N.C. Gen. Stat. § § 42-14.2
Death, illness, or conviction of certain crimes not a material fact.
Operative Text
In offering real property for rent or lease it shall not be deemed a material fact that the real property was occupied previously by a person who died or had a serious illness while occupying the property or that a person convicted of any crime for which registration is required by Article 27A of Chapter 14 of the General Statutes occupies, occupied, or resides near the property; provided, however, that no landlord or lessor may knowingly make a false statement regarding any such fact. (1989, c. 592, s. 2; 1998-212, s. 17.16A(b).)
Under N.C. Gen. Stat. § 42-14.2, certain facts about a rental property are legally classified as non-material, meaning landlords are not required to disclose them to prospective tenants. Specifically, a prior occupant's death or serious illness on the property, and the presence of a registered sex offender as a current or former occupant or nearby resident, do not have to be volunteered. However, the provision draws a firm line: a landlord who is directly asked about such facts and knowingly gives a false answer is in violation of the statute.
Plain English — not legal advice.
Property owners and managers operating under N.C. Gen. Stat. § 42-14.2 are not obligated to proactively disclose that a previous occupant died or suffered a serious illness on the premises, nor that a registered sex offender lives or has lived there or nearby. Compliant operators generally refrain from volunteering these facts but are careful never to make knowingly false statements about them if the topic arises. Maintaining a practice of honest, accurate responses to direct questions — rather than affirmative concealment or misrepresentation — is consistent with what the statute requires.
General guidance for property managers — not legal advice for your specific situation. Consult an attorney for advice on your case.
N.C. Gen. Stat. § 42-14.2 means that a landlord in North Carolina has no legal duty to tell you unprompted whether someone died, had a serious illness, or was a registered sex offender at or near the property. While the law removes the disclosure obligation, it does not permit a landlord to lie — knowingly false statements about these facts remain prohibited. Tenants who believe a landlord made a knowingly false statement about such matters may wish to consult a tenant-rights organization or legal aid office to understand what remedies or complaint avenues may be available.
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 14, 2026 — auto-generated, not yet human-reviewed. See /transparency for methodology.
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