33-1902. Residential rental property; recording with the assessor; agent designation; civil penalty; fee

A. An owner of residential rental property shall maintain with the assessor in the county where the property is located information required by this section in a manner to be determined by the assessor.  The owner shall update any information required by this section within ten days after a change in the information occurs.  The following information shall be maintained:

1. The name, address and telephone number of the property owner.

2. If the property is owned by a corporation, limited liability company, partnership, limited partnership, trust or real estate investment trust, the name, address and telephone number of any of the following:

(a) For a corporation, a corporate officer.

(b) For a partnership, a general partner.

(c) For a limited liability company, the managing or administrative member.

(d) For a limited partnership, a general partner.

(e) For a trust, a trustee.

(f) For a real estate investment trust, a general partner or an officer.

3. The street address and parcel number of the property.

4. The year the building was built.

B. An owner of residential rental property who lives outside this state shall designate and record with the assessor a statutory agent who lives in this state and who will accept legal service on behalf of the owner. The owner shall designate the agent in a manner to be determined by the assessor.  The information shall include the name, address and telephone number of the agent.

C. Residential rental property shall not be occupied if the information required by this section is not on file with the county assessor. If the owner has not filed the information required by this section with the county assessor and the residential rental property is occupied by a tenant and the tenant chooses to terminate the tenancy, the tenant shall deliver to the landlord, owner or managing agent of the property a written ten day notice to comply with this section.  The notice shall be delivered by certified mail, return receipt requested, or by hand delivery. If the owner does not comply with this section within ten days after receipt of the notice, the tenant may terminate the rental agreement and the landlord shall return all prepaid rent to the tenant.  Security deposits shall be returned in accordance with section 33-1321, subsection D. The landlord shall return those monies by certified mail, return receipt requested, or by hand delivery to the tenant within ten days after the termination of the rental agreement. This subsection applies to any existing lease and to any new lease after August 25, 2004. Notwithstanding this subsection, an owner is in compliance with this subsection only if the owner had filed the information required by subsection A of this section with the county assessor.

D. All records, files and documents that are required by this section are public records.

E. For residential rental property that is acquired by an owner after the date of the notice of assessed valuation and the notice prescribed by section 42-15103 and until the issuance of the next notice of assessed valuation, a city or town shall assess a civil penalty of one thousand dollars against a person who fails to comply with this section, plus an additional one hundred dollars for each month after the date of the original violation until compliance occurs.  The court shall not suspend any portion of the civil penalty provided by this subsection.

F. Notwithstanding subsection E of this section, if a person complies within ten days after receiving the complaint that notices the violation, the court shall dismiss the complaint and shall not impose a civil penalty.

G. Except for newly acquired residential rental property as prescribed by subsection E of this section, if a residential rental property owner fails to register with the county assessor as prescribed by this section, the city or town may impose a civil penalty in the amount of one hundred fifty dollars per day for each day of violation after the date of the most recent notice of assessed valuation and the notice prescribed by section 42-15103.  If a person complies within ten days after receiving the notice from the county assessor, the court shall dismiss the complaint and shall not impose a civil penalty.

H. In carrying out this section, the county assessor shall have immunity as provided in section 12-820.01.

I. The county assessor may assess a fee of not more than ten dollars for each initial registration and each change of information in the registry.

J. On request from a city or town the county assessor shall provide the most current list of all registered rental property owners within the city's or town's boundaries.