California Tenants' Rights

by Portman, Janet

• ISBN13: 9781413300666
• ISBN10: 1413300669
• Edition: 16th
• Format: Paperback
• Copyright: 2005-03-30
• Publisher: Nolo

Summary

Renting isn't what it used to be, particularly in highly competitive housing markets such as San Francisco, Berkeley and Santa Monica. Now, more than ever, it is important that tenants know their rights.This Nolo bestseller covers these rights and explains how to:- handle repair problems- protect privacy- get deposits back- fight discrimination- break a lease- deal with roommates- fight an eviction- understand rent control laws.

Table of Contents

Introduction
Some General Things You Should Know
Who Is Your Landlord?	2	(1)
Renters' Tax Credit	3	(1)
Lawyers	4	(2)
Typing Services	6	(1)
Legal Research	7	(1)
Mediation	8
Looking for a Place and Renting It
Get Organized	2	(1)
Learn About Rental Agreements	3	(7)
Fees and Deposits	10	(1)
Rental Applications and Credit Reports	11	(2)
How to Check a Place Over	13	(4)
How to Bargain for the Best Deal	17	(1)
Get All Promises in Writing	18	(1)
The Landlord-Tenant Checklist	19	(1)
Your Responsibilities as a Tenant	19	(1)
Co-Signing Leases	20
Sharing a Home
Is It Legal to Live Together?	2	(1)
The Legal Obligations of Roommates to the Landlord	2	(1)
The Legal Obligations of Roommates to Each Other	3	(1)
Having a Friend Move In	4	(4)
Guests	8
All About Rent
When Is Rent Due?	2	(1)
Late Charges	2	(1)
Partial Rent Payments	3	(1)
Rent Increases: General Law	4	(1)
Rent Increase Notices	4	(2)
Rent Control	6	(2)
General Types of Rent Control Laws	8	(1)
Rent Control Board Hearings	9	(3)
What to Do If the Landlord Violates Rent Control Rules	12	(1)
Specific Provisions of Rent Control Laws	12
Discrimination
Forbidden Types of Discrimination	2	(2)
Legal Reasons to Discriminate	4	(2)
How to Tell If a Landlord Is Discriminating	6	(1)
What to Do About Discrimination	6	(2)
Sexual Harassment by Landlords or Managers	8
The Obnoxious Landlord and Your Right to Privacy
Your Landlord's Right of Entry	2	(2)
What to Do About a Landlord's Improper Entry	4	(2)
Other Types of Invasions of Privacy	6
Major Repairs & Maintenance
Your Basic Right to Livable Premises	2	(5)
Your Repair and Maintenance Responsibilities	7	(1)
Agreeing to Be Responsible for Repairs	8	(1)
How to Get Action From Your Landlord: The Light Touch	8	(3)
What to Do If the Landlord Won't Make Repairs	11
Minor Repairs & Maintenance
Minor Repairs: What Are They?	2	(1)
The Landlord's Responsibilities	2	(3)
Agreeing to Do Maintenance	5	(1)
Getting the Landlord to Make Minor Repairs	6	(4)
Making Minor Repairs Yourself	10
Alterations & Satellite Dishes
Improvements That Become Part of the Property	2	(1)
Improving Your Rental Unit Without Enriching Your Landlord	3	(1)
Cable TV Access	4	(1)
Satellite Dishes and Other Antennas	4
Injuries on the Premises
What to Do If You're Injured	2	(3)
Is the Landlord Liable?	5	(6)
If You're at Fault, Too	11	(1)
How Much Money You're Entitled To	12
Environmental Hazards
Asbestos	2	(5)
Lead	7	(8)
Radon	15	(1)
Carbon Monoxide	16	(3)
Mold	19
Crime on the Premises
The Landlord's Basic Duty to Keep You Safe	2	(3)
Problems With Other Tenants	5	(2)
Illegal Activity on the Property and Nearby	7	(2)
Getting Results From the Landlord	9	(5)
Protecting Yourself	14
Breaking a Lease, Subleasing, and Other Leasing Problems
What Happens When the Lease Runs Out	2	(1)
Subleases and Assignments	2	(1)
Subleasing With the Idea of Returning Later	3	(1)
How to Break a Lease	3	(3)
Belongings You Leave Behind	6
Security Deposits and Last Month's Rent
Amount of Deposit	2	(1)
Nonrefundable Deposits	2	(1)
What the Deposits May Be Used For	3	(1)
Landlord's Duty to Return Deposit	3	(1)
Effect of Sale of Premises on Security Deposits	4	(1)
May the Landlord Increase the Security Deposit?	5	(1)
Avoiding Deposit Problems	5	(1)
If the Landlord Won't Return Your Deposit	5	(3)
Rent Withholding as a Way to Get Deposits Back in Advance	8	(1)
Interest on Security Deposits	9	(1)
Last Month's Rent	10	(1)
If Your Landlord Demands More Money	10
Evictions
Illegal Self-Help Evictions	3	(1)
Illegal Retaliatory Evictions	4	(1)
Overview of Eviction Procedure	5	(2)
Termination of Tenancy Notices	7	(5)
Your Options After a Three-Day or 30-, 60-, or 90-Day Notice Is Served	12	(1)
The Eviction Lawsuit	12	(34)
Stopping an Eviction	46	(1)
Postponing an Eviction	46	(2)
Appeal From an Eviction	48	(1)
After the Lawsuit---Eviction by the Sheriff	48
Tenants Acting Together
Tenant Organizing	2	(1)
Setting Up a Tenants' Organization	3	(2)
Getting Information on the Landlord	5	(2)
Tactics	7	(3)
Negotiations	10	(1)
The Agreement	11
Renter's Insurance
Condominium Conversion
Legal Protection for Tenants	2	(2)
Changing the Law	4
Appendix