Landlords have many reasons to want a tenant to leave, but they may not be grounds for eviction. Smart landlords avoid breaking the law by harassing tenants, changing locks, or stopping maintenance or repairs. If you have enough resources or are willing to forgo unpaid rent, you can negotiate a…
You rent space in a building. It’s very valuable. Who’s in that space and what they do there may mean the difference between a positive relationship and cash flow or a difficult relationship and losing money. You need to protect that space and your ability to make a living. If…
Property owners commonly charge fees for legitimate reasons, while others charge them to increase revenue. If all the fees were reflected in the rent, it would increase, and the price would be less competitive. Thanks to a bill signed into law in October by Governor Newsom, starting in July you…
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,…
