58-25,108. Security deposits. (a) A landlord shall not demand or receive as a security deposit an amount or value in excess of two months' rent.

(b) All security deposits shall be held by the landlord for the tenant, who is a party to the agreement, in a bank, credit union or savings and loan association which is insured by an agency of the federal government. Security deposits shall not be commingled with the personal funds of the landlord. All security deposits may be held in a trust account, which may be a common trust account and which may be an interest bearing account. Any interest earned on a security deposit shall be the property of the landlord.

(c) Upon termination of the tenancy, any security deposit held by the landlord may be applied to the payment of accrued rent and the amount of damages which the landlord has suffered by reason of the tenant's noncompliance with K.S.A. 58-25,113 and the rental agreement, all as itemized by the landlord in a written notice delivered to the tenant. If the landlord proposes to retain any portion of the security deposit for expenses, damages or other legally allowable charges under the provisions of the rental agreement, other than rent, the landlord shall return the balance of the security deposit to the tenant within 14 days after the determination of the amount of such expenses, damages or other charges, but in no event to exceed 30 days after termination of the tenancy, delivery of possession and demand by the tenant. If the tenant does not make such demand within 30 days after termination of the tenancy, the landlord shall mail that portion of the security deposit due the tenant to the tenant's last-known address.

(d) If the landlord fails to comply with subsection (c) of this section, the tenant may recover that portion of the security deposit due together with damages in an amount equal to 1 1/2 the amount wrongfully withheld.

(e) Except as otherwise provided by the rental agreement, a tenant shall not apply or deduct any portion of the security deposit from the last month's rent or use or apply such tenant's security deposit at any time in lieu of payment of rent. If a tenant fails to comply with this subsection, the security deposit shall be forfeited and the landlord may recover the rent due as if the deposit had not been applied or deducted from the rent due.

(f) Nothing in this section shall preclude the landlord or tenant from recovering other damages to which such landlord or tenant may be entitled under this act.

(g) Upon termination of a landlord's interest in the mobile home park, the landlord or the landlord's agent, within a reasonable time, shall transfer the security deposit, or any remainder after any lawful deductions to the landlord's successor in interest and notify the tenant of the transfer and of the transferee's name and address or return the deposit, or any remainder after any lawful deductions to the tenant.

Upon termination of the landlord's interest in the mobile home park and compliance with the provisions of this subsection, the landlord shall be relieved of any further liability with respect to the security deposit.

(h) Upon termination of the landlord's interest in the mobile home park, the landlord's successor in interest shall have all the rights and obligations of the landlord with respect to the security deposits, except that if the tenant does not object to the stated amount within 20 days after written notice to the tenant of the amount of security deposit being transferred or assumed, the obligations of the landlord's successor to return the deposit shall be limited to the amount contained in the notice. The notice shall contain a stamped envelope addressed to the landlord's successor and may be given by mail or by personal service.

History: L. 1992, ch. 306, § 10; July 1.