To prohibit convenience fees for tenant’s of rental properties
Summary
House Bill 5155 would add a new section to West Virginia’s landlord-tenant law prohibiting landlords from charging tenants a convenience fee on rental payments. In practical terms, the bill bars extra charges tied to the method of paying rent, such as fees for online or card-based payment processing, when those fees are passed on to the tenant.
The bill includes a limited exception: the prohibition would not apply if the landlord offers a rent payment method that does not require a convenience fee. The measure is framed as a consumer-protection style change for renters and would directly affect landlords, property managers, and any third-party rent payment systems that impose separate payment fees.
Impact
If enacted, HB5155 would amend West Virginia Code Chapter 37, Article 6 by creating §37-6-32 and adding a new restriction to landlord-tenant law. It would prevent landlords from charging tenants convenience fees on rental payments, while preserving landlords’ ability to accept rent through fee-free payment methods. The bill would primarily affect residential landlords, rental property operators, and payment processors used for rent collection.
Sentiment
Based on the bill text and the absence of recorded committee discussion or votes in the provided materials, the bill appears to be a straightforward tenant-relief measure with a consumer-protection orientation. The caption and purpose statement suggest a generally favorable posture toward reducing rental payment costs for tenants. No formal opposition, amendments, or recorded vote history is available in the provided context.
Contention
The main point of potential contention is whether landlords should be allowed to recover administrative or processing costs associated with certain payment methods, especially online or card-based rent payments. Supporters would likely view the bill as protecting tenants from added housing costs, while opponents may argue it limits flexibility in rent collection and shifts payment-processing expenses to landlords. Because no committee transcript or vote record is provided, there is no documented disagreement in the supplied materials.