Consumer Law at Your Fingertips

Landlord-Tenant Practices

Unfair Rental Practices

The Wisconsin Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection (DATCP) regulates unfair and deceptive business practices. DATCP has adopted rules to protect tenants against unfair rental practices by landlords. Rule violators may be prosecuted, and there is a private remedy for tenants. DATCP rules address the following topics, among others:

• Rental agreements.
• Prohibited rental provisions.
• Disclosures to tenants.
• Earnest money deposits.
• Credit check fees.
• Security deposits.
• Repair promises.
• Cash receipts.
• Unauthorized entry.
• Prohibited practices, including rental of condemned property, “self-help” eviction, retaliatory eviction, automatic lease renewal without notice, and other practices.

For more information, see Unfair Rental Practices details.