Journalist: Lina Quinones (TCC)
Entering the Chambers of the House on Saturday is Bill ORU-520. This bill was made by Representative M. Smith (ORU), and the title is the “Itemized Fee Disclosure” Act of 2025.
Within Oklahoma, this new law will make all landlords provide their tenants with a clear itemized list of all charges and fees within their lease or rental agreement. This will include such as application fees, pet fees, parking charges, late fees, cleaning fees, any deposits utility charges that the landlord might bill, and any other type of fee that might land under this category.
Before signing the landlords must present this itemized fee-less to the tenants. If the landlord does not list these fees, then the tenant is allowed to presume that this is an invalid fee and is allowed not to pay it since it was not listed before.
Representative M. Smith spoke on how with this bill, the landlord does not have to change any of their fees. Just that they must list them for the tenant, before the tenant signs.
One Representative, within the house, spoke positively about this bill. Their name is Vogler (OSU). She spoke on how she was completely for this bill, and how important it was to have a bill like this to exist.
“I’m mainly for it because I feel like this is one of the things that already should be in the rental agreements. Itemized lists are very important just so you know that you’re not being charged anything extra. Because sometimes rental companies have been known to charge you for random fees…so you’re not just paying them.”
She continued to talk about how there was very little criticism of this bill, the only few being what was the point since these itemized lists already exist in rental agreements. But Rep. Vogler’s (OSU) response to this was “While some companies may already have itemized bills in the rental agreements, not all do. So, it wouldn’t hurt to force all of them to have it.”
Representative Vogler (OSU) to say that this bill will pass, and that she will be voting yes on it.