Tenants facing eviction now have ten days to respond to a complaint, not five. The change, signed into law in September, was not opposed by the state’s central landlord lobby, the California Apartment Association. However, landlords could go another five days with unpaid rent or another situation that led to…
For decades, residential tenants in California have had many legal protections. Thanks to a bill signed into law in September, some commercial tenants will join them. The new law isn’t a “game changer” in the commercial tenant-landlord relationship, but it adds some protections for tenants and hassle and work for…
If landlords think ahead and prepare, they can avoid expensive legal and practical problems or reduce their impact. We represent property owners, and over the years, we have seen recurring themes and issues that can set landlords back. Learn from your mistakes and the mistakes of others to save yourself…
What you must repair and how quickly depends on the situation. The key issues are whether the broken item makes the unit uninhabitable and the effort you’re using to try to get it fixed. If the unit is furnished, you may want to fix something that may endanger the health…
Your ability to enter an occupied unit is restricted. Tenants not only pay for a right to occupy a space but, within limits, to enjoy it. That includes the ability to be left alone. Their rights to the unit conflict with your rights to protect and maintain it, and state…
Our previous blog discussed how tenants with disabilities can ask for reasonable accommodations and modifications to enjoy housing rights equal to those without disabilities. State and federal laws not only create these rights but also tell you how to handle them. How Must a Request be Made? It need not…
State and federal laws cover housing discrimination and those with disabilities. Depending on the nature of the disability and the requested accommodation, you may be legally required to provide it. Your obligation to accommodate the tenant has limits, so you may not need to do what they ask, but you…
Landlords want to avoid many issues, like bad plumbing, a leaky roof, or a tenant whose Harley-Davidson needs a muffler. Add to the list a tenant who hoards possessions (maybe even pets) to the point the unit is unsafe, unsanitary, and creates problems for other tenants. You can be proactive…
Disputes are bound to come up in any business relationship. Each tenant and landlord has their own approach to resolving differences, and how well they work varies depending on the issue and the person involved. If severe enough, a dispute may result in some legal action, but that’s an expensive…
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…
