Tenant's cause of action to enforce landlord obligations
Sec. 6. (a) A tenant may bring an action in a court with
jurisdiction to enforce an obligation of a landlord under this chapter.
(b) A tenant may not bring an action under this chapter unless the
following conditions are met:
(1) The tenant gives the landlord notice of the landlord's
noncompliance with a provision of this chapter.
(2) The landlord has been given a reasonable amount of time to
make repairs or provide a remedy of the condition described in
the tenant's notice. The tenant may not prevent the landlord
from having access to the rental premises to make repairs or
provide a remedy to the condition described in the tenant's
notice.
(3) The landlord fails or refuses to repair or remedy the
condition described in the tenant's notice.
(c) This section may not be construed to limit a tenant's rights
under IC 32-31-3, IC 32-31-5, or IC 32-31-6.
(d) If the tenant is the prevailing party in an action under this
section, the tenant may obtain any of the following, if appropriate
under the circumstances:
(1) Recovery of the following:
(A) Actual damages and consequential damages.
(B) Attorney's fees and court costs.
(2) Injunctive relief.
(3) Any other remedy appropriate under the circumstances.
(e) A landlord's liability for damages under subsection (d) begins
when:
(1) the landlord has notice or actual knowledge of
noncompliance; and
(2) the landlord has:
(A) refused to remedy the noncompliance; or
(B) failed to remedy the noncompliance within a reasonable
amount of time following the notice or actual knowledge;
whichever occurs first.
As added by P.L.92-2002, SEC.2.
Last modified: May 24, 2006