Tenant Law
Know Your Rights When It Comes To Tenant Law
When renting a house, apartment, or room, you want to know that you are getting everything you pay for. There are laws in place detailing what tenants deserve. You pay your landlord monthly to ensure that your space is maintained and any problems are taken care of. You are entitled to a safe, comfortable place in exchange for the rent you pay every month. Your Landlord also has a right to expect on time payments, and care and adherence to rules by their tenant. You have rights as a tenant, and landlords have rights as a landlord. Unfortunately there are people who abuse their tenant's vulnerability, and there are people who abuse their landlord's trust. Fortunately there are laws in place to protect both parties. It is important to know your rights as a tenant and a landlord.
Your Rights As A Tenant
When you enter into an agreement to rent a house, apartment, or room from a landlord, you will generally have a lease outlining the terms of your rental agreement. Many rentals will have formal paperwork outlining many different scenarios, including damages that are covered by the landlord and damages you, the tenant, will be responsible for. Some properties are run owned by companies that rent them out in scale, others are owned by a single person who may manage a few different properties themselves. In both cases, you should always have a lease for your own protection. In exchange for paying rent every month by the date specified in the lease, you are entitled to a clean home. What follows are some sample guarantees that you might find in a typical lease: free of pests, heat and air conditioning provided, functioning locks on doors and windows, running water, working appliances, and a reasonable expectation to quiet and safety. In return, you as the tenant are typically expected to keep the place in reasonably good condition, meaning undamaged by your actions or living style. You will typically pay a security deposit at the beginning of your rental period that will be returned to you if you avoid excessive damage to the property. Most tenant laws protect you from undue eviction and random rent increases, but tenant protections vary from state to state.
Landlord's Rights:
A landlord also has rights protected by law. A landlord typically has the right to enter the property if the provide due notice to the renter. The landlord has a right to choose who lives in their place, to a degree (Discrimination based on race is one form of discrimination that is against the law). A landlord has the right to have their property treated with respect (as outlined in a lease), and if it is not, then they can evict the tenant. The landlord is entitled to the rent every month by the chosen date on the lease. The landlord does not have the right to violate tenant's rights. Tenants do not have the right to violate landlord rights. It is important that both parties know their rights in the specific state they live in.
What Happens When Rights Are Violated From Either Side
Often problems can arise from either side and someone feels like their rights have been violated. The first thing to do when you are a tenant is to bring the problem to the attention of your landlord. If they agree to fix the issue then give them a reasonable amount of time to do so and problem solved. If the landlord does not fix the issue and you feel like they are violating the terms of your lease, you can contact a lawyer or law firm for legal aid to help you resolve the issue. If a landlord has a problem with a tenant, they also have to give the tenant a reasonable amount of time to resolve the issue. If they don't, the landlord can take legal action. Typically you will only contact a law firm for improper eviction or refusal to vacate a premises or pay rent.
House & apartment rental rights are real in every state. It is important that we work together to find a solution when we have problems. If you feel you are wronged by a landlord you can contact legal aid to help you understand the rights you have in your situation. Everyone has a right to have fairness when it comes to landlord and tenant situations.