Every Tenant’s Legal Guide

Description

Renters have many legal rights―learn yours and how to protect them! The only book of its kind, Every Tenant's Legal Guide gives you the legal and practical information you need (plus dozens of sample letters and forms) to find and keep a great home and landlord. Learn your rights―whether it comes to pets, guests, deposits, or privacy―including how to: get your landlord to make repairs by using rent withholding or repair-and-deduct avoid disputes with roommates over rent, deposits, guests, and noise fight illegal discrimination, retaliation, or sexual harassment deal with hazards like lead paint, mold, or bedbugs break a lease with minimum liability, and get your security deposit returned on time. This 9th edition of Every Tenant's Legal Guide includes the latest laws of your state―from security deposit rules to termination notice requirements. The book also includes expanded sections on tenant rights regarding sublets (including through Airbnb-type services), using marijuana in the rental, and self advertising (how social media can help landlords find you). Cover......Page 1 Title Page......Page 4 Table of Contents......Page 8 Your Tenant Companion......Page 14 1: Finding a Place to Rent......Page 16 Setting Your Rental Priorities......Page 17 How to Find an Apartment or House for Rent......Page 18 Visiting Prospective Rentals......Page 26 Checking Out the Landlord and Manager......Page 27 Checking Out Other Tenants and the Neighbors......Page 28 Rental Applications and Credit Reports......Page 29 How Landlords Reject Tenants......Page 39 Finder’s Fees and Holding Deposits......Page 40 Choosing Roommates......Page 43 2: Leases and Rental Agreements......Page 44 How Leases and Rental Agreements Differ......Page 46 Typical Provisions in Leases and Rental Agreements......Page 49 Negotiating With the Landlord......Page 66 Signing a Lease or Rental Agreement......Page 69 Cosigners......Page 70 3: Basic Rent Rules......Page 72 How Much Can Your Landlord Charge?......Page 73 Rent Control......Page 74 When Is Your Rent Due?......Page 77 Grace Periods for Late Rent......Page 78 Where and How Rent Is Due......Page 79 Late Charges and Discounts for Early Payments......Page 81 Negotiating Partial or Delayed Rent Payments......Page 83 Rent Increases......Page 84 Talking the Landlord Out of a Rent Increase......Page 88 4: Security Deposits......Page 90 Dollar Limits on Deposits......Page 91 Last Month’s Rent......Page 93 Nonrefundable Deposits and Fees......Page 94 Interest on Deposits and Separate Accounts......Page 95 If Your Landlord Sells the Property......Page 96 5: Discrimination......Page 98 Kinds of Discrimination Prohibited by Federal Laws......Page 100 Kinds of Discrimination Prohibited by State and Local Law......Page 110 How to Fight Back......Page 112 6: Inspecting the Rental Unit and Moving In......Page 120 How to Inspect the Rental Unit......Page 121 How to Handle Problems......Page 127 Clarifying Important Terms of the Tenancy......Page 128 Using Email or Text Messages for Notice or a Letter of Understanding......Page 129 7: Roommates, Guests, and Airbnb......Page 132 Renting a Place With Others......Page 133 Adding a New Roommate......Page 142 Tenant Rights to Use Airbnb and Similar Vacation Rental Services......Page 144 Taking In a Roomer......Page 145 8: Major Repairs and Maintenance......Page 146 Your Basic Right to Livable Premises......Page 147 State Laws and Local Housing Codes......Page 148 Court-Imposed Rules......Page 149 Making Tenants Responsible for Repairs......Page 150 How to Get Action From Your Landlord......Page 151 What to Do If the Landlord Won’t Make Repairs......Page 154 9: Minor Repairs and Maintenance......Page 164 The Landlord’s Responsibilities......Page 165 Tenant Responsibilities......Page 168 Getting the Landlord to Make Minor Repairs......Page 170 Making Minor Repairs Yourself......Page 174 10: Making Improvements and Alterations......Page 176 Improvements That Become Part of the Property......Page 177 Improving Your Rental Unit Without Enriching Your Landlord......Page 178 Cable TV Access......Page 180 Satellite Dishes and Other Antennas......Page 181 11: Your Right to Privacy......Page 186 Entry by the Landlord......Page 187 Entry by Others......Page 192 Other Invasions of Privacy......Page 194 What to Do About Invasions of Privacy......Page 195 12: Injuries on the Premises......Page 200 What to Do If You’re Injured......Page 201 Is the Landlord Liable?......Page 204 If You’re at Fault, Too......Page 210 How Much Money You’re Entitled To......Page 211 13: Environmental Hazards......Page 214 Asbestos......Page 216 Lead......Page 221 Radon......Page 230 Carbon Monoxide......Page 232 Mold......Page 234 Bedbugs......Page 238 14: Crime on the Premises......Page 244 The Landlord’s Basic Duty to Keep You Safe......Page 245 Problems With Other Tenants......Page 248 Illegal Activity on the Property and Nearby......Page 250 Getting Results From the Landlord......Page 253 Protecting Yourself......Page 258 15: How Tenancies End or Change......Page 260 Changing Terms During Your Tenancy......Page 261 How Month-to-Month Tenancies End......Page 263 How Fixed-Term Leases End......Page 267 Retaliation and Other Illegal Tenancy Terminations......Page 270 How to Stay When Your Landlord Wants You Out......Page 271 Getting Out of a Lease......Page 272 Condominium Conversions......Page 283 If the Landlord Declares Bankruptcy......Page 284 If the Rental Property Is Foreclosed......Page 285 16: Moving Out and Getting Your Security Deposit Back......Page 288 Basic Rules for Returning Deposits......Page 289 Deductions for Cleaning and Damage......Page 292 Deductions for Unpaid Rent......Page 294 Avoiding Fights Over Deposits......Page 296 Security Deposits From Cotenants......Page 303 How to Handle Deposit Disputes......Page 304 Suing Your Landlord in Small Claims Court......Page 306 If Your Deposit Doesn’t Cover What You Owe......Page 309 Your Abandoned Property......Page 310 17: Termination Notices Based on Nonpayment of Rent and Other Illegal Acts......Page 316 Termination Notices......Page 317 Other Violations of the Lease or Rental Agreement......Page 319 Violations of Your Legal Responsibilities as a Tenant......Page 320 Negotiating With the Landlord......Page 321 Refusing to Move Out......Page 323 Cutting Your Losses and Moving......Page 325 18: Evictions......Page 328 Illegal “Self-Help” Evictions......Page 329 How Eviction Lawsuits Work......Page 330 Stopping Eviction by Filing for Bankruptcy......Page 336 19: Resolving Problems Without a Lawyer......Page 338 How to Negotiate a Settlement......Page 339 Using a Mediator......Page 340 Suing in Small Claims Court......Page 341 Tenants Working Together......Page 342 20: Lawyers and Legal Research......Page 348 Finding a Good Lawyer......Page 349 Fee Arrangements With Lawyers......Page 352 Resolving Problems With Your Lawyer......Page 353 Doing Your Own Legal Research......Page 354 Appendix A: State Landlord-Tenant Law Charts......Page 360 State Landlord-Tenant Statutes......Page 361 State Rent Rules......Page 362 State Rules on Notice Required to Change or Terminate a Month-to-Month Tenancy......Page 364 State Security Deposit Rules......Page 367 Required Landlord Disclosures......Page 377 State Laws in Domestic Violence Situations......Page 391 State Laws on Rent Withholding and Repair and Deduct Remedies......Page 396 State Laws on Landlord’s Access to Rental Property......Page 398 State Laws on Handling Abandoned Property......Page 400 State Laws Prohibiting Landlord Retaliation......Page 401 State Laws on Termination for Nonpayment of Rent......Page 403 State Laws on Termination for Violation of Lease......Page 406 State Laws on Unconditional Quit Terminations......Page 408 State Small Claims Court Limits......Page 415 Landlord’s Duty to Rerent......Page 421 Consequences of Self-Help Evictions......Page 423 Appendix B: How to Use the Downloadable Forms on the Nolo Website......Page 426 List of Forms Available on the Nolo Website......Page 427 Index......Page 428