The Act: Section 1018 of the Residential Lead-based Paint Hazard Reduction Act of 1992 requires sellers, landlords and agents to warn homebuyers and tenants of lead-based paint and lead-based paint hazards in pre-1978 housing.

Effective Date: The regulations, published jointly by the Department for Housing and Urban Development (HUD) and the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), became effective on September 6, 1996 for transactions involving owners of more than 4 residential dwellings and on December 6, 1996 for transactions involving owners of 1 to 4 residential dwellings.

Exemptions: The regulations apply to all transactions to sell or lease target housing except for the following:

• housing constructed on or after 1978 (when lead-based paint was banned for residential use);
• housing for the elderly or persons with disabilities, unless a child under 6 resides or is expected to reside in the housing;
• dwellings without bedrooms, i.e., efficiencies and military barracks;
• foreclosure sales;
• short-term leases of 100 days or less;
• renewal of leases where all information has been disclosed previously and where lessor has acquired no new information ("renewal" is defined under the regulations to "include both renegotiation of existing lease terms and/or ratification of a new lease"); and
• leases of housing which have been inspected and found to be free of lead-based paint by a certified inspector.

Information The Purchaser or Lessee Must Receive From The Seller or Landlord Prior To Becoming Obligated Under Any Contract To Lease or Purchase Target Housing

• an EPA-approved information pamphlet on identifying and controlling lead-based paint hazards;
• any known information concerning lead-based paint or lead-based paint hazards. The seller or landlord must also disclose information such as the location of the lead-based paint and/or lead-based paint hazards, and the condition of the painted surfaces;
• any records and reports on lead-based paint which are available to the seller or landlord (for multi-unit buildings, this requirement includes records concerning common areas and other units, when such information was obtained as a result of a building-wide evaluation); and
• an attachment to the contract or lease (or language inserted in the lease itself) which includes a Lead Warning Statement and confirms that the seller or landlord has complied with all notification requirements. This attachment is to be provided in the same language used in the rest of the contract. Sellers or landlords, and agents, as well as homebuyers or tenants, must sign and date the attachment.

10 Day Inspection Period For Homebuyers

• Sellers must provide homebuyers a 10-day period to conduct a paint inspection or risk assessment for lead-based paint or lead-based paint hazards.
• Parties may mutually agree, in writing, to lengthen or shorten the time period for inspection.
• Homebuyers may waive this inspection opportunity.
• Sellers are not required by law to allow homebuyers to void their contract based on the results of the lead-based paint evaluation.

Recordkeeping

• Sellers and lessors must retain a copy of the disclosure for no less than three years from the date of sale or the date the leasing period begins.

What You Can Do

• If you did not receive the Disclosure of Information on Lead-based Paint and/or Lead-Based Paint Hazards form when you bought or leased pre-1978 housing, contact the National Lead Information Clearinghouse at 1-800-424-LEAD.

Links

• National Lead Information Center (EPA, HUD, and CDC )