Housing built before 1978 is likely to contain lead-based paint. Common renovation activities such as sanding, cutting and demolition, when performed in structures that contain lead-based paint, can create lead-based paint hazards, including lead-contaminated dust which is harmful to adults and children. To protect against this risk and minimize exposure to lead-based paint hazards, the […]

When you selectively offer tenancy to some individuals and not to others you have violated Fair Housing Acts. Title VIII of the Civil Rights Act of 1968 (the Fair Housing Act), as amended, prohibits discrimination in housing and housing related transactions based on race, color, religion, sex, national origin, disability or familial status. While the […]

You will want to research the issue to make sure if there are any state and local requirements, but generally a landlord is not required to paint a unit in between tenants. As of this writing the one known exception to the general rule is the New York City ordinance that requires repainting every three […]

The Fair Housing Act as amended prohibits discrimination in housing decisions based on the seven protected classes of race, color, sex, national origin, religion, disability, and familial status. Some states, cities, and counties have expanded fair housing protections to include additional protected classes such as ancestry, marital status, age, military or veteran status, sexual orientation, […]

The process of a tenant move-out should be a routine business task that smoothly transitions the rental unit back to the landlord. With so many details involved in the transition, what can a landlord do to make the move-out process as trouble-free as possible? The key is to have comprehensive rental policies that are communicated […]

When rent payment procedures are easily understandable to tenants and simple to use, there is a greater likelihood that tenants will pay as agreed. Online rent payments may offer a best practice solution to timely rent payment that benefits both landlord and tenant by a more efficient processing of rent payments. An important decision is […]

There can be many factors that influence a tenant’s decision to stay in place or move. A tenant may need to move for personal reasons, e.g., family, health issues, job relocation, or changes in income. Generally there are three key factors that influence the tenant’s decision to renew: Local market conditions Physical condition of the […]

Unlawful landlord retaliation occurs when a landlord uses his authority to punish a tenant who exercises his legal rights. Tenant protection laws in most states provide tenants legal protection from retaliatory eviction and other landlord retaliatory actions. While state laws prohibiting landlord retaliation may vary by state, most commonly, statutes address issues regarding tenant complaint […]

Business insurance policies are important to protect landlords from financial losses resulting from unexpected events such as accidents, natural disasters, injury claims, or other liability issues. There a number of decisions that a landlord must make to determine the appropriate policies and coverages for his business. Coverages While insurance coverage against almost any possible loss […]

Negligence is determined by facts of each situation. As an example, if a landlord violated a law requiring a safety measure and the violation led directly to the tenant’s injury, the landlord will likely be held liable. A landlord does have a general duty to take reasonable precautions to protect tenants from foreseeable criminal acts […]