Topeka council gives tenants protection from landlords

TOPEKA (KSNT) — Topeka city leaders have approved an ordinance that gives tenants more protection from their landlords.

At Tuesday's city council meeting, the council members voted to pass an amendment to its retaliatory eviction ordinance, changing the way the city ordinance is written. The ordinance said tenants may be scared to defend their rights to clean, safe and sanitary residence due to fear of eviction.

According to new definitions in the ordinance, a tenant in "good standing" should not be evicted from their place of residence due to retaliation or harassment.

Retaliation is defined by the city in the following ways, but it's not limited to these definitions:

• Starting to take over or recover the place of residence from a tenant
• Increasing the rent
• Reduce services that a landlord is required to provide according to the rental agreement and/or K.S.A. 58-2553
• Harassing entry or repeated demands for entry by the landlord in violation of K.S.A. 58-2557- and/or K.S.A. 58-2571(b)
  

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