La. Stat. Ann. § R.S. 51:1702
Unfair advertising
Operative Text
§1702. Unfair advertising A. No rental referral agency or agency employee shall make any representation that any listing or group of listings is available for rent unless the listing or group of listings has been verified as available by the owner or his agent within forty-eight hours prior to the representation. The availability of property described in media advertisements shall be verified within forty-eight hours prior to the appearance of the advertising. B. Notations of the time and date of verification and the verifier's identity shall be recorded by the agency and made available for the inspection of the attorney general or any person from whom the agency has received a deposit or fee. C. Failure to verify, document verification, or provide materials for inspection as required by this Section shall constitute an unfair trade practice under R.S. 51:1405(A).
La. R.S. § 51:1702 governs how rental referral agencies in Louisiana may advertise available listings. Under this provision, an agency may only represent that a rental unit is available if the owner or their agent has confirmed availability within the 48 hours before that claim is made—whether in person, over the phone, or through a media advertisement. Agencies are also required to keep written records of when and by whom each listing was verified, and those records must be open to inspection by the attorney general or anyone who has paid the agency a deposit or fee. Failing to verify, document, or produce those records is treated as an unfair trade practice under Louisiana law.
Plain English — not legal advice.
Property owners and managers who work with rental referral agencies should be aware that La. R.S. § 51:1702 places verification obligations on those agencies—not directly on the owner—but an owner's cooperation in confirming availability within the required 48-hour window is what allows an agency to lawfully advertise a unit. Compliant agencies typically contact the owner or authorized agent before each advertisement appears and log the date, time, and identity of whoever confirmed availability. Owners who want their listings handled properly generally ensure they are reachable and responsive so that agencies can meet the documentation requirements the statute imposes.
General guidance for property managers — not legal advice for your specific situation. Consult an attorney for advice on your case.
La. R.S. § 51:1702 gives renters who have paid a deposit or fee to a rental referral agency the right to inspect the agency's verification records, which should show that every advertised listing was confirmed available within 48 hours before it was promoted to you. If an agency cannot produce those records—or if you were sent to listings that were never actually available—that failure may constitute an unfair trade practice under Louisiana law, which can open enforcement and legal avenues. Tenant-rights organizations and the Louisiana Attorney General's office are among the resources that can explain what options may be available when an agency appears to have violated 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 17, 2026 — auto-generated, not yet human-reviewed. See /transparency for methodology.
Effective Timeline
References In
Rules and statutes that cite this regulation