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Every Tenant's Legal Guide

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Every Tenant's Legal Guide

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The essential all-in-one book for anyone paying rent!

Every Tenant's Legal Guide gives you the legal and practical information you need to deal with your landlord and other tenants, and protect your rights when things go wrong. Written in plain English, it shows you how to:

  • Inspect a place before you move in
  • Negotiate a lease or rental agreement
  • Put roommate relationships on a sound legal footing
  • Understand key rules on rent increases and rent control
  • Get needed repairs and maintenance
  • Protect your privacy
  • Fight illegal discrimination
  • Break a lease with minimum financial liability
  • Get your security deposit back
  • Understand and prepare for eviction proceedings

The updated 5th edition of Every Tenant's Legal Guide comes complete with tear-out forms, as well as charts that help you find and understand the latest laws of your state.

The essential all-in-one book for anyone paying rent!

Every Tenant's Legal Guide gives you the legal and practical information you need to deal with your landlord and other tenants, and protect your rights when things go wrong. Written in plain English, it shows you how to:

  • Inspect a place before you move in
  • Negotiate a lease or rental agreement
  • Put roommate relationships on a sound legal footing
  • Understand key rules on rent increases and rent control
  • Get needed repairs and maintenance
  • Protect your privacy
  • Fight illegal discrimination
  • Break a lease with minimum financial liability
  • Get your security deposit back
  • Understand and prepare for eviction proceedings

The updated 5th edition of Every Tenant's Legal Guide comes complete with tear-out forms, as well as charts that help you find and understand the latest laws of your state.

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Excerpts-
  • Chapter 1- Introduction

    It goes almost without saying that choosing a place to live is an extremely important decision. A good apartment or house should provide more than shelter, warmth, and a place to lay your head; it should be a true home. Yet many people make bad choices—spending too much money; picking the wrong location, landlord, or neighbors; or settling on a place that's too small, dreary, noisy, unsafe, or in bad shape. Sure, if you're in a tight rental market, such as those in New York City, San Francisco, or Chicago, you can have an especially difficult time finding a good place to live at a reasonable price, but it's still possible to find decent housing.

    Finding a good place to live is rarely a lucky accident. Whether rental housing is plentiful or scarce, there are specific steps you can take to find an apartment or house that meets your needs and budget. Most important, you need to take your time. One of the worst—and most costly—mistakes you can make is to sign a lease or put down a hefty deposit at the end of a long, frustrating day of apartment-hunting, only to realize later that the place is completely unsuitable. Even if it means staying with friends for a few weeks, finding a short-term rental or house-sitting arrangement, or (horrors) moving back in with your parents temporarily, it may be well worth it.

    Whether you're looking for your first or tenth rental, living by yourself or with others, this chapter shows you how to find a good place to live within your price range, by:

    Setting clear priorities before you start looking for a place to rent using a variety of resources to tap into available rentals, and beating the competition by pulling together the information landlords want to see—good references and credit information—before you visit prospective rentals.

    This chapter also explains your legal rights and responsibilities regarding the rental application process, credit reports, credit-check fees, and holding deposits.

    If you're moving from one rental to another, be sure you understand all the legal and practical rules for ending a tenancy, getting your deposit returned, and moving out. See Chapters 15 and 16 for details.

    Check Your Credit Rating Before You Start Your Housing Search

    Your credit report contains a wealth of information that landlords use to choose (or reject) tenants—for example, the report lists any bankruptcy filings, uncollected child support, and unpaid debts that have been reported to the credit reporting agency. It will also reflect favorable information, such as your ability to pay your card balances and other debts on time. To make sure your credit report is accurate—or to give yourself time to clean it up if there are problems or errors—get a copy of your report before you start looking. "Rental Applications and Credit Reports," below, provides complete details.

Synopsis-
Table of Contents-

  • Introduction
    1. Finding a Place to Rent
    2. Leases and Rental Agreements
    3. Basic Rent Rules
    4. Security Deposits
    5. Discrimination
    6. Inspecting the Rental Unit and Moving In
    7. Roommates
    8. Major Repairs and Maintenance
    9. Minor Repairs and Maintenance
    10. Making Improvements and Alterations
    11. Your Right to Privacy
    12. Injuries on the Premises

    What to Do If You're Injured
    Is the Landlord Liable?
    If You're at Fault, Too
    How Much Money You're Entitled To
    13. Environmental Hazards
    Asbestos
    Lead
    Radon
    Carbon Monoxide
    Mold
    14. Crime on the Premises
    The Landlord's Basic Duty to Keep You Safe
    Problems With Other Tenants
    Illegal Activity on the Property and Nearby
    Getting Results From the Landlord
    Protecting Yourself
    15. How Tenancies End or Change
    Changing Terms During Your Tenancy
    How Month-to-Month Tenancies End
    How Fixed-Term Leases End
    Retaliation and Other Illegal Tenancy Terminations
    How to Stay When Your Landlord Wants You Out
    Getting Out of a Lease
    Condominium Conversions
    If the Landlord Sells or Goes Out of Business
    16. Moving Out and Getting Your Security Deposit Back
    Basic Rules for Returning Deposits
    Deductions for Cleaning and Damage
    Deductions for Unpaid Rent
    Avoiding Fights Over Deposits
    Security Deposits From Cotenants
    How to Handle Deposit Disputes
    Suing Your Landlord in Small Claims Court
    If Your Deposit Doesn't Cover What You Owe
    Your Abandoned Property
    17. Termination Notices Based on Nonpayment of Rent and Other Illegal Acts
    Termination Notices
    Other Violations of the Lease or Rental Agreement
    Violations of Your Legal Responsibilities as a Tenant
    Illegal Activity on the Premises
    Negotiating With the Landlord
    Getting Help From a Mediator
    Refusing to Move Out
    Cutting Your Losses and Moving
    18. Evictions: An Overview
    When to Fight -- And When to Move
    Illegal "Self-Help" Evictions
    How Eviction Lawsuits Work
    Stopping Eviction by Filing for Bankruptcy
    19. Resolving Problems Without a Lawyer
    How to Negotiate a Settlement
    Using a Mediator
    Suing in Small Claims Court
    Tenants Working Together
    20. Lawyers and Legal Research
    How a Lawyer Can Help You
    Finding a Good Lawyer
    Fee Arrangements With Lawyers
    Resolving Problems With Your Lawyer
    Doing Your Own Legal Research
    Appendixes
    1. State Laws
    2. Tear-Out Forms
    Looking for and Finding a Rental
    Rental Priorities Worksheet
    Apartment-Finding Service Checklist
    Rental Application
    Consent to Background and Reference Check
    Receipt and Holding Deposit Agreement
    Moving In and Making Changes
    Landlord-Tenant Checklist
    Agreement Regarding Tenant Improvements to Rental Unit
    Amendment to Lease or Rental Agreement
    Moving Out and Getting Your Deposit Back
    Tenant's Notice of Intent to Move Out
    Termination of Lease
    Consent to Assignment of Lease
    Demand for Return of Security Deposit
    Index
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Every Tenant's Legal Guide
Janet Portman
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