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Bill

S 3865

Concerns credit inquiries for rental applications.

2024-2025 Regular Session Introduced by Renee Burgess and 2 co-sponsors

New Jersey bill restricts landlords' credit inquiries in rental applications, potentially improving housing access for applicants with poor credit histories.

Reported out of Senate Committee, 2nd Reading
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Bill Summary · S 3865

Legislative bill overview

S 3865 restricts landlords' ability to conduct credit inquiries on rental applicants in New Jersey. The bill limits when and how credit checks can be used in the tenant screening process, imposing requirements around consent, disclosure, and the permissible use of credit information for rental decisions.

Why is this important

Credit-based tenant screening can create barriers to housing access for applicants with poor credit histories, medical debt, or past financial hardship—potentially affecting lower-income New Jersey residents disproportionately. This bill attempts to balance landlord concerns about tenant reliability with fairness in housing access by regulating screening practices.

Potential points of contention

  • Landlord concerns: Property owners argue credit checks are necessary risk assessment tools to identify tenants likely to default on rent; restricting this could increase landlord losses and insurance costs
  • Fair housing compliance: Questions about whether limitations conflict with federal fair housing standards or create unintended workarounds in tenant screening
  • Economic impact on rental market: Potential effects on rental availability, pricing, or willingness of small landlords to participate in rental market if screening tools are limited

Compiled from official sources — confirm details with the bill’s official record.

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