The following guest post is contributed by Avvo, an online legal services marketplace that offers on-demand, affordable legal advice, especially when it comes to landlord/tenant laws. For tenants who believe they’ve been ripped off by a landlord, ranting about it on social media might feel pretty good. With rents skyrocketing in major U.S. cities and around the world, many renters…Read More
Burglaries are when someone enters a property unlawfully and steals items inside. The burglar can enter with force, as in breaking a window, or with no force, like finding an unlocked door. No matter what time of day or what the motive, the illegal entry means big trouble for both tenants and landlords. A good landlord…Read More
Many tenants have dogs, and many landlords make allowances for a tenant to keep one or more dogs. A well-drafted lease can help protect landlords from the costs of repairs for pet damage, but it may not be able to protect a landlord from a lawsuit if a tenant’s dog bites another person. Landlord liability for…Read More
According to the Bureau of Justice Statistics (BJS), domestic violence accounts for approximately one in every five violent crimes nationwide. Seventy-seven percent of these encounters take place at or near the victim’s home. With millions of adults renting homes and apartments nationwide, landlords need to know their responsibilities when it comes to domestic violence –…Read More
While a specific landlord’s options are always limited by the specific facts of the situation and the terms of the lease, landlords that find themselves in situations in which they need to evict one or more unauthorized tenants typically find they do not have free reign to do so. What are a landlord’s options in this…Read More
Most landlords are aware that, in most situations, landlords cannot refuse to rent to families with children. However, some landlords may attempt to mitigate the noise, clutter, and other effects children can cause by writing a number of rules into a lease. Even these rules, however, can land a landlord in legal trouble. Landlords Are…Read More
Odorless, colorless and deadly—that’s carbon monoxide, an invisible gas that can cause fatalities when people inhale it for long periods of time. This post will focus on carbon monoxide detector laws by state so you know if you’re following proper procedures. A table of contents for carbon monoxide detector laws by state What is carbon…Read More
If a landlord doesn’t want to rent to someone with children, does the law support that? While children may be delightful and adorable to some people, certain landlords may find them messy, careless and noisy. Some landlords may not want to rent to families with young children because they believe the children will cause damage…Read More
Many landlords are unclear about whether they have the right to ask applicants about their marital status. Most landlords are familiar with the Federal Fair Housing Acts that prohibit discrimination against certain protected classes. However, you may not be clear on whether questions about a prospective tenant’s marital status are allowed or not. Learn what…Read More
Theft, vandalism, smoke, water or fire—all these can cause damage to a tenant’s personal property. Does the law allow landlords to require tenants to get renters insurance? Renter’s insurance is a specific type of policy that covers theft and damage to a tenant’s personal property. It differs from your property insurance, which covers damage and…Read More
