Renter's Rights: The Basics

Contents......Page 7
Introduction......Page 13
1 Play the Landlord’s Game and Win......Page 17
 Legal and Illegal Reasons for Turning You Down......Page 19
 Your Credit Report Can Make or Break Your Application......Page 23
 References Are All-Important......Page 29
 Smart Moves: How to Find a Good Place......Page 30
 How to Impress Prospective Landlords......Page 33
2 Leases and Rental Agreements......Page 37
 How Written Leases and Rental Agreements Differ......Page 39
 Typical Provisions in Leases and Rental Agreements......Page 44
 Negotiating With the Landlord......Page 53
 Common Negotiation Issues......Page 61
 Get It in Writing: A Letter of Understanding......Page 67
3 Rent Rules......Page 73
 Rent Gouging: Isn’t There a Law Against It?......Page 74
 The Nitty-Gritty on Where and How to Pay Rent......Page 75
 Mabel, Isn’t There a Grace Period?......Page 77
 What to Do—and Not to Do—if You Can’t Pay Rent on Time......Page 78
 Late Rent Fees......Page 80
 Tenancy Terminations for Nonpayment of Rent......Page 82
 Rent Increases......Page 83
 The Landlord’s Right to Change Other Rent Terms......Page 87
4 Security Deposits......Page 89
 Dollar Limits on Security Deposits......Page 91
 What’s the Money For?......Page 92
 Last Month’s Rent......Page 93
 Nonrefundable Deposits and Fees......Page 94
 Are You Entitled to Interest on Your Deposit?......Page 95
 How Your Landlord’s Bankruptcy or Property Sale Affects Your Deposit......Page 96
5 Discrimination......Page 99
 Discrimination Prohibited By Federal Laws......Page 101
 Discrimination Prohibited By State And Local Law......Page 108
 How To Fight Back......Page 110
6 Roommates......Page 115
 Renting a Place With Others......Page 118
 When a Roommate Walks Out......Page 125
 Adding a New Roommate......Page 127
 Taking in a Roomer......Page 129
7 Repairs and Maintenance......Page 131
 Your Right to a Livable Place......Page 133
 Your Repair and Maintenance Responsibilities......Page 141
 Persuading Your Landlord to Do Major Repairs......Page 142
 Using Heavy Artillery for Major Repairs......Page 144
 Laying The Minor Repair Job on the Landlord......Page 154
 Getting the Landlord to Make Minor Repairs......Page 158
8 Tenants’ Rights To Privacy......Page 163
 Entry by the Landlord......Page 166
 Entry by Others......Page 171
 Limits on Your Guests......Page 172
 How to Get Your Landlord to Back Off......Page 174
9 How Tenancies Change and End......Page 181
 Changing Your Tenancy Without Ending It......Page 183
 How Month-To-Month Tenancies End......Page 187
 What Happens When Your Lease Runs Out......Page 192
 Breaking a Lease and Leaving Early......Page 193
10 Getting Your Deposit Back......Page 197
 How Your Landlord May Use Your Deposit......Page 198
 The Mechanics of Getting the Deposit Back......Page 200
 Avoiding Fights Over Deposits......Page 202
 Suing to Get the Deposit Back......Page 204
11 Landlord Retaliation......Page 205
 Where Does the Law Protect You?......Page 207
 Responding to Retaliation......Page 209
 Proving That It’s Retaliation......Page 211
12 Rent Control......Page 213
 Property Subject To Rent Control......Page 216
 Limits on Rent......Page 217
 Evictions in Rent Control Areas......Page 218
 Special Notice Requirements......Page 220
 Bypassing the Rent Control Ordinance......Page 221
13 Getting Help With Your Dispute......Page 223
 How to Negotiate a Settlement......Page 224
 Using a Mediator......Page 226
 Small Claims Court......Page 229
Appendix 1 How To Find Landlord-Tenant Laws Online......Page 235
 State Laws......Page 236
 Federal Statutes and Regulations......Page 237
Appendix 2 State Laws......Page 239
 State Landlord-Tenant Statutes......Page 240
 State Rent Rules......Page 241
 Notice Required to Change or Terminate a Month-To-Month Tenancy......Page 244
 State Security Deposit Rules......Page 247
 State Laws on Rent Withholding and Repair-And-Deduct Remedies......Page 253
 State Laws on Landlord’s Access to Rental Property......Page 255
 The Landlord’s Duty to Rerent the Premises......Page 257
 State Laws Prohibiting Landlord Retaliation......Page 258
Index......Page 261