or not
they’ve been kept.

YES, WE’LL TAKE IT
So, it’s a place you want, you’re satisfied that

7

of these things are not right, the law says that
you don’t owe rent (rent “abates”) until they
are. Then, you have two choices.

anything that’s not quite right will be, and the
landlord has accepted you. You have probably
paid a security deposit, you may have signed a
lease, and have set a move-in date.

One, if you decide you don’t want to live there,
you can give a 5-day written notice to the
landlord stating that you will not be living there,
why, and that you want all of your money back.
The law does not specify exactly when the five
days are to start and end, so just give the
notice as soon as possible. If you have to use
this provision, the law says that you are entitled
to your security deposit back (less any deductions for physical damage you caused) and the
landlord owes you for any cash losses you
suffer.

You can relax now, but you need to stay aware
of what’s happening and continue communication, preferably in writing, with your landlord.
Remember, no matter how friendly you are with
your landlord (and hopefully you are), you have
a business relationship with him or her. Your
landlord will treat it as such, and so should you.

IF YOUR PLACE ISN’T READY
WHEN PROMISED
Kansas law is very clear that if your place is not
ready for move-in on the date promised in
your verbal or written rental agreement, you
have the right to get all of your money back and
go somewhere else. If you want to (or have to)
stay, the law says you don’t owe rent until it’s
right.

Two, if you decide to stay, you still don’t owe
rent until the place is available to move in and/or
until things are as promised, and the landlord
owes you for any cash losses you suffer. You
can take legal action to force the landlord to
make repairs or keep promises if you like.

Specifically, the law expects that whoever was
in there before you will be out, that the place will
meet minimum standards according to Kansas
law or any local housing code (see Landlord
Responsibilities later in this book), and that any
promises made to you by the landlord (your
rental agreement) will have been fulfilled. If any

If the situation is willful and not in good faith on
the part of a landlord or on the part of a tenant
who did not get out on time, you can sue for
1-1/2 times a month’s rent or 1-1/2 times your
cash losses, whichever is greater, if you want
to. (Keep in mind … if you ever hold over, someone could also sue you!)

RENTER’S INSURANCE
Renter’s insurance is available at a relatively low cost to anyone renting an apartment or a house.
Rates vary depending on the amount of insurance, the area in which the apartment or house is
located, and the type of the structure. If your apartment is burglarized or burns down, your
landlord’s insurance will not cover your possessions.
If you decide to get renter’s insurance, you should check several companies to determine which is
cheapest and provides the best coverage. Check especially whether the policy covers things
stolen while you are away from home (for example, a bicycle or items stolen from your car).
Also check what the deductible figure is, and whether the insurance company will pay replacement value for possessions which are stolen or destroyed by fire. Make sure that items stored in
a locked storage locker (either provided by the landlord or elsewhere) are covered in your policy.
The Kansas Insurance Commissioner’s office has information about companies doing business in
Kansas and comparable rates. Phone: 1-800-432-2484 Website: www.ksinsurance.org

8

LOW RENT
HOUSING
single persons. Single full-time students are not
eligible. There are limits on income based on the
number of bedrooms in units. Rents are the
same for all residents.

Over 49,000 rental units in Kansas are subsidized (the government pays part of the rent)
through federal Department of Housing and
Urban Development (HUD), Rural Development
(RD) and other programs. “Public Housing,”
“Housing Authority,” “Section 8,” “Rental Assistance,” “Deep Subsidy,” “Low Rent,” – all are
names you may hear or recognize.

Other – Local nonprofits and others have also
developed local low rent programs. Check with
your City, your housing authority or the State
(see phone number in box in this chapter) to
see if there is anything near you.

PROGRAMS

WHO IS ELIGIBLE
(HUD PROGRAMS)

Public Housing – Low rent housing built all or
in part with government funds. With few exceptions, public housing is owned by a local “housing authority,” governed by a local board of
directors, and managed by their staff or on
contract. Rent is 30% of adjusted tenant income.

For “elderly” housing programs, a person must
be low income, 62 years of age or older, or
qualify as disabled (regardless of age). The age
limit can go down to 55 if certain amenities such
as activities or transportation are available.

Project Based Section 8 – Privately owned
complexes where HUD Section 8 tenant rent
subsidies are available for some or all tenants
through a contract between the building and
HUD. Interested tenants apply directly at the
building or complex office. Rent is 30% of adjusted tenant income.

To get into “family” programs, families with
children and, in most cases, people who qualify
for the elderly programs are eligible.
“Disabled” means anyone with a documented
mental or physical disability.

Section 8 Housing Vouchers – A program
which allows tenants to live in privately owned
housing and have government assistance to pay
rent. Tenants may take vouchers anywhere in a
certain geographic area as long as, following an
inspection and approval by the managing agency,
the property meets certain size and condition
standards. There is no limit on how much the rent
can be, only how much assistance is available. The
government provides subsidies through managing
agencies who then contract with the tenant and
the owner. The subsidy is paid directly to the
owner who then applies the subsidy to the rent.
Housing Authorities, Community Action Agencies,
and Agencies on Aging often are the managing
agencies. Rent subsidy is based on tenant income.

Single people who are neither elderly nor handicapped are sometimes eligible. Check with the
manager.
Unmarried adults who are living together with
children are usually considered “families.”
Some programs are limited to people who are
homeless or have other special circumstances.
Owners and managers have the right to check
into the background of you and your family to
decide whether or not to offer you housing or a
place on a waiting list. If you are rejected, you
have the right to be told why. In both Section 8
and public housing, federal law says the landlord
must offer you at least an informal conference.
Many programs provide unsuccessful applicants
access to a “grievance procedure,” described
later in this chapter.

Tax Credit/Section 42 - A program for new or
updated apartment or townhome complexes.
The program is available for elderly or families or

9

Some of the programs have priorities for who
gets housed first from their waiting list. Sometimes it’s higher-income people first, sometimes lower, sometimes people who are in
substandard conditions get preference, etc.
These priorities change from time to time
depending on which political party is in
power, who is on a housing authority board
of directors, etc. This policy cannot discriminate against you because you are new to

town. You have the right to see a copy of the
written priority policy and to know what number
you are on the waiting list.
In all situations, you must furnish accurate
information to the landlord as to the employment and income of each family member and
how many people are living with you so that the
landlord can determine whether you are eligible
for subsidized housing, the size of dwelling unit

WORKSHEET FOR COMPUTING PUBLIC HOUSING
AND SECTION 8 RENTS AT 30% OF INCOME
(This is a simplified form which should give you a general idea of how much your rent might be.)

FAMILIES
Gross Monthly Income
X 12 (months)

ELDERLY/HANDICAPPED
______________________

Deductions

Gross Monthly Income
X 12 (months)

______________________

Deductions

$480 per Dependent

-_____________________

$400 per Household

-_____________________

Child Care

-_____________________

Medical (Over 3%
Gross Income)

-_____________________

______________________

Adjusted Gross Income

-_____________________

÷ 12 (months)
X .30 (30% of Adjusted
Gross Income)

______________________

÷ 12 (months)
X .30 (30% of Adjusted
Gross Income)

______________________

Monthly Gross Rent

______________________

Monthly Gross Rent

______________________

Utility Allowance
(if tenant pays gas,
electricity or water)

-_____________________

Utility Allowance (if
tenant pays gas,
electricity or water)

-_____________________

Monthly Net Rent

______________________

Monthly Net Rent

______________________

Adjusted Gross Income

Gross Monthly Income is defined as the income (before taxes) of all members of the household who are
over 18, including students. One-time only income does not have to be counted. Foster-care payments
do not have to be counted either.
Dependent is defined as anyone in the household (except the head of the household, his or her spouse,
and foster children) who is under 18 years of age, a full-time student, or disabled.

10

♦ Serious or repeated interference with the

you should be in, and how much your rent
should be. This is called “income certification.”

rights of others.

♦ Serious or repeated damage to the premises.
♦ The creation of physical hazards.
♦ Nonpayment of rent.

In most programs, you will be asked to turn in
this information once a year and whenever
income or family size changes. This is called
“recertification.” If anything has changed, your
rent may be raised or lowered or you may be
asked to move to a different size unit.

GRIEVANCE PROCEDURE (PUBLIC
HOUSING AND RURAL DEVELOPMENT ASSISTED PROJECTS ONLY)

SECURITY DEPOSITS
Expect to pay a security deposit. Some programs will set your security deposit based on
your rent; others will have a flat rate. Kansas
law requires that your security deposit cannot
be more than your monthly rent unless pets
are allowed, in which case the security deposit
can be as much as one and one-half times
your monthly rent. The only exception to this
rule is that some housing authorities have
been allowed to set security deposit schedules
that are more than the tenant’s rent, even as
high as $200 or more. The law says that to
do that, the housing authority must allow
tenants to pay the security deposit in payments rather than all at once.

MAINTENANCE
Subsidized housing landlords are required to
meet at least the same maintenance standards that are expected of private landlords in
the state of Kansas. Some programs have
their own specific maintenance standards and
their own inspectors; however, all properties
must comply with local codes and ordinances.

EVICTIONS
In public housing, policy sometimes is that
tenants are given from ten (10) to fourteen
(14) days’ written notice for nonpayment of
rent eviction. (This is more than Kansas law
requires.) Otherwise, minimum notice in all of
the programs is the same as state law and/or
as set in the lease.
In public housing and project based Section 8,
the landlord must have a “good cause” to
evict someone. “Good cause” may be:

In public housing, the tenant has the right to a
hearing before an impartial person or panel if
the tenant disagrees with a proposed action of
the management. In the case of eviction
disputes, federal law allows Kansas housing
authorities to skip the grievance procedure
and insist on going to court, but most will
allow you to file the grievance anyway.
If you disagree with an action taken against
you, either as a tenant or an applicant for
public housing, you may file a grievance
against the management stating the source
of the disagreement and what you think
should be done to correct it. If you wish to
file a grievance, both you and the management must follow the specific grievance
procedure adopted for that complex. Ask for
a copy if you don’t have one. It should be
very similar to the procedure outlined below:
(l) You must personally deliver the written
grievance to the housing authority, usually to
the director. In this way, the grievance may be
informally discussed and possibly settled
without a hearing.
(2) Within five (5) days, you should receive a
response with the following items included:
♦ A suggested settlement.
♦ Signature of a member of the management.
♦ The date.
♦ A statement informing you of your right
to a hearing before an impartial person
or panel and how to obtain it.

11

(3) If you are not satisfied with the response,
you can send a dated, written request for a
hearing to the director or project manager’s
office within ten (10) days. If you do not
request a hearing within this time, you will probably forfeit your right to appeal this particular case.
(4) If you request a hearing, you will be mailed
information with the date and time of the hearing.

(7) If you find the person or panel’s decision
unsatisfactory, you may appeal it in court.
Likewise, management must take court action
to proceed further against you.
Remember, if you ever receive an eviction or
any notice that you feel is unfair, appeal it
immediately, don’t wait.

ADMINISTRATIVE REVIEW
PROCEDURES (SECTION 8
HOUSING VOUCHERS)

(5) You have the right to see any documents
the management plans to use against you in
advance.
(6) At the hearing, you will have the opportunity to:
♦ Be represented by an attorney or another
person of your choice.
♦ Present your evidence.
♦ Question the management’s evidence.

AND

Federal law requires anyone who runs a
Section 8 program to adopt an “administrative
plan” that contains a review procedure to be
used when a tenant has a grievance or wants
to appeal a decision.

TO FIND OUT IF THERE IS AFFORDABLE
HOUSING IN YOUR TOWN...
Kansas HUD Office
Office of Public Housing
400 State Ave.
Kansas City, Kansas 66101-2406
(913) 551-6916
http://www.hud.gov

Kansas Housing Resource Corporation
1000 SW Jackson, Suite 150
Topeka, Kansas 66612
(785) 296-5865
http://www.kshousingcorp.org

Kansas Rural Development Office
Housing Program
1201 SW Summit Executive Ct.
Topeka, Kansas 66615
(785) 271-2720
http://www.rurdev.usda.gov/ks/

If you can’t get the information you need from the above sources, contact Housing and
Credit Counseling, Inc. at (785) 234-0217.

12

PRIVATE HOUSING
The Kansas Residential Landlord and Tenant
Act lists rights and responsibilities for Kansas
landlords and tenants. It has 33 sections and
covers landlords and tenants that don’t have
written agreements as well as those that do.

back. You can protect your security deposit by
remembering a few important things:

♦ Landlords do not have to collect security

deposits. They may, but they don’t have to.

♦ There are limits on how much a landlord
can charge for a deposit:
unfurnished apartment
1 month’s rent
furnished apartment
1-1/2 month’s rent
pets – extra 1/2 month’s rent

Just like the Landlord/Tenant Act, any city or
county codes or laws in your area that have
to do with housing will affect both you and
your landlord. You should find out what
they are and know what they say.

SECURITY
DEPOSITS
Before you are able to move into a rental
property, your landlord may ask for a security
deposit. The money is placed with your landlord as insurance against the risk that you will
damage the apartment, leave owing rent, or
cause the landlord expenses because you
have not followed the law or your rental
agreement.
You should try to get your landlord to put
your security deposit in an interest-bearing
savings account, paying you the interest when
you get the deposit back. This is not required
by law at this time, but since it is your money
being held in trust, it is only fair.
If you agree to clean the premises or perform
maintenance and repair in lieu of a security
deposit, be sure to get it in writing or included in the lease. This must be carefully
agreed to: How many hours at what rate?
Who pays for supplies and materials? When
must the work be done? Will you receive a
cash return of the security deposit when you
move out and leave the place in good condition?
There are several laws that say how security
deposits can be used, and how to get them

So, if the rent on your apartment is
$400 per month and the apartment is
unfurnished, your deposit can be no more
than $400. If it is furnished, the deposit
can be no more than $600. You could be
charged an extra $200 if you have a pet.
With pets and furniture, then, it could go as
high as $800. These rules are especially
important to watch if you are renting with
roommates and the landlord is collecting a
deposit from each of you. The total cannot
legally go over the limits.

♦ Ask that the amount of the deposit be
written into your lease.

♦ Get a receipt for payment.
♦ Normal wear and tear on your apartment
could be misrepresented as damage. To
prevent this, be sure to fill out a checklist
or inventory when you move in. (See
later in this chapter on Move-In Check lists.)
♦ Do not try to use your security deposit
while you live there to pay the landlord
for rent or other charges and do not try
to use it for the last month’s rent. The
Landlord/Tenant Act says that if you do,
you could not only lose your security
deposit, but you would still owe the rent
or the other charges you were trying to
use it for.
♦ You should get your landlord to inspect
your place with you after you move out.
This way, you can agree on what is dirty

13

or damaged and how much it will cost to
repair. If there is cleaning or repair work
to be done, you would have the chance
to arrange to do it yourself so it won’t be
paid for with your security deposit.
♦ The law allows your landlord to keep all or
part of your security deposit for three
reasons:
(1) Physical damage beyond normal wear
and tear caused by you, your family, your
guests, and/or your pets.
(2) Rent that is past due.
(3) Other expenses your landlord has
suffered because you have not complied with
the law or your rental agreement. (This could
include, for instance, the cost of running an ad
to get new tenants if your landlord normally
runs ads and you break a lease before its term
expires, or all or part of the next month’s rent
if you are renting month-to-month and do not
give a proper 30-day notice and the landlord is
unable to get another tenant to move in
immediately after you move out.)
Judges vary on their interpretation of the law,
but if your landlord tries to keep your security
deposit for anything other than the reasons
listed above (such as liquidated damages or
for breaking the lease), you should argue that
Kansas law does not allow this and that the
landlord should return everything except what
can be specifically itemized (see below).
Judges generally allow landlords to bill you for
their time at reasonable rates if they do certain cleaning or repairs that were your responsibility but not for showing the place, screening
new tenants and other costs of doing business.
When a landlord is charging you for change or
replacement of an item, the charge can only
be for actual value. In other words, if the
charge is for a repair, it can only be for the
actual cost of parts and labor or it must be
based on a reasonable bid the landlord got for
the repair. As long as you were responsible for
the damage, a repair does not actually have
to be made for you to be charged. Replacement charges must be figured on the value of
an item that day. For instance, if you ruined a
new rug, you could be charged full replacement

value; if you ruined a rug that was five years
old, you could be charged only the depreciated
value of what the rug was worth that day.
Again, the landlord does not actually have to
replace the item to have the right to charge you.
If the landlord decided to withhold any
portion of the deposit for any reason, he or she
must give you a written list of itemized deductions. The deposit and/or the itemized list of
deductions must be sent to you within fourteen
(14) days after the determination of damages
but in no case later than thirty (30) days after
you give up possession (return your keys).
If your landlord doesn’t return your money,
doesn’t enclose the list of damages, or you
disagree with the deductions and the amount of
money you got, you should take steps to settle
the matter. First, you should write your landlord,
explain what you want or where you disagree,
and give the landlord a chance to write back
and/or send more money. If you can’t settle
with the landlord, you can file in Small Claims
Court for whatever you think is fair. If the landlord did not even attempt to return your money
or send you the written list of deductions within
the 30 days, you can sue for one and one-half
(1-1/2) times the amount wrongfully withheld in
addition to what you feel you are due. (See the
Small Claims Court section of this handbook for
how to file and conduct yourself.)
When you leave, be sure to leave the landlord a
forwarding address where your deposit may be
sent. If for some reason you don’t want to give
your new address, you can always give that of
a relative or friend. (If you forget about the
deposit and do not make a demand for it, the
landlord is still required by law to attempt to
return it to you at your last known address.)
If the place you rent is sold, the old owner is
required by law to return your deposit to you.
Make sure you either get your money or a signed
paper saying your money (specifying exact
amount) has been transferred to the new owner.
The new owner can ask for additional money for
the deposit but the total cannot go over the legal
limits and you should get at least a full rent-period’s
written notice before you have to pay.

14

If you are in a long-term lease, the new owner
must wait until the end of the lease to adjust
the security deposit as well as, of course, the
rent or any other lease provision.
NOTE: Before you file for a security deposit
return in Small Claims Court, think about
whether you have a good case and whether
your landlord would have a claim against you.
Did you give proper written notice as required
by the law or your lease? Was your rent paid
up? Did you leave everything in just as good
or better condition than you found it? If the
answer to any of these questions is “No,” then
you’d better think carefully about whether you
have really got a case and how much money
you can reasonably expect to win. Don’t
waste your time, the court’s, or the landlord’s
if you are in the wrong.

LEASES

L
RENTAENT
EEMreement
AGR
ag
a rental
e fir st

VED
O
R
APP

This is
rt y of th d the
n th e pa
, an
be tw ee The Landlord rt, i.e.
.
part, i.e the second pa
of
party
.
nt
and
na
The Te
be due
each
nt will
The re
e 1st of reed
e on th
ag
payabl the amount
in
s.
th
ie
rt
on
m
nd lor d
both pa
Th e La
upon by

(1) Get a copy of the lease, take it home, and
read it carefully. Do not be discouraged by
technical language or fine print. If you have a
question about any part of the lease, ask the

(2) Do not move in and start paying rent before
you have approved the lease. Leases with only the
landlord’s signature can be enforceable when the
tenant has a copy and has paid rent without
reservation. If your landlord sends you a signed
lease with instructions for you to sign it, don’t sign
unless you agree to the terms. If you don’t sign,
write the landlord a letter immediately saying that
you didn’t sign the lease and explaining what you
want changed. You can even send a lease of your
own and ask your landlord to sign it instead. If you
do this, you won’t be bound by the landlord’s lease
until you and the landlord agree on a lease and you
sign it.
(3) Make certain all the blanks are filled in
before you sign anything. The correct date
should be noted.
(4) The name and address of the manager and
the owner or a person authorized to receive
notices and demands from the tenant should be
in writing. This information must be kept current.

A rental agreement is a legally binding contract
between you and your landlord. It should
state the rights and responsibilities of both of
the parties. In Kansas, it may be either written
or verbal, although it is best to have your
agreement in writing. With things in writing,
there is less confusion over the details of the
original agreement if a problem occurs. Just
because your agreement is in writing, it
doesn’t automatically have to be for six
months or a year. It can be from month-tomonth or for any term. In all cases, whether
there is a written agreement or not, the landlord and the tenant are subject to the laws of
the state of Kansas and its governmental
subdivisions.
To protect your rights and yourself, consider
the following suggestions before signing a lease:

landlord to explain it or take it to a qualified
person or agency. If the landlord won’t give you
a copy of the lease to read, be wary.

(5) If the lease is longer than month-tomonth, be sure to find out what the consequences will be if you break the lease early.
(6) There are a number of inequitable clauses
which are very undesirable and often illegal.
Clauses which are prohibited by Kansas law are
not only unenforceable, but if a landlord deliberately uses a prohibited clause, the tenant can
receive money damages. Some of these
clauses are:
♦ “exculpatory” clauses which say that the
landlord will never be liable for damage or
personal injury to you or your guests.
♦ “confession” clauses in which you admit guilt
in advance to any charge for damages in
court.
♦ “as is” or “disclaimer of duty to repair”
clauses which allow the landlord to disregard
responsibility for making repairs.
♦ clauses which permit the landlord to enter
the apartment at any time without notice.
♦ clauses which give the landlord the right to
evict you without proper notice.

15

♦ clauses which allow the landlord to take your
personal possessions if you don’t pay your
rent.
♦ clauses that forfeit your security deposit
automatically for ending your lease early.
♦ any other clauses where you agree to give
up rights you have according to the Kansas
Residential Landlord and Tenant Act.

S

(7) It is possible to make changes in a lease.
If you and your landlord agree to cross something out, simply draw a line through that part
on both your copy and the landlord’s copy.
Both of you should then initial and date each
other’s copy in the margin right next to the
change. If you want to add something, write
or type it in on the lease somewhere above
the signatures, then date and initial the addition. If there is not enough room, you will
need to add another page (you will need two
copies). Write Addendum to the Lease (or
Rental Agreement, whatever you’re calling it)
For The Property at (your address) and the
date at the top of the page. Then write whatever
you have to write. You and your landlord should
sign below. You and your landlord can write these
things yourselves. Take your time and make sure
your words say what you mean them to say.
Many tenants feel they are in a poor position to argue over provisions in a lease. If
they do, they fear they stand the chance
of losing the place to a less “uppity”
renter. Unfortunately, this does still happen. However, this will not change until
the unwilling landlords learn that to get
and keep good tenants, they must not
fear negotiated agreements when requests are reasonable. DO be assertive
about proposing your own lease or asking
to add or change clauses. NEVER sign a
lease that contains clauses that you cannot live with and that could be used
against you. There ARE other places.

RULES AND
REGULATIONS

RULEe on the

du nth.
nt is
o
1. Re f each m s, music
1st o ud partiet be kept2.
o
u
L
.
m
2 oise sm after 1
or n minimu llowed f
to a ts are a ission o
3. Pe with perm
only anager.
the m

Besides the terms of the lease or rental agreement, a landlord may have a list of rules and
regulations. The landlord is required to notify
you of them before your rental agreement
begins. Examine all rules carefully and decide if
they are compatible with your lifestyle. If the
rules don’t suit you, don’t move in. While there
is no limit to the number of rules you may be
forced to live with, Kansas law does limit their
purpose. All rules must be designed either to
benefit the tenants or protect the landlord’s
property. Rules must apply equally to all tenants.
If the landlord wants to change or add any
rules during the course of your rental agreement, you and the other tenants will be bound
by them only if you voluntarily agree to them
in writing. Otherwise, the most the landlord
can do is give notice that the new rules will be
such-and-such when rental agreements renew. This would mean that as long as the
landlord followed notice requirements in a
long-term lease, the rules would take effect
when the lease renewed or went month-tomonth; in a month-to-month arrangement,
the new rules would take effect after a 30-day
written notice in advance of a rent date (just
like an eviction) whether you agree or not.

MOVE-IN
CHECKLISTS

(8) Notary publics are not required to observe the signing of leases. Having a witness is
a good idea, but is also not required.
(9) Make sure you get a copy of your lease
and any amendments – anything you sign.

Keep your papers in a place where you can
find them and read them. If you have any
questions or problems in the future, you will
need to read them and go by what they say.

IN

SPEC
!
TI ON
C
! arpet/T
ile
Bath
!
room
! Window s
s
! Kitchen /Walls
! Basem /Pantry
e
! Stove/O nt
! Lawn ven

/Gar

den

Within five (5) days after you move in, Kansas
law requires you and your landlord to make a
detailed written list describing the condition of
the premises.

16

This list can be done on a printed form or a
plain piece of paper. What is important is that,
when it is signed, it contains all the details of
what condition your place was in and what
was in it. Either by writing two copies exactly
the same, by using carbon paper, or photocopying the list when you get done, both you
and the landlord must, by law, have copies of
the list signed by both of you.

Also, if you later discover something that you
missed on your list (like the bathtub drains
slowly or something), send the information to
your landlord in writing right away. Make a copy
of what you wrote and keep it with your checklist.
When you move out, you and your landlord
should reinspect the home and sign another
checklist or a statement that the home is in
satisfactory condition and your security deposit
will be returned.

Check the household from top to bottom. Are
there cigarette burns in the carpet? Are there
any nail holes in the walls? Is the carpet stained
or dirty? Is the oven clean? Any furnishings and
appliances provided by the landlord should be
noted.
To prevent your landlord from charging you for
damages caused by previous tenants, complete
the checklist in detail. A small hole in a vinyl chair
can stretch and grow and later develop into a
big problem for you when the landlord sends
you the bill for repair.
Don’t sign your name to a list a landlord has
filled out before you check for yourself! The law
says you and the landlord are to do the inspection together. Even the best of us miss things.
Also, don’t sign a list that just says “Okay” or
“Clean.” “Okay” or “Clean” isn’t going to do
much good at move-out time when you need
to prove that a window was already cracked
when you moved in or a handle was already
broken on a door.

Rent is due, in full, in advance of or on the rentpaying date. In Kansas, if a rent-paying date has
not been specified, the law says it is assumed to
be the first of the month in a month-to-month
relationship. If your rent date is to be other than
the first, then, it’s best to have it in writing!
The law also says that if the landlord has not
specified that you should deliver or mail the rent,
the landlord is expected to pick it up at the
dwelling.

If you discover things that need repairs as you
inspect, put the landlord’s promises down in
writing right on your checklist. If the landlord
says he or she will replace that sagging clothes
pole in the closet within two weeks write
down, “Bedroom clothes pole bent. Landlord will
replace in two weeks.” When you and your
landlord sign the inspection sheet, you will have
signed promises from your landlord for hopefully
all of the repairs that are needed.
If you can’t get the landlord to do an inspection
with you, do one yourself anyway. Get a friend
to be a witness and go with you. Make the
written list, then you and your witness sign it.
Send a copy to your landlord. Take pictures if
you can.

RENT AND
LATE FEES

“Late charges” for late rent are allowable in
Kansas. You must be informed of them as part
of your original rental agreement. If your landlord wants to start charging them later, a 30day notice in advance of a rent date would be
required in a month-to-month tenancy. The
landlord would have to wait until renewal time to
start charging late fees through a long-term lease.

RENT RAISES
Kansas has no laws that limit either how much
your rent can be raised or how often.
Because a rent raise is similar to an eviction,
there is one rule. Your landlord must inform you
of a rent raise IN WRITING at least 30 days in
advance of the rent date when it is supposed to
go into effect if the rental agreement is on a
month-to-month basis. Having your utilities
transferred to your name is the same thing as a

17

rent raise, so the same rule applies. It is preferable to get at least 45 days’ notice so you can
decide whether to stay or give a 30-day notice
and move, but 30 days is all that is commonly
required.

♦

If you get a rent raise notice, check your lease, if
you have one. One reason people sign long-term
leases is to protect against rent raises for periods
of 6 months or a year or whatever period your
lease covers. If your lease doesn’t allow for a rent
raise, don’t pay. Or if your lease allows for rent
raises only to cover costs of increased taxes and
utilities, demand to see the last year or two’s
receipts to prove that the increase is fair and
necessary. You may be surprised at the costs, but
maybe the increase will be dropped.

♦
♦

If you live in a complex where rents are raised
and you and the other tenants think it’s unfair,
about the only way you can deal with it is by
organizing and negotiating with management as
a group. (See the chapter on Tenant Organizations later in this handbook.) You may at least
be able to get the landlord to make repairs or
do other things that have been promised.

♦
♦
♦
♦

GUESTS, GUESTS WHO STAY
Tenants have the right to have guests in their
homes for reasonable periods of time unless the
rental agreement specifically prohibits company.
If your rental agreement specifies who or how
many people can live in your property, as most
do, and you let someone move in, you could be
at risk. Because you have changed the rental
agreement, your landlord could ask you for
more rent, or require references to put the new
person on the lease, or ask you to move.
If you want to let someone stay with you more
than 30 days, it is generally best to get your
landlord’s written permission.

LANDLORD
RESPONSIBILITIES
The Landlord is required to:
♦ Keep the apartment, mobile home, or

house where you live in compliance with
city or county building or housing codes
affecting health and safety.
Maintain areas of the building and the
grounds outside which are open to all
tenants. Common areas such as hallways, parking lots, and laundry rooms
are a few examples.
Make sure you have an adequate supply
of hot and cold running water.
Supply a reliable amount of heat during
the winter months. A normal standard is
that it should be possible to keep the
temperature at 68 degrees between
October and May. (The landlord doesn’t
necessarily have to pay for the water,
electricity, or gas, but the landlord must
provide the equipment and it must work.)
Maintain all electrical, plumbing, sanitary,
heating, ventilation, and air conditioning
systems in good and safe working order.
Maintain all appliances that are provided with
the property. This would include such things
as stoves, refrigerators, and air conditioners.
Make sure trash removal is available.
Allow tenants to contract for service with
telephone and cablevision companies that
are authorized to do business in the area.

Make it a habit to REQUEST MAINTENANCE
IN WRITING. Not only is this good business
in a legal sense (because you will, of course,
keep dated and signed copies of all notes or
letters), but it is also good business in a
practical sense. You can say what needs to be
said the way you want to say it. You don’t
have to be there when the landlord gets the
news that something has gone wrong. And,
written notes tend to keep turning up and
reminding people of things, whereas mental
notes are easily forgotten. Depending on the
landlord and your lease, phone calls can be
OK for the first contact about a problem or in
an emergency, but after that, calls should
only be to say, “Did you get my note?’’ Many
leases require that maintenance requests be
in writing. Other people should not be counted
on to get your messages to the landlord.
Finally, you want to be sure you can prove
the landlord was notified about every problem
so that if problems worsen or something is
damaged or someone is hurt, the landlord
can’t say he or she didn’t know.

18

WARRANTY

OF

HABITABILITY

that you allege are the fault of the landlord,
utility bills you had to pay which were high
because the landlord had to use your electricity
or gas to correct something that was the
landlord’s responsibility, and so on). If you and
the landlord cannot settle on a dollar amount
and payment plan which satisfies you, you can
go to Small Claims Court or have an attorney
take your case to a higher court and get a
judgment there.

The Supreme Court of Kansas has established the
principle of “implied warranty of habitability.” Basically, this says that if your landlord won’t repair
your home and the problem is a violation of the
local housing code, you can sue for damages and
back rent, as long as you continue to pay rent.
(Interpretations of this case say it applies to all
problems “materially affecting” health and safety,
whether or not there is a housing code.)
In that case in 1974, a Wichita woman and her five
children ended up getting $800 back from a landlord who had negligently refused to make repairs.

TENANT REMEDIES
If the landlord continually fails to meet maintenance and contract requirements, the Kansas
Residential Landlord and Tenant Act gives you
the right to eventually break your lease. To do
this, you must give the landlord a letter at least
30 days before a rent date. In your letter, tell
the landlord exactly what repairs are needed,
when you want them finished (give the landlord
at least 14 days), and that you will be moving
out on the next rent date if the repairs aren’t
adequately taken care of. If the repairs aren’t
made, or at least a “good faith effort” started,
within the time you allow, then you can move
out. Assuming you were a good tenant (paid
the rent, didn’t tear up the place, etc.), the
landlord can’t pursue you for future rent and
must return your security deposit. If you give
the notice and decide not to move, make your
plans well known to the landlord in writing.
Kansas law also provides that the tenant has
the right to collect “damages” from a landlord if
the landlord does not comply with the laws
regarding maintenance. This applies whether
you decide to break your lease (see above) or
to stay. What this means is that you have the
right to ask your landlord to compensate you
for your actual losses (repair bills you had to
pay, costs to stay somewhere else or eat out
when all or part of your place was unusable,
damage to your furniture or other belongings
due to the landlord’s negligence, medical bills

Kansas law does not allow the tenant to hold
back (“withhold” or “escrow”) rent or to take
expenses out of the rent (“repair and deduct”).
Though neither action is specifically illegal, they
are not specifically legal either and the landlord
does have the right to give an eviction notice in
any case where the rent is not paid in full and on
time. Both of these actions, then, though they
sometimes work, are risky. Neither are advisable without the support of an attorney. If you
try either of them, you should be prepared to
pay the rent in full if you get an eviction notice
or have your attorney take over. (The City of
Manhattan, Kansas, has a local ordinance that
allows for escrow of rent in certain situations.)

DAMAGE OR DESTRUCTION BY FIRE
OR CASUALTY
If a fire, a flood, or some other disaster strikes so
that you can’t live in all or part of your place,
Kansas law says that you should be compensated
accordingly.
You can give a written 5-day “notice to quit” and
move out immediately if your place can’t be lived
in at all. The law says that any prepaid rent after
the move-out date should be refunded to you.
Your security deposit is to be returned as in a
normal move out. The landlord’s insurance should
cover most of these expenses, though a tenant
can be charged with at least an insurance deductible amount if the fire or casualty was the tenant’s
fault.
If part of your place is livable and part is not, the
law says that the rent is to be reduced proportionally until the whole dwelling is repaired and
usable again.

19

HOUSING CODES

are responsible to make sure that their rental units
comply with laws and codes. If you like to do home
repairs and volunteer to do things for your landlord, in many cases, that’s fine. However, it is
strictly ILLEGAL for your landlord to refuse to make
these repairs or to force you to do them. As was
mentioned before, if this happens, you can break
your lease and/or there is a section in the law that
allows you to sue for 1-1/2 times rent or damages.

Many cities and towns in Kansas have housing
codes. As opposed to a building code, which is for
new construction, a “housing code” or “property
maintenance” code is for buildings that already
exist. They set basic standards for how buildings
and property ought to be maintained. Housing
codes are usually more specific than the general
requirements outlined in the Landlord Tenant Act
and, of course, they apply only to housing within
the particular city or county that passed the code.
To give you an idea of what codes often require, the
box on this page contains some of the requirements
from the Housing Code for the City of Topeka, Kansas.
Unless a code specifically says the tenant or the
“occupant” is responsible for particular things, or
unless you, the tenant, caused the problem, landlords

Right now, neither state law nor local housing codes
require insulation, storm windows, or other specific
weatherization on rental property anywhere in the
state of Kansas. There are also no requirements for
efficiency of heating and cooling appliances or rules
limiting the cost of tenants’ utility expenses. But most
local codes have some language requiring that
property be “reasonably weather-tight, water-tight,
and damp-proof’’ and have minimum heating
temperature standards.

EXAMPLES FROM TOPEKA’S HOUSING CODE
Screens: Screens and screen doors are required on almost every dwelling unit in Topeka.
Rats and Roaches: The landlord is required to deliver units to tenants pest-free. Rats and roaches must
be exterminated when they are found in buildings with more than one apartment or when they exist
because of a landlord’s improper maintenance. If you live in a single-family house and there were no
pests when you moved in, the Code says it’s the tenant’s problem.
Ventilation: Every room must have a window or, in the case of a bathroom or kitchen, a ventilation
system which is in good working condition.
Heat: The owner must provide a heating system that is capable of heating to a temperature of at least
65 degrees at a distance of three feet above floor level in every habitable room.
Exits: There must be two exits to safe and open space at ground level from each level in each dwelling unit.
Locks: There must be safe, functional locking devices on all exterior doors and first-floor windows.
Padlocks on the outside of exterior doors are prohibited.
Lighting: Every room, including the bathroom and kitchen, must have at least two electric outlets or one
outlet and one wall or ceiling fixture. Each public hall and/or stairway in a building with three or more
units must be adequately lighted by natural or electric lights at all times.
Structural Maintenance: The building and foundation must be maintained watertight, rodent-proof, and
in good repair. Staircases must be stable with hand rails. Porches and steps must have a railing if they
are over three feet off the ground.
Kitchen: The sink must be in good working condition. The drainage must flow into an approved sewer
system, and it cannot leak into storage cabinets or shelves. The refrigerator or device for safe storage of
food must maintain a temperature of between 32 degrees and 45 degrees Fahrenheit under ordinary
maximum summer conditions. There must be adequate hot and cold water at all times.

20

In many cities and towns, a housing code
exists but there is no steady effort to enforce
it. You should be able to get a copy of your
local housing code from your housing inspector or city or county clerk. If you ever need to
call and have an inspection made, make an
appointment so you can be there to let the
inspector in and go through the house with
him or her. You should make sure you point
out all things you think are code violations,
then ask to have a copy of the inspector’s
report and the letter to your landlord sent to
you. You can also call and visit your housing
inspector regularly until action has been taken
to your satisfaction.
Most codes provide some sort of penalty
(fines … or even jail) to property owners who

do not comply after a certain period of time.
Check your code to see what the time limits and
penalties are and insist that your city or town take
action if your place is not getting fixed.

FIRE CODES
Structures housing three or more residential rental
units must be in compliance with the Kansas Life
Safety Code. That code requires smoke alarms,
does not require fire extinguishers, and generally
requires two safe exits from any building. Local
governments that adopt their own fire codes can
make them stricter, but not more permissive, than
the state’s. Check with your local fire department
to see if you have a local code. If not, questions
can be directed to the State Fire Marshal in Topeka
at (785) 296-3401.

HOUSING CODES
These cities currently have Housing Codes. If you go to your city hall and ask for a copy of the
Housing Code and they say that they’ve never heard of it, INSIST! It’s there somewhere. And you
want the Housing Code (it may also say “property” or “maintenance” or “occupancy” in the title), not
the building code, zoning code, electrical code, plumbing code, or some other specific code.
Abilene
Anthony
Atchison
Augusta
Baxter Springs
Belleville
Beloit
Bonner Springs
Chanute
Colby

Dodge City
Emporia
Galena
Garden City
Goodland
Great Bend
Hays
Hoisington
Hutchinson
Independence

Junction City
Kansas City
Lawrence
Lenexa
Liberal
Lyons
Manhattan
McPherson
Merriam
Minneapolis

Neodesha
Newton
Norton
Olathe
Ottawa
Paola
Parsons
Plainville
Russell
Salina

Shawnee
South Hutchinson
Sterling
Topeka
Ulysses
Wellington
Wichita
Winfield

LEAD-BASED PAINT REGULATIONS
Federal Environmental Protection Agency and Housing and Urban Development regulations concerning
lead-based paint for housing built before 1978 went into effect in 1996. To comply, a landlord must:
♦ Disclose the presence of known lead-based paint and/or lead-based paint hazards in the rental unit.
♦ Provide tenants with any available records or reports pertaining to the presence of lead-based
paint and/or lead-based paint hazards.
♦ Provide tenants with a federally approved lead hazard information pamphlet.
♦ Contracts must include a disclosure form containing information on lead based paint in the rental
unit and acknowledgment from the tenant that they have received this information.
Copies of the pamphlet and disclosure form can be obtained FREE of charge by calling The National
Lead Information Clearinghouse at 1-800-424-LEAD. Copies may also be obtained on the Internet at
www.epa.gov/docs/lead_pm or contact the National Center for Lead-Safe Housing at
www.leadsafehousing.org. HCCI’s Model Lease includes an approved disclosure form.
References: 40 CFR Part 745 and 24 CFR Part 35 published on March 6, 1996, in the Federal Register

21

MOLD CONTAMINATION
The issue of mold contamination in housing has become an issue of concern. Kansas Health officials
say to be concerned but not alarmed. You can keep informed about this issue and the most current
information available by going to the following websites:
Center for Disease Control
www.cdc.gov/nceh/pubcatns/facts/molds/default.htm

RETALIATORY EVICTIONS

Environmental Protection Agency
www.epa.gov/cgi-bin/epaprintonly.cgi

“good tenant” (keep the place clean, don’t
bother the neighbors, etc.). Also, if the house
can’t be repaired with you in it, you may have
to expect to move, at least temporarily.

No tenant should be afraid to demand that the
house he or she rents be maintained in a livable
condition. Many tenants, however, do hesitate
to confront their landlords. They say, “Landlords
know how to get rid of tenants who complain.”

In court, your landlord would be asked to
justify his or her action. You would need to be
prepared to prove, however, that:

This is not right and both the state of Kansas
and at least one city (Topeka) have set up laws
to prevent this. The Kansas law says that it is
unlawful for any landlord to force you to move
out by raising your rent or decreasing your
services (e.g., stop paying some of the utilities;
stop doing some regular maintenance) after
you have:

♦ you always paid the rent on time.
♦ if the landlord claims that you were
sometimes late with the rent, it should
be mentioned that the landlord accepted
this late rent without comment (if that is
true).
♦ you truly did ask a number of times for
repairs; hopefully you will be able to
show copies of the notes and letters
you sent to your landlord.
♦ your complaints were valid and the
problems were not caused by you.
♦ you have been a good tenant and that
the landlord has no good reason to evict
you, raise your rent, or decrease services.

♦ complained to the landlord because
needed repairs are not being made;
♦ asked a governmental agency to inspect
and/or complained to a governmental
agency who can force the landlord to
make repairs; or
♦ become active in a tenant organization.

LANDLORD
ENTRY

Interpretations of this law, as well as common
law, say that landlords can’t evict you for
these reasons either.
Topeka’s ordinance specifically says that landlords can’t evict, raise rent, or cut services
within six months after tenants do any of the
three things listed above. The city felt the six
months was important to provide a “coolingoff period” for tenants and landlords.
An important thing to remember is that, for
the law to protect you, you need to be paid up
in your rent, continue paying rent during the
time of your complaints, and otherwise be a

Tenants occasionally face another problem
during tenancy – landlord entry. Tenants wonder, “May the landlord enter my home whenever he wants?” The answer is “NO.” Only in
cases of hazard involving the possible loss of life
or severe property damage may the landlord
enter your home without permission.
The landlord may, after giving “reasonable notice”
and arranging a “reasonable time,” enter your

22

home for almost any reason – to inspect the
premises; make necessary or agreed repairs,
decorations, alterations, or improvements; or to
show the place to possible purchasers, lenders,
tenants, workmen, or contractors.

If a tenant continues to have trouble with illegal
entry by the landlord, the tenant has the right to
get a court order to stop the landlord or to give
notice and move. The tenant also has the right
to recover actual money losses.

“Reasonable notice” is something you and
your landlord have to decide together. If
you don’t mind if your landlord comes over
without calling first, that’s fine. But you
can insist that your landlord let you know as
much as 48 hours in advance. One to twentyfour hours is common. You should select your
normal standard, preferably put it in writing, and
be consistent.

Likewise, if a tenant continues to illegally refuse
entry to a landlord, the landlord can get a court
order to enter or can evict the tenant, recovering actual money losses from the tenant.

“Reasonable time” is also something you and
your landlord need to work out. Because you are
paying rent on your place, you have a right to
privacy and to decide who comes in and out. If it is
important to you, you have the right to insist that
you be at home when your landlord comes over.
So, if you work days, you have the right to ask
that your landlord come over after you get home
or on the weekend. If you work 3 to 11, you have
the right to ask your landlord to come before
2:30. And so on. If it is impossible for you to
arrange a time when you can be at home and
your landlord can reasonably arrange to come
over, then you may need to arrange to leave your
key with a friend or relative or let the landlord
make repairs when you are gone.
Remember, if your time schedule forces your
landlord to pay more for repairs – for instance,
having to pay time-and-a-half or doubletime to a
plumber who could have come during normal
working hours – that cost is likely to be passed on
to you.

TENANT
RESPONSIBILITIES
A tenancy is a two-way street, and you as a
tenant should do all you can to meet your
responsibilities. Just because you know your
rights, you should not unnecessarily agitate your
landlord. Always try to work out your problems
first. It’s never wise to start off as adversaries.
Outside people (courts, inspectors) should only
be used when you can’t work things out with a
stubborn landlord.
Some obligations you should meet are:
Pay your rent on time. This should seem
obvious, but it is more important than you
might realize. When tenants are not paid up on
their rent, they lose a number of rights otherwise guaranteed by law. In addition, you take
the chance of receiving an eviction notice for
nonpayment of rent. Landlords also claim that
time spent trying to collect rent is time they
can’t spend on repairs, maintenance, etc.
Keep the parts of the building you rent
(especially appliances) as clean as the
building’s condition allows. Your landlord may
not do anything to improve your conditions if
you don’t try yourself.

If your landlord is selling your place, real estate
people are subject to the same rules and regulations about entering your property as your landlord.
If you are having problems with landlord entry,
write a letter to your landlord and explain clearly
exactly when people can and cannot come over
to your house and how much notice you must
have. Give phone numbers for reaching you.
You should not refuse “reasonable entry,” neither can your landlord use the right of entry to
harass you.

Try to get along with the other tenants.
Everyone has a right to the peaceful enjoyment of
the property. If you have a dog, for example, it’s
up to you to keep it from disturbing your neighbors.
Check with your landlord before you attach
anything to the apartment, such as shelves or

23

carpet. Unless you make some other arrangement, anything attached to the property stays
with the property by law. The time to ask is before
the carpet you bought is tacked to the floor, not
after. Again, be sure it’s in writing.
Check before having a roommate move in
since this is a change in your original agreement.
Check also about pets if you want to get one.
Notify your landlord if you plan to be away
from your house or apartment for more
than a few days. Many leases require this and
it’s a good idea for security reasons anyway.
Keep in mind that you are responsible not only
for your own actions, but also those of your
family, your friends, your friends’ friends – any
person or animal in your home with your express or implied consent. Any damage or
trouble caused by these other parties can be
held against you.
NOT
ICE
TO

TERMINATING
THE TENANCY

Dear

The Tenants
Anytown, KS
66006

QUIT

Land
lord:
I will
be m
ovin
g an
so I
d
will th
ereb
y giv
you
e
my n
otice
to
The Landlord
The
Anytown, KS 66006

Tenant
s

The state of Kansas has established specific
procedures for terminating a tenancy and does
not recognize any others. GIVE OR GET
PROPER WRITTEN NOTICE EVEN IF YOU
HAVE NOTHING ELSE IN WRITING WITH
THE LANDLORD!

NOTICE TO THE LANDLORD
Thirty (30) days’ notice in writing in advance of a rent-paying date is required in all
month-to-month tenancies. Your planned
move-out date should be specified.
Thirty (30) days’ written notice from any
date must be given when a written lease with a
term longer than month-to-month requires 30
days’ notice but does not specify it must be
from rent date to rent date.
Week-to-week tenancies require at least
seven (7) days’ written notice in advance of a
move-out date specified in the notice. If your
rent period is two weeks-to-two weeks, two

(2) weeks written notice is required.
Military personnel on active duty with monthto-month written or verbal agreements are
required to give only fifteen (15) days written
notice if they get orders to relocate.
14/30-day notices from rent date to rent
date can be given when there is a problem the
landlord must resolve to ensure the tenant will
stay. (See Tenant Remedies subsection earlier in
this chapter.)
Leases can vary. Most leases will only talk
about notices to move out at the end or for the
renewal of the lease, since you are not expected to be giving notice and leaving in the
middle of a term. If you have a lease, read it
carefully for notice requirements. Leases can
require less than the normal 30-day notice
(some do!); they can also require more. As
long as the notice requirement seems basically
fair and equitable (not “unconscionable”), a
court would likely uphold it.

NOTICE FROM THE LANDLORD
Unless a tenant has not paid the rent (see next
subsection), a landlord must ALWAYS give
tenants at least thirty (30) days’ written
notice to move out.
Rare exceptions to this rule include situations
where the landlord never rented to the person in
the first place or where life-threatening circumstances require that a property be vacated
immediately.
Thirty (30) day notices, week-to-week
notices, and lease notice requirements from
landlord to tenant are the same as they are
from tenant to landlord. (See Notice to the
Landlord subsection above.)
14/30-day notices can be given from landlord to tenant as long as they state a specific
reason or reasons why a tenant might be
evicted and allow fourteen (14) days to solve
the problem(s) to prevent the eviction. Unlike
the similar notice from tenant to landlord, Kansas law does not tie these to rent-paying dates;
they can be for any thirty-day period.

24

In Kansas, a landlord is generally not required to
give a reason for an eviction. However, most
government subsidized housing requires “good
cause” (a reason or reasons) to be stated in
writing for an eviction. Also, retaliatory evictions
are illegal whether a reason is stated or not.
(See Retaliatory Evictions subsection earlier in
this chapter.)
Tenants are not protected from eviction because
of illness or pregnancy in the household.
You are required to pay for all the time you live
in the home, whether you are evicted or not.

NONPAYMENT OF RENT/
3-DAY NOTICE
If you are behind in your rent, you may be
served with a 3 day (72 hours) notice. This
notice must state in writing that you have
3 days, 5 if the notice was mailed, to either pay
your rent or move out. If you do neither, your
landlord can bring suit against you in court.
Check your lease, if you have one, to see if it
requires more notice than this in such situations.

Due to increased concerns about crime-free
and drug-free housing, many rental agreements now contain provisions or addendums
that make any criminal activity, including drugrelated criminal activity, a lease violation and
grounds for termination of the tenancy. These
generally refer to the tenant, any member of
the tenant’s household, guests, or other
persons whom the tenant has allowed around
the property. These lease provisions usually
apply whether the activity occurs on, or near,
the property. They sometimes also apply
when someone who lives in or frequents the
property gets caught committing a crime or
drug activity elsewhere. These evictions have
been upheld in courts.
It is important to understand that the federal
“One Strike” legislation creating these provisions and addendums, as of September 2003,
applies only to HUD subsidized housing. However, the addendums have worked for some
private landlords.

IMPROPER NOTICE

The landlord must accept the money if you
offer the full amount within the 3 day (72
hours) notice period. The landlord does not
have to accept partial payments or payments
offered after the notice period has ended. Get a
dated receipt for whatever you pay. If you have
all the money in time but you think the landlord
may try to refuse it, take a witness with you
so, if necessary, that person can testify that
you tried to pay.
If you are going to try to work out a payment
plan with your landlord, think through your
budget carefully and honestly and don’t offer
more than you reasonably can expect to pay. If
the landlord agrees to a payment plan and
agrees to drop or extend the time on an eviction action, it would be best to get the agreement in writing for the protection of both of
you. Once again, it might not be a bad idea for
you to have a witness along in case promises
are made but you can’t get them in writing.

ILLEGAL ACTIVITY

Peoples’ circumstances do change from time
to time. Suddenly and without warning, a
better job may open up for you out of town
or you may find that your mother has fallen
and is no longer able to take care of herself.
Maybe your landlord sold his house sooner
than he expected and now he needs to move
into yours. In situations like this, you and your
landlord should try to work something out.
Possible compromises if you want to move
out early might be that you would run the ad
and do everything you could to re-rent the
place for the landlord so that your leaving
would cost the landlord as little time as possible and no money. Or, if the landlord wants
you out early, he or she could give you the
month’s rent free or pay your moving expenses. If you can work out a compromise
that satisfies both of you, the law will respect
your “good faith” agreement. If not, then the
“letter of the law” will still bind both of you.

25

NEW TERMS AT TERMINATION

It is commonly accepted that a landlord
cannot collect rent twice. So, even if you
couldn’t work out a compromise and you left
early, if the landlord gets the place re-rented,
the landlord must refund you the rent you
paid in advance for the time the new people
are there. Also, a landlord has a responsibility
to “mitigate damages.” That means that once
a landlord knows you are leaving, he or she
must make an attempt to re-rent the property. So, as soon as you know you have to
leave a place, give the landlord a written
notice immediately saying what day you are
moving and keep a copy. That way, a landlord can’t say he or she didn’t know you
were moving and can’t just leave the place
empty on purpose and try to collect rent
from you.

At the termination of a tenancy, if the landlord
provides the tenant with paperwork that
would serve as notice to vacate, and the
paperwork contains any additional terms not
contained in the rental agreement, Kansas law
requires that the paperwork include the following statement in 10-point bold face type:
‘YOUR SIGNATURE ON THIS DOCUMENT MAY
BIND YOU TO ADDITIONAL TERMS NOT IN YOUR
ORIGINAL LEASE AGREEMENT. IF YOUR LEASE
REQUIRES YOU TO GIVE WRITTEN NOTICE OF
YOUR INTENT TO VACATE, YOU HAVE THE RIGHT
TO DECLINE TO SIGN THIS DOCUMENT AND TO
PROVIDE WRITTEN NOTICE IN ANOTHER FORM.’

If the above statement does not appear in the
landlord’s paperwork, a tenant’s signature will
not bind the tenant to any additional terms that
are not contained in the original rental agreement.

ILLEGAL EVICTIONS
There is only one kind of “forcible” eviction
which is legal. The landlord must give the
tenant a proper eviction notice, take the case
before a proper court, wait the specified
period, go back to court for trial, get a judgment against the tenant, and then, if the
tenant still doesn’t move, wait for the sheriff
to evict the tenant. All other methods are illegal.
The illegal methods (also called “constructive
evictions”) include such self-help measures as
locking the tenant out; taking the tenant’s
belongings and putting them in storage or
throwing them away; and shutting off the
electricity, gas, water, or other essential services. If a landlord resorts to such measures,
the tenant may recover possession or end the
rental agreement. If you do decide to move
out, the landlord must return whatever
amount of the security deposit you are entitled to collect. In either case, Kansas law
provides that the tenant may recover an
amount equal to 1-1/2 times the monthly
rent or actual damages, whichever is greater.
There has also been a recent Kansas Supreme
Court case where some tenants were
awarded $1000 in “punitive” damages in a
similar situation.

Abandonment And Personal
Property
If a tenant is evicted or leaves personal property in a rental unit after move-out, the
tenant’s personal property may be treated as
abandoned property if the tenant has been
evicted and the tenant owes the landlord back
rent and other expenses or the following is
true:
(1) The tenant’s rent is at least 10 days past due,
(2) The tenant appears to have removed a
substantial portion of the tenant’s belongings, and
(3) The tenant did not tell the landlord that
he or she intended to stay.
If the property is abandoned, the landlord may
sell or dispose of the property if he or she
does the following things.
(1) Holds the property for at least 30 days
giving the tenant the right to redeem if
outstanding debts are settled.
(2) Puts an ad in the paper at least 15 days
before the sale or other disposition of
the property. No later than 7 days after
the ad is published, the landlord must send
a copy of the ad to the tenant at the

26

tenant’s last known address (an important
reason for a tenant to file a change of
address with the post office).

IF YOU DON’T LEAVE
If you aren’t out at the end of a notice, you
are probably in trouble if you didn’t work out
something with your landlord. The landlord
personally cannot put you out on the streets or
cut off your utilities if you are not out, but there
are some legal steps that can be taken which
can be pretty bad for you.
First, your landlord has the right to collect rent
from you for every day you are in the property
as well as up to 1-1/2 times a month’s rent or
actual damages, whichever is higher, because
you remain in the property when you were
supposed to be out. This is especially bad when
new tenants are waiting to move in. If they
can’t get in, they can sue your landlord, then the
landlord can sue you for their damages plus his
or hers.
Second, you will probably end up going to court
with the landlord trying to get both possession
of the property and money from you. You will
be notified that your landlord has filed suit
against you by receiving a summons from the
court stating the charges against you and what
day you and/or your attorney must appear. It is
important that you or your lawyer appear in
court on that day. If both of you fail to appear
and the hearing has not been postponed, you
lose your case by default, and a judgment is
immediately made against you.
If your case goes to trial, which it probably will
unless you settle with your landlord out of
court, the trial date must be set within eight
(8) days of your first court appearance.
There is sometimes more to an eviction suit
than simply determining who should be in
possession of the property. For instance, if
you feel the landlord is retaliating against you
(see Retaliatory Evictions), you should bring
that up. That could cause the judge to throw
out the eviction suit altogether. You may also
want to present counterclaims for damages
and back rent because of health hazards on

the property, such as cockroaches, water damages, no heat, etc. (See Warranty of Habitability.) Where the landlord is suing you for nonpayment of rent, Kansas law says that you must
bring up any counterclaims you have the first
time you go to court or you can never claim
those damages later. MAKE SURE YOU OR
YOUR ATTORNEY FILE YOUR “ANSWER”
IN WRITING IN ADVANCE OF YOUR COURT
HEARING, IF YOUR COURT PAPERS REQUIRE IT. Otherwise, the judge may not
be willing to listen to your defense or counterclaims. A well presented and well documented defense may enable you to win your
case on some or all points.
If you lose the case, or even if you win on some
points but the judge says that the landlord can
have possession of the place back, you will need
to move. Judges will usually award “immediate
possession” to the landlord and can order the
sheriff to assist the landlord if you don’t move.
The sheriff’s department, by law, has up to ten
(10) days to get you out, but it can happen
sooner. If your situation ever gets that far, you
really should try to move yourself. The sheriff
will take your things and put them out of the
property (maybe simply out in the yard, maybe
in storage) or will assist your landlord in doing
the same. To get your things out of storage,
you will first have to pay the moving and storage expenses, probably the court costs, and
maybe also all of the money (if any) that the
judge decided you owed your landlord.
It may be asked, “Why bother going to court if
you will probably lose anyway?” First, there is
always the possibility you may win on some or
all points. For instance, you might win a partial
reduction in money owed for back rent. There
has been a trend among Kansas judges to deal
with warranty of habitability claims more seriously. The other, and perhaps most important,
reason is that, if you need it, valuable time is
won through the court process. If yours is a
valid defense, you can come out ahead and use
this time to search for another home.
If judgment for money is given to the landlord, he
or she can collect by garnishing your wages. (Refer
to the section on collecting a court judgment.)

27

MOBILE HOME PARKS
The Kansas Mobile Home Parks Residential Landlord and Tenant Act (MHRLTA) is
patterned after the Kansas Residential Landlord and Tenant Act and applies to owners
of mobile homes renting lots. Where the mobile home and the lot are rented, the
Kansas Residential Landlord and Tenant Act (the law described in this book) applies.
Most of this book applies to mobile home owners as well EXCEPT:
♦ The security deposit on a mobile home lot can be as much as two times the lot
rent, but pet deposits are NOT addressed.
♦ The park owner is to maintain security deposits in a separate account, but payment of interest is not required.
♦ When a park is sold, the owners must notify each tenant in writing of the
amount of the security deposit transferred to the new owners. Tenants have
20 days to dispute the amount in writing.
♦ A lease can be for a maximum of one year only.
♦ When no written lease exists, 60-day notice to quit must be given by either
party.
♦ Renewable, written 30-day leases require only 30-days notice to quit.
♦ No move-in inspections of the lot are required, but it’s a good idea.
♦ A mobile homeowner can give a 14/30 day notice for any period – it’s not tied
to the rent due date as with residential tenants.
♦ Any improvements on the lot made by the mobile homeowner are the property of the mobile homeowner and can be removed at move out.
♦ A mobile home is considered abandoned if rent is more than 3 days late and
the homeowner is absent more than 30 days. The homeowner is responsible
for all past due lot rents, removal and storage costs, utilities due and costs of
serving the lienholder. Costs begin accruing from the date of written notification.
♦ A mobile homeowner on active military duty renting a lot CANNOT give 15
days notice to terminate a month-to-month rental agreement when receiving
transfer orders.
Tiedowns (anchors holding a mobile home to the ground) are required on any mobile
home measuring 8' x 36' or larger that is not on a permanent foundation. Specifics
on type required and approved can be obtained from the Div. of Architectural Services, Kansas Dept. of Administration, 900 Jackson, Room 107, Topeka, Kansas
(785) 296-1318. It is a criminal offense in Kansas not to have proper tiedowns.
References: MHRLTA, K.S.A. 58-25,100 through 58-25,126; Tie downs, K.S.A.
75-1226 and 75-1227.
Some cities and counties have ordinances which set out standards for mobile homes
and/or mobile home parks. Check with your own city or county for further information.

28

DISCRIMINATION
LOCAL GOVERNMENT

Basically, all prospective and current tenants
must be respected and treated equally.
Current federal fair housing laws extend protection from discrimination on the basis of
race, sex, religion, national origin, ancestry,
color, familial status and disability. This protection applies to all sections of the United
States.
Enforcement procedures in discrimination
cases include the use of administrative law
judges, the power to get injunctions, and the
power to secure awards of up to $100,000
for fair housing complaints handled thorugh
administrative or federal court procedures.

LIMIT TO FILE: Varies. Generally 180 days.

Fair housing laws cover not only the specific
decision on whether to sell or rent to certain
persons or classes of people, but also issues
such as charging higher rent or establishing
different requirements, conditions, or services.
They cover the individuals involved, and situations involving families or guests may apply as well.

If you think you have been discriminated
against, you should definitely check out your
rights and pursue a complaint either directly
with your landlord or through the appropriate
authority. If it’s too late to make the situation
better for yourself, at least you can maybe
make it better for the next person. The following listing details the powers and procedures for the various ways to provide fair
housing complaints.

GROUPS COVERED: Varies. Generally include race, sex, religion, national origin, color,
ancestry. Some include handicap, marital
status, families with children, sexual orientation and welfare income.
WHO INVESTIGATES: Volunteer board
members or paid staff.

Although Kansas state discrimination laws are
in compliance with federal laws, not all local
governments have included families with
children and persons with disabilities. Some
local laws protect additional groups such as
marital status and sexual orientation.

Landlords can not legally threaten you, intimidate you, or otherwise retaliate against you if
you stand up for your rights.

(See box for which cities have fair housing
ordinances - next page)

POWERS: (1) Voluntary conciliation agreements which can include cash awards, agreements to rent, not evict, change management
practices, etc. (2) Public hearings before
volunteer boards, legal counsel often available. Ability to order injunctions and limits on
awards will vary. Enforcement assistance from
and appeals to District Court should be applicable, but may vary based on specific local
ordinance.
HOW TO CONTACT: Call City Hall and inquire
about “Human Relations”, “Human Resources”
or “Civil Rights” board or staff.

STATE GOVERNMENT
GROUPS COVERED: Race, sex, religion,
national origin, ancestry, color, disability and
families with children.
WHO INVESTIGATES: Paid staff, based in
Topeka and Wichita, who travel the entire state.
LIMIT TO FILE: 1 year.
HOW SOON INVESTIGATION MUST
START: Respondent (the landlord) must be
contacted within 10 days.

29

POWERS: (1) Voluntary conciliation agreements. (See Local page 29.) (2) Hearings
generally held in the city where the complaint
was filed. Administrative hearings, option of
using staff attorney or private counsel. Staff
hearing examiner can award actual damages,
no limit, and “pain and suffering” damages up
to $2,000.00. Decisions are enforced by or
appealed to Kansas District Court.
HOW TO CONTACT: The Kansas Human
Rights Commission is in Topeka at 900 SW
Jackson, Suite 568, South, 66612; phone
1-888-793-6874. Education specialists are
available to answer questions. You can also
obtain a copy of the Kansas Act Against
Discrimination upon request or at
www.khrc.net

FEDERAL GOVERNMENT
GROUPS COVERED: Race, sex, religion,
national origin, color, ancestry, disability, and
families with children.
Disability is the same as “handicap” and is
broadly defined to include anyone who has or

is regarded as having a physical or mental
disability (protects people with illnesses such
as AIDS, specifically does not protect people
with substance abuse problems). Landlords
must allow physically disabled tenants, at
their own expense, to make “reasonable”
modifications to a rental unit to make it
accessible. (The landlord does have the right
to insist on certain standards of workmanship and, in some cases, on restoration of
the property to its original condition at
move-out.)
Renting to families with children can still be
limited by occupancy limits in local housing
codes in terms of how many people a landlord can rent to, but buildings or complexes
which meet certain guidelines for operating
exclusively for senior citizens are the only
ones which can exclude families.
All new rental construction with 4 or more
units must be “accessible” or “adaptable”
for disabled persons. Copies of the law
are available from HUD, your library, your
congressperson and on the Internet.

Civil Rights Commissions
A 1988 state list indicates that 24 Kansas cities have fair housing ordinances.
Copies of these ordinances should be available through the City Clerk. The City
Manager or someone in a Community Development or Human Resources department is usually responsible for investigation. Most cities have a Human Relations
Commission, a board of local citizens appointed to settle disputes.

Arkansas City
Atchison
Chanute
Coffeyville
Dodge City
Emporia

Fort Scott
Garden City
Hutchinson
Independence
Junction City
Kansas City

Lawrence
Leavenworth
Liberal
Manhattan
Olathe
Ottawa

30

Parsons
Pittsburg
Salina
Topeka
Wichita
Winfield

may vary up to 5 years depending on nature
of lawsuit.

WHO INVESTIGATES: Paid staff of Department of Housing and Urban Development
(HUD), based in area or regional offices, who
will travel as needed.
COST: None for investigation, might be some
for witness fees or court costs. Can be
waived if complainant cannot afford.
LIMIT TO FILE: 1 year.
HOW SOON INVESTIGATION MUST
START: Respondent must be contacted
within 10 days, investigation completed within
100 days, if possible.
POWERS: (1) Voluntary conciliation agreements. (See Local and State above). (2)
Administrative hearings. Complainant assisted
by HUD investigator and HUD legal counsel,
before HUD administrative law judge. Power
of injunction, right to award actual damages
and attorneys fees, fines up to $50,000.
Hearings are to be held “in the vicinity” of
where the complaint occurred. (3) Federal
District Court, by request. Justice Department
would represent complainants before federal
judge and/or jury. Power of injunction, right to
award actual damages and attorneys fees,
fines up to $100,000. Federal courts in Kansas are in Kansas City, Topeka, and Wichita.
HOW TO CONTACT: Call 1-800-669-9777
for national information or 1-800-743-5323
for the Great Plains Regional HUD office, 400
State Avenue, Kansas City, Kansas 66101

PRIVATE ATTORNEY
GROUPS COVERED: Any covered by local,
state or federal law, or other policy or regulation.
WHO INVESTIGATES: Varies.
COST: Negotiable, can be high, can be low or
“contingency fee.”
LIMIT TO FILE: Federal law allows up to 2
years for private lawsuit; Kansas and local law

HOW SOON INVESTIGATION MUST
START: Varies. Can take some time to prepare case and get through various court
systems. In the past, however, there have
been times when this was faster and more
effective than using government procedures.
POWERS: No limit on settlements, all administrative procedures, no limit on penalties
requested or awarded.
HOW TO CONTACT: Check with local, state
and federal courts for names of attorneys
who have been involved in discrimination
cases; check with local and state bar association “lawyer referral” programs; contact
libraries or human relations boards for names
of attorneys nationally that have been successful in fair housing lawsuits.
THE RULE OF THUMB: If you have a complaint check with local, state, and federal
levels of government or private attorneys to
see
(1) whether your particular complaint is
covered
(2) how quickly they are required to act on
and settle complaints
(3) how close the administrative or court
hearing would be to where you live, and
(4) what powers and authority they have to
get money or other judgments.
Another wise move can be to file your complaint with all levels of government. Generally,
government agencies will defer down to the
most local agency that has authority in your
area. However, by filing in a timely manner
with everyone, if you are not satisfied with the
investigation at one level, you can ask the
next to assist you. Because all government
levels have time limits that you must meet for
filing, if you waited for one investigation to
finish and were dissatisfied, it might be too
late to file with the next.

31

HOW TO SHOP FOR AN ATTORNEY
When shopping for an attorney for a landlord/tenant case, you want someone who
will take care of your business quickly and inexpensively and who will win – right!?
Because landlord-tenant cases usually do not involve a lot of money, many attorneys are unfamiliar with that area of the law. Even your family or business attorney
may not be the best person for you. It pays to shop around!
Some things to look for:
♦

Landlord/Tenant Case Experience. How recent? How much? Landlord/
tenant law is complex. It will pay you in time, money, and success to hire
someone who is already familiar with it.

♦

Courthouse Time. Is the attorney there often? In most landlord/tenant
cases there are many papers to be filed and speed is important. If your attorney is often at the courthouse anyway, speed should not be a problem and it
shouldn’t cost you extra.

♦

Initial Consultation. This is crucial if you don’t know the attorney or he or
she has not done this type of work for you before. Many attorneys charge
nothing or a small charge ($15-$25) for this. Remember, you are hiring this
person, not the reverse. If you don’t like the person or feel he or she is not
interested in your case, keep looking!

♦ Estimated Fees. Get, on paper, an estimate of what this process should
cost you. Some attorneys have basic flat rates on routine processes such as
evictions. Most will charge by the hour but can still estimate what the total
should be.
You can check out the first two items by phone. Then, just as if you were getting
bids on a major purchase or repair, you might want to plan to interview three attorneys who sound like they might meet your qualifications.
If you run out of possible names or don’t have any in the first place, you can call
Lawyer Referral Service at 1-800-928-3111. They will give you the name of an
attorney in your area who has indicated that he or she does your kind of case (fees
range from $100-$200 per hour). For advice only, you will be connected with an
attorney on the Lawyer Advice Line (charges are $3 per minute and can be charged
to MasterCard, VISA or debit cards). If you are over 60, you can contact your local
Kansas Elder Law Hotline at 1-888-353-5337 for a referral to an attorney who is
paid with public funds to provide legal consultation (maybe not representation, but at
least advice) to senior citizens without charge.

32

SMALL CLAIMS COURT
Small Claims Court exists to provide a forum
for the speedy trial of fairly simple claims at a
minimal cost.

ten (10) small claims in any calendar year in
any one county.

HOW DO YOU FILE A SMALL
CLAIMS SUIT?

WHAT IS A SMALL CLAIM?
A small claim is defined in Kansas as a claim
for recovering money or personal property
from an individual, a business, or an organization where the amount involved is $1,800.00
or less. It is especially useful for the collection
of a security deposit from a landlord or a
decision on who would pay a disputed repair bill.
Evictions are not handled in Small Claims Court.

WHO MAY FILE A SMALL
CLAIM?

To start a small claims suit, you must fill out a
form provided by the clerk of the court. To
find the right office, look for a sign in the
county courthouse saying Small Claims or
Limited Action or District Court.

Anyone may file a small claim, but there are
some restrictions.
(1) Most important, you represent yourself and
the landlord represents himself or herself. No one
can be represented by an attorney during a small
claims hearing. Exception: If one party is a lawyer,
the other party may hire a lawyer.
(2) Persons under 18 must be represented by
an adult.
(3) You may not authorize a third party to sue
in your behalf. (Rare exceptions to this rule can
be made with the consent of the judge in situations where, for instance, a person is senile or is
otherwise unable to represent himself or herself.)
(4) Collection agencies cannot use the Small
Claims Court to secure payments for their
clients.
(5) No person or entity may file for more than

A small claims suit should be filed in the
county where the landlord resides or has a
place of business or where the incident in
question took place. Some courts will allow
you to file on someone outside the county but
within the state of Kansas; some will not. If
your case is against someone who is out of
state, you may not be able to use the Kansas
small claims procedure.

The form you fill out is not complicated. You
must simply list your name and address, the
defendant’s name and address, and state your
claim. After you have completed the form,
return it to the clerk and pay a filing fee which
may range from $31.00 to $51.00 depending
upon the amount of the claim and the county
you are filing in. The judge may waive this fee
if good cause is shown that you cannot afford
it. You must sign the form in front of the clerk,
or, if you file by mail, you must have it notarized.
If your landlord is a corporation, list any name
you think is legally involved. Often, this will
include the name of the corporation (include
owner and management company, whatever
names you have been given), the name of the
complex, and the name of the current manager or agent. For the address, list the one(s)
in the county where you are filing. If you want

33

to find the person who will accept legal papers
for a corporation, you should go to
www.accesskansas.org/apps/corporations.
Enter the name of the corporation. The Secretary of State’s records will show a name and
address for the Resident Agent. Service of
papers on that person gets the corporation
into your lawsuit.
The clerk will then assign a date and time for
your claim to be heard. The sheriff will serve a
summons on the defendant to notify him or
her of the court proceedings.
If you have not heard from the court, check in
at least a day before your hearing is scheduled
to make sure the defendant was served the
court summons. If not, you will need to give
the court any clues you can (addresses,
times, etc.) on how to find this person. There
cannot be a trial until the defendant is notified.
A publication process is available if the defendant truly can’t be found.
It is important to remember that the person
you are suing may bring a countersuit against
you. So, know as much as possible about the
circumstances involved in your claim.

WHAT IF YOU ARE THE ONE
BEING FILED AGAINST?
You will receive a summons stating that the
landlord claims you owe an amount of money
up to $1,800.00 for back rent, damages, or
whatever. You can defend yourself if you feel
you do not owe the money or countersue if
you feel the landlord owes you money. It
costs nothing to countersue unless your claim
is over $1,800.00 and you choose to take it
to a higher court.

WHAT IF YOUR OPPONENT
OFFERS TO SETTLE?
Generally, to settle means to make some sort
of deal and drop the case from court.
It is advisable to settle only if you have been

paid or your items returned in full. (This settlement should include any court costs and interest
desired.) If you aren’t totally satisfied, go ahead
to court and get your hearing and official judgment on the entire claim.
If a case is settled, the plaintiff (person who
filed) should notify the court in writing and have
the hearing cancelled. Check with the court to
see if there is a form that can be filled out and
signed; otherwise, a letter of dismissal should
be written and delivered to the court. The defendant should check with the court the day
before the scheduled court date and make sure
the plaintiff did have the case dismissed. When
in doubt, you should appear at the appointed
date and time for your own protection.

WHAT PREPARATION IS NECESSARY BEFORE GOING TO COURT?
Make sure you have all materials and papers
that are important to your case. It is important
that you write down all of the facts of the case
before the hearing and take them with you. You
should not expect to read this at the trial, but it
can be an important reference so you don’t
forget any details or dates when you are speaking to the judge.
Be sure to inform any witnesses you have
of the date and time of the hearing. It is up to
you to see that they are there. Witnesses can
be subpoenaed by the court. However, if the
court calls them, you will have to pay a witness
fee. Depositions (signed statements from witnesses) are not allowed.
If you need more time to prepare your case or
if for some very important reason (such as
serious illness) you, as either plaintiff or defendant, cannot make it to court on the day of
your hearing, you must request a “continuance”
from the clerk or judge at Small Claims Court.
This must be done as far in advance as possible.
Although everyone has a legal right to one
continuance, the court may set a deadline
(usually a day or two before) after which time
none will be granted. If you fail to ask for a

34

continuance and do not appear in court for
the hearing, you may lose your right to be
heard by the judge and may automatically
lose your case.
One thing you might consider is going and
sitting in on Small Claims Court before you file
or at least before your hearing date comes
up. Every Small Claims Court hearing is public.
By attending at least one session in advance,
you will know how small claims cases are
handled by the court and the judge in your
county. The clerk’s office can advise you when
a landlord/tenant case is scheduled.

WHAT HAPPENS IN COURT?

If you have any witnesses, take them with
you when your case is called. If you don’t,
they may never be called forward by the
judge. It is important to answer the judge’s
questions directly and in a calm manner.
Speak clearly, directly, and only when spoken
to. If you must interrupt or insert a point, do it
as politely as possible.
Never be rude to the judge or your opponent
either in speaking or by making gestures or faces.

WHAT ABOUT THE RULING?
The judge considers the arguments and evidence and decides the validity of your claim. He
or she may award an entire request, part of it,
or none of it. If you win, the judge may order
your opponent to pay you interest and/or
reimburse you for your filing fee in addition to
the amount you asked for. The judge may
decide that your opponent’s claim is more valid
than yours and order you to pay money to your
opponent.

Be sure that you appear in court on the date
and time assigned by the clerk. Get there
early! If you are not present, your side of the
case will not be heard and your opponent will win.
At the hearing, the claim is heard by a judge.
There is not a jury. You and your opponent
represent yourselves.

COLLECTING A COURT JUDGMENT

The only information the judge should have
ahead of time is the original claim form and
possibly a counterclaim form (though counterclaim forms can be turned in at the trial).

Winning in court does not necessarily mean that
you get paid promptly, in full, or ever.

The procedure is very simple. You present
your side of the story to the judge. In doing
so, you show any evidence and call any witnesses you have to testify. The judge may
then ask questions of you and your witnesses.
Your opponent will be asked to present his or
her case and any claim that he or she may
have against you. When your opponent is
finished, the judge may question your opponent and your opponent’s witnesses.

Payments can be made through the court or
directly between you and your opponent. Installment payments are allowed if both parties
are willing. Use receipts if you pay or get paid
directly.

SOME HINTS!

After 10 days, assuming no appeal has been
filed, the court can assist you in collecting your
money. It will be up to you to make sure appropriate papers are filed and to find out where this
person’s money is. You may hire an attorney or
use a collection service to assist at this time.

Your judgment is good almost forever as long
as you keep checking in with the court and
officially renewing it at least every five years or so.

You may want to prepare an opening statement
– one or two sentences that summarize your
side of the case – and practice it in advance.
When presenting your case, make your statements short and present any pertinent documents.

“Aid in Execution” and “Garnishment” are the
two court-assisted collection procedures.

35

business must file an answer with the court.
The court will send a copy to you. Next, you
must sign or call the court for an “order to
pay in and disburse.” Then the court will collect
the money from the business and send it on to
you.

AID IN EXECUTION
You can go back to the court clerk and ask to
have the court “aid” you in “execution” of the
judgment. Most courts will provide the necessary form. There should be no cost to you.
The court will send the sheriff out with an order
summoning your opponent to return to court.
You will have to appear too. At the appointed
time, the judge will assist you in questioning the
person to determine whether a payment can be
made immediately to you directly or through
the court; whether an acceptable payment plan
can be worked out; and/or to discover where
the person banks or works so that garnishment
can proceed.
This procedure can be used as often as necessary.

GARNISHMENT
In a garnishment procedure, the court gets the
money owed you directly from your opponent’s
source of income or bank account. You will have
to find out where the person works or banks, fill
out a garnishment request form with the court
clerk, and then the court will contact the business
and arrange the garnishment at no cost to you. If
you can’t find out whether the person has income,
employment, or money, you can ask the court to
assist you through an “Aid in Execution” (see
section above).
The law permits garnishment of 25% from each
paycheck, though a certain amount must be left in
each check garnished. Welfare and social security
checks can’t be garnished. Garnishments continue
until the judgment is paid off or released.
A checking or savings account can be garnished in
one lump sum. When filing for this type of garnishment, you must enter 1-1/2 times the amount
due on the form.
Give the court a week or so to issue the garnishment. Once a business has received garnishment
papers, it should be holding your money. The

WHAT IF IT TURNS OUT THAT
THE SCOPE OF THE CLAIM IS BEYOND THAT OF SMALL CLAIMS
COURT?
You may decide that your claim is too complicated
for Small Claims Court or a judge may decide that.
You then have three options.
(1) You can drop the claim. Your filing fee will not
be returned.
(2) You can reduce your claim to fit the limits
of Small Claims Court, thereby waiving the right
to pursue what you left out.
(3) You can go to the next higher court level.
There you will probably need an attorney and the
fee will be higher if your claim is over $1,800.
A claim cannot be split into two suits.

CAN SMALL CLAIMS COURT DECISIONS BE APPEALED?
A judgment made in Small Claims Court may
be appealed to the next higher level of the
District Court within ten days. This will give
you a trial “de novo” – completely new. You
will have to pay court fees again. Hiring an
attorney is advisable because of the complexity of the forms and the legal arguments. If
you lose a second time, the judge is supposed
to order you to pay your opponent’s
attorney’s fees.
If you have any questions on how to file a
small claim, contact the appropriate court for
your county. The Small Claims Court is an
excellent channel for those who have small
claims and cannot afford an attorney. It was
created for you to use, so utilize it!

36

TENANT
ORGANIZATIONS

ue
Bar-B-Q
m
p
0
5:3
y!
Saturda

TENANT ORGANIZATIONS
A tenant association is a group of residents who
band together for any of a number of reasons.
It may be formed by the tenants of a single
apartment house, the tenants of a single landlord in many houses, or on a neighborhood
basis. Sometimes associations form on a social
basis to organize adult or children’s activities or
just to visit. Sometimes they form for security.
Sometimes they begin as defensive organizations to make specific complaints against rent
raises, evictions, or a landlord’s refusal to make
repairs.
Some tenants’ associations last for short periods of time while certain people or certain
issues are present. Others last over many years
and can develop into strong positive bases for
neighborhood activities or even communitywide activities such as housing code enforcement or neighborhood improvement.
There is no right way to organize and run a
tenant organization because each situation is
different. Still, tenant groups should keep a
number of things in mind when planning and
running an organization.
Information: Information on community
resources, landlords, local issues, and politicians
means strength for a tenant organization.
Information can be used to educate your members and the public. It is essential in decision
making on issues and planning events. It can
also aid in obtaining public support and providing
better defense in legal situations.
Recruiting: Try and get people who are known
by a lot of tenants to help get people out to the
meetings. One-on-one personal or telephone
invitations are the best. Offer people rides.
Organize first on small problems which have
solutions or limited activities so that your group
has early successes.

Ren t
Meeting
Tonight!

Building #3
Garage
Sa le !

Meetings: People come to meetings for a
variety of reasons – social, personal fulfillment,
fun. Potluck dinners or other ideas can increase
attendance. Set meeting times carefully to avoid
conflicts with work, social events, school
events, popular TV shows, etc. Meeting places
should be close and easy to get to. Sitting in a
circle for informal meetings would allow everyone to see each other. A sign-up list allows
individual tenants to list their problems and/or
interests and also serves as a future reference
and volunteer list.
The point of the meeting is to get something
done, build interest, and build commitment;
people should want to come back. Agendas
should be prepared in writing and followed.
Avoid, “What do you want to do?” statements,
but have suggestions for how to proceed on
problems or activities. Encourage participation
by many. Share all information so that people
feel like they know what’s going on. A limited
time for open discussion of issues that are not
central to the work that needs to be done
should come at the end of the meeting.
Everyone should leave the meeting with something to do. Form working commitees for future
activities. This reinforces commitment and will give
members an opportunity to brag at the next
meeting (if they have done what they said they
would) or feel group pressure (if they have not).
Roleplaying: Take the part of each of the characters in a situation, either in your head or with the
group. It can be a lot of fun, and, taken seriously,
very instructive. Whether you are just trying to get
more people in your building or neighborhood out
to events that you have planned or whether you
are trying to plan arguments, tactics, and overall
strategy in a major difficult issue, understanding
the point of view from the other side can be
helpful.
Tactics: Tenant group tactics can include letters, negotiation, events in public places, meet-

37

ings, and, in extreme cases, such methods as
picketing or rent strikes. All activities should be
carefully and sensitively selected, timed, and
directed to meet the specific needs, goals, and
objectives established by the tenants’ association.
Legal Help: Lawyers are a necessary aid to
any tenant group that is pursuing tenants’
rights issues. They can buy time, give advice,
and even win key cases. They may also serve
as advocates in seeking changes in the law in
legislatures and city councils. However, the
lawyer’s role should be no more than that of a
technical advisor who gives members legal
information about what might happen to them
if they try certain specific tactics. A lawyer
should be neither conservative nor militant in
presenting these choices; the best technical
advisor may be the worst political decision

maker. It is imperative that the tenants decide
whether their action in a controversy will be moderate or militant.
Publicity: Leaflets, posters, and newsletters are
basic methods of keeping tenants informed about
the group’s activities and accomplishments. Telephone “trees” are also very effective.
TV, radio, and newspaper coverage will also be
helpful, but the media cannot substitute for the
basic methods listed above.
Community Support: Every community group
should be aware of the benefit which comes from
exchanging advice, support, and resources with
other groups. However, do not try to pattern your
tactics or activities to be exactly like others. No
two organizations are the same; you must look
inward for your own direction.

LEGAL REFERENCES
The term “K.S.A.” refers to the Kansas Statutes Annotated. These Kansas law books are available to
you at most libraries and often can be found at business and government offices. They are also available
at www.kslegislature.org. Do a statute search using the numbers listed here. Copies of the Kansas
Residential Landlord and Tenant Act (K.S.A. 58-2540 through 58-2573), Mobile Home Parks Residential
Landlord and Tenant Act (K.S.A. 58-25, 100-58-25, 126) and other items noted below can be ordered
from Housing and Credit Counseling, Inc.
Before You Rent - Fraud on Applications, landlord remedies, K.S.A. 36-206 and 36-207; Kansas Fair
Credit Reporting Act, K.S.A. 50-701 through 50-722; Possession, K.S.A. 58-2552, 2560.
Low Rent Housing - There are volumes available on each kind of government-assisted program; the
regulations are constantly changing. Ask your manager to give you a copy of the regulation(s) you want
to see. Your state, HUD or Rural Development staff should be able to help you with further questions.
(See box with phone numbers on page 12.)
Security Deposits - K.S.A. 58-2543, 58-2550, 58-2554, 58-2562, 58-2563; 1979 Kansas Supreme
Court case Clark v. Walker, re: Forfeiture provisions; 1982 Kansas Court of Appeals case Buettner v.
Unruh, re: When move-in inventory was not done; 2001 Kansas Court of Appeals case Wurtz v. Cedar
Ridge, re: Landlord can’t keep security deposit as liquidated damages.
Leases - K.S.A. 58-2543 through 58-2547, 58-2549, 58-2556, 58-2558, 58-2565; Subleasing K.S.A. 582511, 58-2512, 58-2515; Disclosure of Ownership, K.S.A. 58-2551, 58-2554; Kansas Contract Law (not
detailed here) also applies; 1975 Kansas Supreme Court case Chelsea Plaza Homes, Inc. v. Moore, re:
Kansas Consumer Protection Act does not apply; Model Leases can be ordered from Housing and Credit
Counseling, Inc.
Rules and Regulations – K.S.A. 58-2556.

(Continued on following page)

38

Move-In Checklists – K.S.A. 58-2548; 1982 Kansas Court of Appeals case Buettner v. Unruh, re: When
move-in inventory was not done; Model Move-In Inspection Forms can be ordered from Housing and Credit
Counseling, Inc.
Rent and Late Fees – K.S.A. 58-2543, 58-2545, 58-2566, 58-2572; Damage or Destruction by Fire or
Casualty, K.S.A. 58-2562; Liens, K.S.A. 58-2567; City of Manhattan Ordinance #3081 provides for escrow of
rent under certain circumstances; Copies of the Manhattan Ordinance can be ordered through Housing and
Credit Counseling, Inc.
Landlord Responsibilities – K.S.A. 58-2543, 58-2549, 58-2553, 58-2559, 58-2561, 58-2562, 58-2563, 582569, 58-2572; Damage or Destruction by Fire or Casualty, K.S.A. 58-2562; 1974 Kansas Supreme Court case
Steele v. Latimer established implied warranty of habitability ; Utility company tariffs can be obtained from
each utility company or from the Kansas Corporation Commission; Model Maintenance Request can be ordered
from Housing and Credit Counseling, Inc.
Landlord Entry – K.S.A. 58-2557, 58-2565, 58-2571.
Tenant Responsibilities – K.S.A. 58-2543, 58-2555, 58-2558, 58-2564; Possession, K.S.A. 58-2570.
Mobile Home Parks – Tiedowns, K.S.A. 71-1226 through 71-1234; Mobile Home Parks Residential Landlord
and Tenant Act - 58-25,100 - 58-25,126; Copies of this Act can be ordered from Housing and Credit Counseling, Inc.
Notice to Quit from the Tenant – K.S.A. 58-2559, 58-2560, 58-2562, 58-2563, 58-2570, 58-2571; Abandonment, K.S.A. 58-2565; Damage or Destruction by Fire or Casualty, K.S.A. 58-2562; 14/30 Day Notice,
K.S.A. 58-2559; Leaving Without Notice with Intent to Defraud, K.S.A. 36-206 and 36-207; Model 30-Day
and 14/30-Day Notices can be ordered from Housing and Credit Counseling, Inc.
Evictions – K.S.A. 58-2504, 58-2505, 58-2509, 58-2552, 58-2560, 58-2561, 58-2564 through 58-2572;
Court Process (Forcible Detainer), K.S.A. 61-2301 through 61-2311, Employment Related, K.S.A. 58-2504;
Liens, K.S.A. 58-2565, 58-2567; Lock-Outs, K.S.A. 58-2563, 58-2567, 58-2569; Retaliation, K.S.A. 58-2572;
City of Topeka Code 21-243 and 21-244; Service of Notices, K.S.A. 58-2510, 58-2550, 58-2554, 58-2562,
58-2563, 61-1801 through 61-1807, 61-2304; Squatters, K.S.A. 58-2509, 58-2511, 58-2512; 1983 Kansas
Supreme Court case Geiger v. Wallace established punitive damages in constructive eviction; United States
Supreme Court case Rucker v. Davis upheld “one-strike” eviction of tenants; 24 CFR Part 5, et al regarding Public Housing “one-strike” rules; Model 3-Day, 30-Day, and 14/30-Day Notices can be ordered from
Housing and Credit Counseling, Inc.
Discrimination – Kansas Act Against Discrimination, K.S.A. 44-1001 through 44-1043; local ordinances;
federal Fair Housing Act of 1968 and Fair Housing Amendments Act of 1988.
Small Claims Court – Kansas Small Claims Procedure Act, K.S.A. 61-2701 through 61-2713; Aid in Execution, K.S.A. 61-2204; Garnishment and Attachments, K.S.A. 61-2001 through 61-2012.
Tenant Organizations – K.S.A. 58-2572.
Tenants Right to Organize - 24 CFR, Code of Federal Regulations, Part 245
Links for tenant organizations: National Housing Law Project (www.nhlp.org) and National Alliance of HUD
Tenants (www.saveourhomes.org)

39

INDEX
Abandonment 26
Aid in Execution 36, 39
Applications 7, 38
Applications, Low Rent Housing 0-11

Leases 5, 7, 15-16, 19, 24, 38-39
Liens 26-27, 39
Lock-Outs 27, 39
Low Rent Housing 9-12, 38

Behavior of Tenants 23-24, 39

Maintenance, Landlord 11, 18-19
Maintenance, Tenant 23-24
Military 24
Mobile Homes 4, 20, 28, 38-39
Month-to-Month Agreements (See Rental
Agreements)
Move-In Inspections 6, 13, 16-17, 39
Move-Out Inspections 13-14

Cablevision 18
Checklist (See Move-In Inspections)
Civil Rights (See Discrimination)
Collection 33, 35-36
Constructive Evictions 26-27
Court Cases 38-39
Court Procedures 27, 33-36, 39
Definitions 4
Delivering Notices 15, 24-26, 33-34
Discrimination 7, 29-31, 39
Disposal of Leftover Possessions 26-27
Entry (See Landlord Entry)
Escrow of Rent 19,39
Eviction 16, 17, 22, 24-26, 33, 39
Eviction, Low Rent Housing 11-12
Fair Credit Reporting 7, 38
Fair Housing (See Discrimination)
Fire or Casualty 19, 39
Fire Code 21
5-Day Notice 8, 19
14/30 Day Notices 19, 24-25
Garnishment 36, 39
Grievance Procedures 9, 11-12
Guests 18, 25
Heat 6
Holdover Possession (See also Possession)
26-27
Housing Code 18-19, 20-21
Housing Voucher 9-12
HUD 9-12, 29-31, 39
Illegal Activity 25
Improvements, Tenant 23-24
Inspection (See Move-In Inspections)
Insurance 8, 19
Interest 11, 13
Itemized Deductions 13-14
Kansas Residential Landlord and Tenant Act
4, 13, 16, 20
K.S.A. 38-39
Landlord 4, 15, 19, 33, 39
Landlord Entry 6, 15, 22-23, 39
Late Charges 17-18, 39

Normal Wear and Tear 13-14
Notice to Quit from Landlord (See Eviction)
Notice to Quit from Tenant, Improper 14, 25-26
Notice to Quit from Tenant, Proper 19, 24, 39
Possession 7, 8, 14, 26, 39
Public Housing 9-12
Recertification 11
Rent 6, 9-10, 17-18
Rent Date 17
Rent Payment 17-18, 23, 25, 39
Rent Raise 17-18, 22
Rent Withholding 19
Rent Agreements, Written and Verbal 5, 7, 15-16
Repair and Deduct 19
Retaliation 22, 25, 26
Roommate 5, 13, 24
Rules and Regulations 7, 16, 39
Rural Development 9-12
Sale of Property 6, 14-15
Section 8 9-12
Security Deposits 11, 13-15, 17, 19, 38
Service of Notices (See Delivering Notices)
Small Claims Court 14-15, 19, 33-36, 39
Special Agreements 5, 7
Subsidized Housing (See Low-Rent Housing)
Tax Credit/Section 42 9-12
Tenant 4, 23-24, 39
Tenant Organizations 37-38, 39
30-Day Notice from Landlord (See Evictions)
30-Day Notice from Tenant (See Notice to
Quit from Tenant, Proper)
3-Day Notice (See Evictions)
Trailers (See Mobile Homes)
Utilities 6, 26, 39
Warranty of Habitability 19, 27, 39
Weatherization 20
Week-to-Week Agreements 24

40

Tenant-Landlord ♦ Homebuyer ♦ Consumer Credit
Tenant-Landlord Publications Available:
Kansas Tenants Handbook
Kansas Landlords Handbook
Model Lease and Move-In Inventory
Form Notices For Landlords
Form Notices For Tenants
Kansas Residential Landlord and Tenant Act
Relevant Court Cases and Local Ordinances
Mobile Home Parks Residential Landlord and Tenant Act

Order From:

HOUSING AND CREDIT COUNSELING, INC.
1195 SW Buchanan, Suite 101
Topeka, Kansas 66604
(785) 234-0217
Email: hcci@hcci-ks.org
Website: hcci-ks.org

41



---

Source Exif Data:

File Type                       : PDF
File Type Extension             : pdf
MIME Type                       : application/pdf
PDF Version                     : 1.2
Linearized                      : Yes
Create Date                     : 2004:08:27 16:43:06
Producer                        : Acrobat Distiller 4.0 for Windows
Subject                         : TENANTS HANDBOOK
Title                           : TENANTS HANDBOOK
Author                          : JPassariello
Creator                         : Adobe PageMaker 6.52
Modify Date                     : 2004:08:27 16:43:10-05:00
Page Count                      : 41

EXIF Metadata provided by EXIF.tools