H4099 • 2025

An Act to prohibit landlords and brokers from requiring broker's commissions to be paid by a tenant or prospective tenant

Housing

Active

The official status still shows this bill as active or still awaiting another formal step.

Sponsor: Sabadosa, Lindsay N.
Last action: 2026-04-23
Official status: Accompanied a study order, see H5337 (under House Rule 27)
Effective date: Not listed

Plain English Breakdown

Using official source text because the generated explanation was unavailable or could not be confirmed against the official bill text.

An Act to prohibit landlords and brokers from requiring broker's commissions to be paid by a tenant or prospective tenant

An Act to prohibit landlords and brokers from requiring broker's commissions to be paid by a tenant or prospective tenant By Representative Sabadosa of Northampton and Senator Comerford, a joint petition (accompanied by bill, House, No.

What This Bill Does

An Act to prohibit landlords and brokers from requiring broker's commissions to be paid by a tenant or prospective tenant By Representative Sabadosa of Northampton and Senator Comerford, a joint petition (accompanied by bill, House, No.
4099) of Lindsay N.
Sabadosa and Joanne M.
Comerford (with the approval of the mayor and city council) that the city of Northampton be authorized to prohibit landlords and brokers from requiring broker's commissions to be paid by tenants or prospective tenants.

Limits and Unknowns

This entry is temporarily using official source text because the generated explanation could not be confirmed against the official bill text during the last sync.

Bill History

2026-04-23 House
Accompanied a study order, see H5337 (under House Rule 27)
2025-11-07 Joint
Hearing scheduled for 11/19/2025 from 11:00 AM-05:00 PM in Gardner Auditorium
2025-05-12 Senate
Senate concurred
2025-05-08 House
Referred to the committee on Housing
House
Reported by committee to Clerk’s Office for processing, will accompany a study order

Official Summary Text

An Act to prohibit landlords and brokers from requiring broker's commissions to be paid by a tenant or prospective tenant
By Representative Sabadosa of Northampton and Senator Comerford, a joint petition (accompanied by bill, House, No. 4099) of Lindsay N. Sabadosa and Joanne M. Comerford (with the approval of the mayor and city council) that the city of Northampton be authorized to prohibit landlords and brokers from requiring broker's commissions to be paid by tenants or prospective tenants. Housing. [Local Approval Received.]

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text

Bill H.4099

SECTION 1. No licensed real estate broker or other person or entity engaged in the rental or leasing of residential real estate in the City of Northampton as agent of the landowner, landlord, lessor, or sub-lessor shall demand, receive, or retain any payment, fee, commission or other charge from a tenant or prospective tenant for any services on behalf of such landowner, landlord, lessor, or sub-lessor for the listing, showing, qualifying of prospective tenants, preparation and execution of documents, or otherwise arising out of the leasing of a residential rental unit in such city.

SECTION 2. No landowner, landlord, lessor, or sub-lessor shall demand or require that a tenant or prospective tenant retain, hire or engage a rental agent or broker and pay such agent or broker a fee or commission as a condition to applying for or leasing a residential rental unit in the City of Northampton, and no such landowner, lessor, or sub-lessor shall demand or require that a tenant or prospective tenant make any payment in violation of SECTION 1 of this act.

SECTION 3. Violation of this act shall constitute an unfair or deceptive act or practice in the conduct of a trade or commerce in violation of section 2 (a) of chapter 93A.

SECTION 4. The City of Northampton may, by ordinance, establish a fine or penalty for violation of this act, not to exceed $1,000.00 per violation.

This act shall take effect upon passage.

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