40 C.F.R. § 745.118
§ 745.118 Enforcement. (40 CFR Part 745)
Operative Text
(a) Any person who knowingly fails to comply with any provision of this subpart shall be subject to civil monetary penalties in accordance with the provisions of 42 U.S.C. 3545 and 24 CFR part 30. (b) The Secretary is authorized to take such action as may be necessary to enjoin any violation of this subpart in the appropriate Federal district court. (c) Any person who knowingly violates the provisions of this subpart shall be jointly and severally liable to the purchaser or lessee in an amount equal to 3 times the amount of damages incurred by such individual. (d) In any civil action brought for damages pursuant to 42 U.S.C. 4852d(b)(3), the appropriate court may award court costs to the party commencing such action, together with reasonable attorney fees and any expert witness fees, if that party prevails. (e) Failure or refusal to comply with § 745.107 (disclosure requirements for sellers and lessors), § 745.110 (opportunity to conduct an evaluation), § 745.113 (certification and acknowledgment of disclosure), or § 745.115 (agent responsibilities) is a violation of 42 U.S.C. 4852d(b)(5) and of TSCA section 409 (15 U.S.C. 2689). (f) Violators may be subject to civil and criminal sanctions pursuant to TSCA section 16 (15 U.S.C. 2615) for each violation. For purposes of enforcing this subpart, the penalty for each violation applicable under 15 U.S.C. 2615 shall not be more than $11,000 for all violations occuring after July 28, 1997; all violations occuring on or prior to that date are subject to a penalty not more than $10,000. The civil monetary penalty amounts listed in this section may not reflect recent inflation adjustments EPA is required to make. The current maximum and minimum statutory civil penalty amounts are located in § 19.4.
Section 745.118 establishes the enforcement consequences for failing to comply with the lead-based paint disclosure rules in this subpart. Violations can trigger civil monetary penalties, federal injunctive action, and—critically—a treble-damages remedy, meaning a violating party may owe three times the actual damages suffered by a buyer or renter. Courts handling civil actions under this provision may also award attorney fees, expert witness fees, and court costs to a prevailing plaintiff, and violations may additionally carry criminal sanctions under TSCA section 16.
Plain English — not legal advice.
Property owners and managers who handle transactions covered by this subpart generally ensure full compliance with the disclosure, evaluation-opportunity, certification, and agent-responsibility requirements referenced in § 745.118, because each missed step can independently constitute a violation. The treble-damages exposure described in § 745.118(c)—where a non-compliant party may owe three times a buyer's or renter's actual damages—along with the possibility of attorney fees and civil or criminal penalties, underscores why compliant operators treat documentation and timely disclosure as non-negotiable steps in every covered transaction.
General guidance for property managers — not legal advice for your specific situation. Consult an attorney for advice on your case.
If a seller or lessor failed to meet the lead-based paint disclosure obligations covered by § 745.118, a buyer or renter may have a federal civil claim for damages, potentially including treble damages equal to three times actual harm. Section 745.118(d) also allows a court to award attorney fees, expert witness fees, and court costs to a prevailing plaintiff, which can make it more feasible to pursue a claim. Tenants who believe a disclosure violation occurred can consult a tenant-rights organization or housing agency to understand available enforcement paths under this provision.
General guidance for tenants — not legal advice for your specific situation. Consult a tenant-rights organization or attorney for advice on your case.
Generated September 4, 2026 — auto-generated, not yet human-reviewed. See /transparency for methodology.
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