California Civil Code

§ 1950.8

CIV § 1950.8 Effective Jan 1, 2002Div. 3 · Title 5 · Part 4 · Ch. 2

Statute text

(a)This section applies only to commercial leases and nonresidential tenancies of real property.

(b)It shall be unlawful for any person to require, demand, or cause to make payable any payment of money, including, but not limited to, “key money,” however denominated, or the lessor’s attorney’s fees reasonably incurred in preparing the lease or rental agreement, as a condition of initiating, continuing, or renewing a lease or rental agreement, unless the amount of payment is stated in the written lease or rental agreement.

(c)Any person who requires, demands, or causes to make payable any payment in violation of subdivision (a), shall be subject to civil penalty of three times the amount of actual damages proximately suffered by the person seeking to obtain the lease or rental of real property, and the person so damaged shall be entitled to an award of costs, including reasonable attorney’s fees, reasonable incurred in connection with obtaining the civil penalty.

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Legislative history

Added by Stats. 2001, Ch. 368, Sec. 1. Effective January 1, 2002.