Cal. Civ. Code § 170-15-2-1
Availability of records
Operative Text
Sec. 1. (a) A landlord or an association that sub-bills shall: (1) retain all bills received from the utility and all sub-bills from the landlord to tenants, or the association to members or co-owners, for a period of not less than two (2) years; (2) make all bills and sub-bills available for inspection by any tenant, member, or co-owner, or person who was a tenant, member, or co-owner, during the billing period and regular business hours; (3) provide a copy of records under this section within three (3) business days of request by a tenant, member, or co-owner; and (4) provide a copy of records under this section to the commission's consumer affairs division upon request. (b) A landlord or an association may charge a tenant, member, or co-owner a nominal fee to recover the cost of copying records.
Under 170 IAC 15 § 170-15-2-1, landlords and associations that sub-bill utilities are required to keep all utility bills and sub-bills for at least two years. These records must be open for inspection during regular business hours by any current or former tenant, member, or co-owner who was part of a billing period, and copies must be provided within three business days of a request. The provision also requires that records be furnished to the state commission's consumer affairs division upon request, and allows a nominal copying fee to be charged for reproducing documents.
Plain English — not legal advice.
Operators subject to 170 IAC 15 § 170-15-2-1 generally maintain organized files of all utility bills and corresponding sub-bills for a minimum two-year retention period. Compliant operators make those records accessible during regular business hours and fulfill copy requests within the three-business-day window the rule establishes. A nominal fee to recover actual copying costs may be assessed, and records must also be produced when the commission's consumer affairs division asks for them.
General guidance for property managers — not legal advice for your specific situation. Consult an attorney for advice on your case.
Under 170 IAC 15 § 170-15-2-1, tenants—including former tenants who were part of a billing period—have a right to inspect utility bills and sub-bills during regular business hours and to receive copies within three business days of making a request. If a landlord or association fails to provide access or copies as required, tenants may consider filing a complaint with the commission's consumer affairs division, which is also entitled to request these records directly. Tenant-rights organizations can help explain what options are generally available when a landlord does not comply with 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 October 15, 2026 — auto-generated, not yet human-reviewed. See /transparency for methodology.
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