Your State MLA Lobbyist and Chapter Representatives are active in proposing and defending key pieces of legislation that affect our industry.
We scan a large volume of legislative documents written each year and stand up and lobby for the issues that most affect you the landlord. We inform and educate our state legislators with the goal of making state landlord/tenant laws practical to work with and fair to all. MLA lets you know what is being proposed and what laws are being passed or amended. We participate so that your voice is heard.
Working together in meetings held over two years with stakeholders representing tenant interests and in close conjunction with Missoula Attorney Klaus Sitte, legislation was drafted, promoted and adopted by lawmakers which became the "Montana Residential Landlord and Tenant Act of 1977" (MCA 70.24) and the "Tenant Security Deposit Act of 1978" (MCA 70.25), the laws which currently govern the Landlord/Tenant relationship in Montana.
The MLA employs a state legislative lobbyist and holds its Annual Meeting in Helena each spring. The adoption of MCA 70.24 and MCA 70.25, together with applicable Federal Laws, create a need that the MLA has been responding to for more than a quarter century, informing especially its Regular Members who are not Landlords by profession.
Consider this analogy:
The Landlord/Tenant relationship is governed by a somewhat complex and always specific set of state and federal rules; much like the operation of a wide variety of motor vehicles upon the public roadways is governed. But who would advise new and inexperienced drivers to simply take the car and start driving?
Suggest they not worry about passing the drivers licensing exam based on the ability to demonstrate an understanding of the rules of the road? Recommend they just head out and drive? Tell them to use their common sense and to remember that as a passenger, they are already familiar with what other drivers do in specific situations?
The new, inexperienced or uneducated Landlord, who thinks they can conduct an effective and legal Landlord/Tenant relationship based on their past experience as a Tenant or having observed from a distance other Landlords and what they do, is no better prepared than the uneducated driver. While the driver will likely hit something and dent some metal, unprepared Landlords stand a greater risk of getting hit in the pocket book!
Lorelle
CL Home Rentals, LLC
David Bennett
Montana Property Owner
Montana Landlords Association
Lorelle
CL Home Rentals, LLC
We have been a member of the MLA for years. We appreciate not only the variety of forms available for use, but the legislative updates and knowing that the forms are updated as the laws change. Most impactful, however, has been the personal one-on-one assistance available from the local chapter, and the MLA president.
David Bennett
Montana Property Owner
If you have rentals you NEED to belong to the MLA. ALL the current forms that you want to be entering into a legal contract with a tenant with, expert legal advice from the president and meetings where you can actually learn something new and ask other landlords how they handle a certain situation. You simply can’t afford NOT to belong to the MLA.
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