Kan. Stat. Ann. § 58-2572
Certain retaliatory actions by landlord prohibited; remedies; increased rent, when; action for possession, when.
Operative Text
(a) Except as otherwise provided in this section, a landlord may not retaliate by increasing rent or decreasing services after: (1) The tenant has complained to a governmental agency, charged with responsibility for enforcement of a building or housing code, of a violation applicable to the premises materially affecting health and safety; or (2) the tenant has complained to the landlord of a violation under K.S.A. 58-2553; or (3) the tenant has organized or become a member of a tenants' union or similar organization. (b) If the landlord acts in violation of subsection (a) of this section, the tenant is entitled to the remedies provided in K.S.A. 58-2563 and has a defense in an action against such tenant for possession. (c) Notwithstanding the provisions of subsection (a), the landlord may increase the rent of a tenant even though the tenant has complained of a violation as described in clauses (1) or (2) of subsection (a) or has organized or become a member of an organization as described in clause (3) of subsection (a), if such rent increase does not conflict with a lease agreement in effect and is made in good faith to compensate the landlord for expenses incurred as a result of acts of God, public utility service rate increases, property tax increases or other increases in costs of operations. (d) Notwithstanding subsections (a) and (b), a landlord may bring an action for possession if: (1) The violation of the applicable building or housing code was caused primarily by lack of reasonable care by the tenant or other person or animal or pet upon the premises with his or her express or implied consent; (2) the tenant is in default in rent; or (3) compliance with the applicable building or housing code requires alteration, remodeling or demolition which would effectively deprive the tenant of use of the dwelling unit. The maintenance of an action under this subsection does not release the landlord from liability under subsection (b) of K.S.A. 58-2559.
Kansas law under Kan. Stat. Ann. § 58-2572 prohibits landlords from retaliating against tenants by raising rent or cutting services after a tenant reports a housing or building code violation to a government agency, complains directly to the landlord about habitability issues under K.S.A. 58-2553, or joins a tenants' union or similar organization. A tenant who faces such retaliation is entitled to remedies under K.S.A. 58-2563 and may use the retaliation as a defense if the landlord brings an eviction action. The law does carve out limited exceptions, allowing rent increases made in good faith to cover costs like property tax hikes, utility rate increases, or acts of God, provided those increases do not conflict with an existing lease.
Plain English — not legal advice.
Under Kan. Stat. Ann. § 58-2572, compliant landlords document the specific, legitimate business reasons behind any rent increase or service change that occurs after a tenant has filed a complaint or joined a tenant organization, ensuring those reasons reflect genuine cost increases such as property tax adjustments or utility rate changes rather than the tenant's protected activity. Operators generally maintain clear records showing that any rent adjustment does not conflict with the existing lease and was not timed or motivated by a tenant's complaint or union membership. When pursuing an eviction action, landlords should be aware that the statute preserves a tenant's right to raise retaliation as a defense, and that certain grounds for possession—such as tenant-caused code violations or rent default—are explicitly recognized as permissible under the statute.
General guidance for property managers — not legal advice for your specific situation. Consult an attorney for advice on your case.
Kan. Stat. Ann. § 58-2572 gives Kansas tenants protection against rent increases or service reductions that follow a housing code complaint to a government agency, a habitability complaint made directly to the landlord, or participation in a tenants' union. If a landlord takes one of these retaliatory actions, the statute entitles the tenant to remedies under K.S.A. 58-2563 and allows the tenant to raise retaliation as a defense in an eviction proceeding. Tenants who believe they are experiencing retaliation may consider documenting the timeline of their complaint and the landlord's subsequent actions, contacting a local tenant-rights organization, or reaching out to the relevant government housing or code enforcement agency for guidance.
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 18, 2026 — auto-generated, not yet human-reviewed. See /transparency for methodology.
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