New Tenant Laws 2026

For most new, renewed, or amended residential leases starting January 1, 2026, landlords must provide and maintain key kitchen appliances.

Units must include a working stove and refrigerator, unless a specific exemption applies written into law (for example, some accessory units or special situations explained by counsel).
Landlords must maintain these appliances in safe working order; if an appliance is recalled or unsafe, it must be repaired or replaced within a set timeframe (commonly cited as 30 days in practice guidance).
These obligations generally attach when a lease is entered into, extended, or materially amended on or after 1/1/26, so existing tenancies will be pulled in as they renew.

A 2026 update modernizes how security deposits are held, accounted for, and returned.

Law encourages or requires electronic options for returning security deposits, making it easier to return funds quickly and document timelines.
Move‑out itemizations and statements must meet updated content and delivery rules, often including electronic delivery where agreed to by the tenant.
Penalties for late or non‑compliant deposit returns remain significant, so accurate accounting and date tracking are critical.

Bundled services (like internet) in residential leases get new rules in 2026.

If a landlord bundles third‑party subscription services (most commonly internet) into the rent or as a separate recurring fee, tenants must be allowed to opt out under the new law.
This applies to new leases in 2026, and to pre‑2026 leases once they renew, are amended, or become month‑to‑month after January 1, 2026.
Lease forms and marketing must clearly distinguish rent versus service fees and explain any opt‑out process.

SB 610 expands landlord obligations when rental units are affected by disasters such as wildfires, floods, or other declared emergencies.

Landlords must remove disaster‑related debris from rental properties and work toward restoring habitability.
Rent and certain fees must be halted during periods in which there is a mandatory evacuation or when units are uninhabitable due to the disaster.
Landlords may have to refund prepaid rent and security deposits if the unit becomes uninhabitable and cannot be promptly restored.
Tenants receive rights to return to repaired units, to terminate leases of uninhabitable units without penalty, and to be notified once the unit becomes habitable again.

AB 246 adds protections for tenants whose Social Security income is disrupted.

Tenants facing eviction for non‑payment of rent may raise a “Social Security hardship” defense when their non‑payment is directly tied to interruptions in Social Security benefits.
Courts have guidance to consider temporary failures to pay in light of benefit disruptions and may extend timelines or require payment plans instead of immediate eviction.
Landlords still remain entitled to rent, but must follow updated notice and documentation standards and should carefully document communications regarding the hardship.

Several 2026 changes let landlords satisfy certain tenant‑protection disclosures directly within the lease and add stricter documentation standards.

Mandatory state disclosures may be included directly in the rental agreement rather than as separate standalone forms, as long as statutory language is used.
Landlords must provide clearer breakdowns of what is rent versus fees, as well as updated disclosures connected to bundled services, late fees, and screening practices.
Industry groups have published new or updated forms—for applications, notices, and addenda—to track these 2026 changes.

Beyond appliances and disaster cleanup, habitability duties get broader.

AB 628 and related bills emphasize minimum standards including functioning kitchen appliances and timely corrections of related health and safety risks, such as addressing recalled appliances.
SB 610 and SB 655 expand obligations after disasters and in certain environmental or structural conditions (for example, addressing debris and possibly certain health hazards more quickly).
Documentation of inspections, repairs, and habitability responses becomes more important to defend against tenant claims.

The existing statewide rent cap and just‑cause framework (AB 1482) still applies through mid‑2026, with possible future changes.

AB 1482 generally limits annual rent increases for covered properties to 5% plus regional CPI, capped at 10%, once every 12 months.
It also requires “just cause” to terminate many tenancies after 12 months, and may mandate relocation assistance for certain “no‑fault” terminations.
Local rent‑control jurisdictions in California often apply stricter caps and procedures, so property managers must check city and county ordinances in addition to state law.