List of Wisconsin Landlord Tenant Law changes
There have been a lot of questions lately regarding which Wisconsin landlord tenant laws have been changed in recent years. Below is a list of state law changes since 2011.
The Association’s Landlord Tenant Law Boot Camp is a good way to learn how to implement these changes in your rental procedures. It is a full Saturday of intense information. Attorney Tristan Pettit, AASEW Board Member and the guy who drafts the standard forms you get at WI Legal Blank is the presenter. Tristan sat at the table as a lot of this was drafted.
Many of the changes were promoted by the Apartment Association of Southeastern WI, Inc., which I have been a board member of for all but one of the last 30 years. You should consider membership so that we can continue these good works. 😉 Join at https://AASEW.org
While portrayed by some as anti tenant, it is the good tenants who meet their obligations who ultimately pay for those tenants that don’t pay or are disruptive.
Some changes were just common sense and benefit both owners and tenants. Previously, you could only give a month to month tenant a 14 Day notice without right to cure for lease violations. Now you use a 5 Day Breach to clean up their garbage or get rid of that one hundred pound Pit Bull – Rottweiler that is chasing the mail carrier down the block. If the tenant complies, their rental continues.
Another example was the change to waiver. For a while the tenant advocate attorneys would raise the issue of waiver if you had waited until, lets say the 15th, to give a five day. Then you get tired of constant late payments and issue a five day on the fifth. The argument was raised that by waiting until the 15th that you changed the terms of the agreement. Owners responded by adopting a no leniency policy, giving everyone a five day on the fifth. Now that this has changed owners have the option of giving tenants extra time before issuing a notice, remembering that notices appear more confrontational that a note reminding them rent is due.
2017 ACT 317
2017 Wis. Act 317
https://docs.legis.wisconsin.gov/2017/related/lcactmemo/act317
Summary by Tenant Resource Center
2015 ACT 176
2015 Wis. Act. 176
https://docs.legis.wisconsin.gov/2015/related/lcactmemo/act176
Tenant Resource Center Summary of 3/2/16 Changes
2013 ACT 76
2013 Wisconsin Act 76
2013 Wisconsin Act 76 Evictions, Towing Practices, and Prohibitions
Tenant Resource Center Summary of 3/1/2014 Wisconsin Law Changes
2011 ACT 143
2011 Wis. Act 143
2011 Wisconsin Act 143: LC Act Memo
Tenant Resource Center Summary of 3/31/2012 Wisconsin Law Changes
2011 ACT 108
2011 Wis. Act 108
2011 Wisconsin Act 108: LC Act Memo
I think this is the full list