What AB 2493 Means for Your Rentals

New Legislation AB 2493 Revises Rental Application Procedures: A Guide to Changes in Fees and Applicant Information Requirements.

At Sankofa Realty, we know property management is more than collecting rent and fixing leaky sinks. It’s about protecting your investment, taking care of your residents like family, and keeping your name clean in these Inland Empire streets. California dropped Assembly Bill 2493 (AB 2493), and starting January 1, 2025, every landlord needs to get in formation.

If you’ve got rentals in California, this law is talking to you. It changes how you handle rental applications, what you can charge, and the information you owe your applicants. Let’s get into it.

What AB 2493 Really Means

AB 2493 is all about making the rental process more fair and transparent. For landlords, that means no cutting corners, no funny business, and a whole lot more clarity.

The Rules Every Landlord Needs to Know

1. Only Charge When the Unit’s Ready You can’t be taking folks’ money if you don’t have a rental ready now or coming soon. Period.

2. Be Upfront With Your Criteria Before you take a dime, hand over your written requirements — credit score, income, background check policies — so everyone knows the deal.

3. First Come, First Qualified, First Served Applications get reviewed in the order they come in. If someone meets your criteria, they get the first shot.

4. Give Back Fees If You Don’t Process If you took their fee but rented to someone else before even looking at their app, you’ve got 7 days to refund them or apply it to another rental (with their say-so).

5. Always Give Them Their Credit Report If you pull a credit report, give them a copy within 7 days and a receipt showing exactly how that fee was spent.

6. Reusable Reports Are an Option If an applicant has a reusable screening report and you accept it, you can’t charge them again.

Why This Matters for Owners

Your reputation is currency out here. AB 2493 keeps you legal, but it also shows you’re running your rentals with integrity. In places like Riverside, Temecula, Moreno Valley, Murrieta, and Rancho Cucamonga, the word travels fast. A landlord known for being fair and transparent will always attract better residents.

Sankofa Realty’s Compliance Game Plan

• Put your rental criteria in writing and hand it out before taking fees.

• Keep timestamped records of every single application.

• Track fees and refunds like your money depends on it (because it does).

• Send credit reports and receipts quickly.

• Decide if you’ll accept reusable screening reports and make it official.

Why Trust Sankofa Realty

We’re not just here to manage properties, we’re here to grow your investment, keep your residents happy, and make sure your business stays compliant. AB 2493 is just one more reason to work with a team that knows the law and the community.

Ready to protect your rentals and grow your investments? Contact us to see how Sankofa Realty helps Inland Empire landlords stay compliant while building long-term wealth.