Landlord Tenant

At first blush the power imbalance between landlord and tenant can seem not only large but insurmountable. After the entire landlord literally owns the roof over the tenant’s head, and they have enormous power to make the rules and enforce them.

That power imbalance may seem large, but there is a balancing act that can make things a bit fairer and more even. At the heart of that balancing act are the attorneys who dedicate their lives and their training to the fights of tenants, and hiring one of those landlord/tenant experts is the best way to protect your rights and make sure the person who owns that roof lives up to their side of the bargain.

No matter where you live or what type of property you occupy, there are laws designed to protect your rights and stop your landlord from taking advantage of you. There may indeed be an imbalance of power between landlord and tenant, but the laws governing the rights of renters have been specifically designed to help reduce this disparity.

This kind of law and the impact it can have will vary depending on a number of factors, including the nature and makeup of the local and state government, the lobbying power of property owners and renter rights advocates and more. Even so, you should never assume that you are powerless, or take the word of your landlord as gospel.

If you think your rights are being violated, the best thing you can do is talk to an experienced landlord/tenant attorney. By talking to an expert you can determine exactly what your rights are, and more importantly how you can protect them.

While hiring a landlord/tenant attorney can always be a smart idea, there are some times when this process takes on a newfound sense of urgency. If you suspect that your landlord is actually a slumlord, for instance, contacting an attorney quickly could help you protect your rights to have necessary repairs done, allowing you and your family to live in the property safely and with dignity.

Ensuring the habitability of rental properties is one of the specialties of landlord/tenant attorneys, and one of the most common reasons renters contact such professionals. If you have repeatedly asked your landlord to fix a broken toilet, repair a leaky sink or remove lead paint from your property, hiring an experienced landlord/tenant lawyer may be the only way left for you to assert your rights.

It is also important to contact a landlord/tenant attorney if you are facing eviction, or if you have been withholding your rent payments due to problems with living conditions, safety or other serious deficiencies. When the landlord holds up their end of the bargain, they are entitled to receive the rent that has been agreed upon, but the renter/landlord relationship is very much a two-way street.

In many cases you will be able to work with your landlord to come up with an equitable solution, one that allows them to receive their rent while you receive a safe and comfortable place to live. Many landlord/tenant disputes can be settled fairly, but when that solution is not forthcoming it is time to call an experienced attorney and learn about your rights as a renter.

In California, renters’ rights are a major issue that can become difficult to manage for both landlords and tenants if the problems are not immediately addressed. Renters’ rights are often not discussed at the onset of a rental agreement. It is important that you know what your rights are, and how you can assert them if there is a dispute between the landlord and you, the renter. Landlords are responsible to keep their rental properties in a safe and habitable condition. Tenants have the right to proper living standards such as running water, adequate heat sources, property free of rodents, rates mold, asbestos, insect infestations, and sanitary bathrooms.