If your building was constructed during or before the early 1980s, there’s a chance there’s asbestos in it. Asbestos is a mineral fiber that’s been used in thousands of products for hundreds of years. Some of those products were used in residential homes and apartment buildings. Asbestos is a public…
Are you truly at home if you can’t quietly enjoy it? Renters, even in a major city, have a right to quietly enjoy their units, thanks to California law. Landlords need to protect these rights, or, in the worst case scenario, it may be a valid reason for a tenant…
Your tenant is responsible for paying for repairing and cleaning anything beyond ordinary wear and tear to the unit. Anything that falls with ordinary wear and tear is your responsibility. Some tenants damage property, while some landlords deduct the costs from security deposits for regular cleaning and maintenance. Where’s the…
Involvement with illegal drugs is a valid reason to evict a tenant. You’ll need proof this is happening before you act, but failing to protect yourself and other tenants can put you in legal, if not criminal, jeopardy. Should You Care If Your Tenant is Using Illegal Drugs? If someone…
As a landlord, your top priorities are to ensure that your property is well-maintained and profitable. Finding the right tenants is crucial to achieving these goals. Tenant screening is a necessary process that helps you assess the suitability of potential tenants for your rental property. California law limits how you…
A lease, like all contracts, needs to balance covering essential issues without being so long and complex that neither you nor your tenant will want to sign it. It should be written using non-technical language without legalese. If you want to create a new lease or want the one you…
The landlord-tenant relationship is highly regulated in California thanks to laws and ordinances on the federal, state, and local levels. Property owners and managers have better things to do than develop expertise in this area of law. Anthony Burton advises, counsels, and represents landlords in all areas of related law,…
You want to maintain a steady income stream from every unit you own. That may end if mold is visible in a unit because it may result in a tenant claiming the unit’s uninhabitable. They may also withhold rent if they pay for self-help to address the problem. What is…
A property owner should make every effort, including consulting with an attorney, to ensure they operate under the law. One reason to do so is to avoid being sued for wrongful eviction, though these claims are sometimes falsely made. If you’re facing one of these lawsuits or want advice on…
A subtenant may be someone taking over the space because the tenant will no longer be there, or the two (or more) may share the same space. Subleasing is legal in California unless prohibited or limited in your lease agreement. A sublease transfers the tenant’s right to part or the…
