Starting in January, new landlord-tenant laws will take effect in California. Here is information about some of these laws.
Rental Units Must Have Refrigerators and Stoves
California has a law that requires that rental units be habitable. Up to now, to be considered habitable, a rental unit needed to have effective roofs, walls, windows, and doors, plumbing with hot and cold water, electricity, hearing, adequate places to dispose of garbage, and a private mailbox that can be locked.
Starting on January 1, all rental homes and apartments in California will also need to have a working stove able to generate heat for the purpose of cooking and a refrigerator that is able to safely store food.
Landlords are required to fix habitability problems in a timely manner. If a landlord fails to do this, the tenant can sue the landlord and seek other forms of redress. The new law will apply to all leases signed on or after January 1, 2026. When an existing lease is renewed or extended on or after January 1, 2026, those rental units will also need to have a working refrigerator and stove. Exceptions will include communal living spaces and single-occupancy units that have a shared kitchen or other place to prepare food. Click here to learn more.
Translation of Eviction Documents
A new California law requires that by January 1, 2027, eviction summons forms be translated into Spanish, Chinese, Tagalog, Vietnamese, and Korean.
Legal Notices to Mobilehome Residents
A new state law authorizes mobilehome park owners to serve legal notices required under California’s Mobilehome Residency Law to residents electronically. This law means that mobilehome park owners can now send notices informing mobilehome residents of their legal rights via electronic means. This law does not apply to notices that a person is being evicted or declaring that a mobilehome has been abandoned. Such notices must still be served in person or by mail.
Cooling Systems in Mobilehomes
A new law gives residents of mobilehome parks the right to install cooling systems in their homes. Mobilehome park owners will no longer be allowed to prohibit or restrict a mobilehome resident or mobilehome owner from installing, upgrading, or replacing a cooling system in their mobilehome. A mobilehome park owner that violates this law can be subject to a penalty that does not exceed $2,000.
Internet Subscriptions
All residential tenancy leases entered into, renewed, or continuing on or after January 1, 2026, must require that a landlord allow the tenant to opt out of paying for third-party internet, phone, or satellite services as a condition of the tenancy.
Return of Security Deposits
A new state law requires a landlord who receives a security deposit or rent by electronic transfer to return the security deposit by electronic transfer. The law allows a tenant and landlord to agree to a different method for returning the security deposit.
Need Help With Tenants’ Rights?
To learn about additional new laws coming into effect, click here. Contra Costa Senior Legal Services can help tenants with housing-related legal issues. Call us at (925) 609-7900 for assistance. If you get our voicemail, please leave a message with your (1) name, (2) best number to reach you, and (3) briefly, why you’re calling.