Knowing You Rights as a Tenant
As the housing shortage continues and more people are becoming renters, it’s a growing concern for the consumer rights of tenants. Knowing your rights as a tenant is an important matter for you. Many renters are unsure of their rights, many don’t realize they rights at all.
The reality is that you, as a renter, have many rights that you may not know. What’s more, many landlords bank on the fact that you do not know that you have certain rights that you are entitled to and they often take advantage of this fact in their dealings with tenants.
Almost everyone is aware that the landlord can’t discriminate on the basis of race, color, creed, religion, sex, or age, as well as other reasons. Many states have laws against discrimination on marital status and sexual orientation as well. Did you know that the landlord can’t end your lease of any of these reasons?
Tenants have the right to a certain amount of privacy. A landlord can’t come into your apartment without either giving you ample notice or unless there is an emergency such as fire or flood that is an immediate threat.
Knowing the rights that you have is an important part of being a tenant and there several things that you can do to assure that you are afforded your rights.
Take pictures or video of your apartment when you move in. in many cases that go to court, the judge will be to award in your favor when they have seen actual conditions that you have recorded. This weighs heavier than testimony.
Document all interactions with the landlord including what was said and what was done. Include as much information as possible in this because after a certain amount of time has passed, memory fades and facts are forgotten. Properly documenting the facts is a way to protect yourself against disputes.
If you are ever denied an apartment, be sure that you find the reasons why. Many times a landlord will use sources other than credit reports and previous landlords to determine your eligibility to rent from them. If this is the case and they deny your application, you have the right to know the specifics of this denial. This is covered under the fair credit reporting act.
There are many rights that are afforded to the tenant in the landlord /tenant laws. Many of these are not as widely known and you might not be aware of them. They are there for your protection and you should feel safe in relying on them.
The most common mistake that renters make is taking the law into their own hands because of misinformation from friends who are not familiar with how the law works. The laws are there to protect you but you need to know how to use them. The help of an experienced and competent tenant’s right attorney will assure that you are using these to the best advantage.
If you feel that your rights have been violated, please start by contacting us for a free consultation
