Adding a Roommate to the Lease or Rental Agreement
Get your landlords approval before a new person moves in.
Whether its time to live with the one you love or you just need to replace a departing roommate, check with your landlord before letting a new person move in.
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Alabama Tenant Rights to Demand Needed Repairs
Alabama tenants are legally entitled to rental property thatmeets basic structural, health, and safety standards and is in good repair. Ifa landlord fails to take care of important maintenance, such as a leaky roof ora broken heater, you may demand that the landlord take action.
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Asbestos in Homes and Schools
Asbestos can still be found in some homes, schools, and other buildings. What do you need to know?
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Disabled Renters Housing Rights
If you have a disability, you should understand the laws when you rent a house or apartment.
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Fighting Rental Housing Discrimination FAQ
Learn about illegal housing discrimination, including how to file a complaint.
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Foreclosure and Renting to a New Tenant: Tenant Remedies
When a landlord rents to a tenant property that the landlord knows will soon be in foreclosure, what remedies does the tenant have?
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Get Your Security Deposit Back
Dont let your landlord stiff you know the law.Most states hold landlords to strict guidelines as to when and how to return security deposits. Landlords who violate these laws can be held to stiff penalties.
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How Evictions Work: What Renters Need to Know
Landlords cant just lock you out, even if you are behind on rent. They must get a court judgment first.Your landlord cant evict you without terminating the tenancy first.
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Illegal Eviction Procedures in Wisconsin
Wisconsin landlordsmust follow specific rules and procedures when evicting a tenant (see thearticle HowEvictions Work: What Renters Need toKnow, on this site). The state forbids landlords from taking thelaw into their own hands.
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Lead Disclosures for Rental Property FAQ
Landlords must disclose lead-based paint or hazards before renting or renovating property, and may be held liable for tenant health problems resulting from lead.
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Leases and Rental Agreements FAQ
What you need to know to create a legally valid lease or rental agreement. Do I need a written lease or rental agreement?
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Legal Remedies If a California Home Seller Conceals a Defect
The bills are stacking up as you seek to replace the roof and remediate the mold. Are these bills your responsibility? Or can you file a lawsuit and force the seller to pay?
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Pets Caught in Foreclosure Landlords Can Help
Landlords can help foreclosed-upon families by accepting tenants with pets its good for business if you follow some simple steps to protect yourself.
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Protect Your Security Deposit When You Move In
Record the condition of the property to safeguard your security deposit.
During the exhausting process of moving into a new apartment, the last thing on your mind is moving-out day, but since your landlord is probably holding a sizable chunk of your money in the form of a security deposit, its risky not to prepare for the end of your tenancy right from the beginning.
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Renters in Foreclosure: What Are Their Rights?
Federal legislation signed in May 2009 gives important rights to tenants whose landlords have lost their properties through foreclosure.Renters and tenants are now being affected by foreclosures almost as often as homeowners.
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Renters Rights to Minor Repairs
How to get landlords to keep their end of the maintenance bargain.Your landlord is responsible for keeping your rental unit in a livable condition, though many renters often feel stuck with less-than-ideal living conditions.
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Renters: Protect Yourself From Crime
How savvy tenants can get landlords to prevent crime.
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Renting a House or Apartment With Roommates
Learn to avoid disputes among roommates or with the landlord.When two or more people sign the same rental agreement or lease or enter into the same oral rental agreement they are cotenants and share the same legal rights and responsibilities. However, theres a special twist. One cotenants negative behavior not paying the rent, for example can affect everyones tenancy.
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Repairs, Maintenance, and Entry to Rented Premises
Landlords duties to repair rental property and to give tenants notice before entering.
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Resolving Landlord-Tenant Disputes FAQ
Lawyers and lawsuits should rarely be your first choice when faced with a landlord-tenant dispute.How can landlords and tenants avoid disputes?
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Shelter-in-Place Orders: What Must a Landlord Do?
Heres what every landlord needs to know about shelter-in-place orders.
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Should I Rent or Buy a House?
The "rent or buy" decision is not always a no-brainer. During super-hot markets, when real estate prices can sometimes go up by thousands of dollars a week, the prevailing advice is, "Buy as soon as you possibly can!" But weve also seen where that advice has gotten people; namely into financial trouble (if not foreclosure) when the hot market turns out to have been a bubble.
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Signing a Lease or Rental Agreement FAQ
Learn about the laws that cover security deposits, rent increases, and late fees.
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Tenant Injuries: Landlord Liability and Insurance FAQ
Protect yourself from liability from tenant injuries.
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Tenant Rights Against Sexual Orientation Discrimination
Know your renters rights if a landlord wont rent to you because you are gay or lesbian.
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Tenants Caught in Foreclosure: Who Gets the Rent?
Learn to whom tenants should pay rent when landlords fall into foreclosure.
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Tenants Rights to Privacy and Repairs FAQ
Learn when your landlord can enter your rental, and when you should demand repairs.
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Tenants Rights: When to Hire a Lawyer
Protect your rights as a renter by hiring a lawyer when necessary.
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Tips for Homeowners About to Be Renters After a Disaster
Homeowners displaced after a disaster such as a fire, flood, or hurricane may find themselves in the market for a rental.Owning a home is supposed to provide stability, but a major disaster such as an earthquake, fire, or flood can send many homeowners in search of temporary living quarters.
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When Secondhand Smoke Invades Your Home
Homeowners and renters can take action against cigarette-smokingneighbors.Non-smoking laws in public places have swept the nation, but until recently, if the smoke wafting into your house, condominium, or apartment from your neighbors cigarette bothered you, all you could do was move out.
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When Your Lease or Rental Agreement Ends FAQ
Frequently asked questions on security deposits and evictions.
What are the rules for returning security deposits?
What rules does a landlord have to follow before evicting a tenant?
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Whether to Use a Lease or Rental Agreement
And why a handshake shouldnt seal the deal between landlords and tenants.See Lease vs. Rental Agreement: Which Is Better?, below.)
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