Landlord FAQs

Landlord's FAQs

Q: What repairs are landlords responsible for?

A: In most cases, landlords are legally responsible to keep the rental property in a habitable condition when the tenant moves in and are responsible for major problem repairs including plumbing and electrical. Once tenant moved to the property, landlords are required to make necessary repair and conduct maintenance to keep the rental property in a habitable condition.

Q: What are things landlords cannot do?

A: Landlords cannot do the following:

• Accessing a tenant's unit without proper notice. Landlords are prohibited by law from accessing the tenant's premises without proper notice and without lawful purpose. The Landlord-Tenant Act doesn't allow a tenant to require that they are present during the landlord's visit, but the tenant has the right to ask to be present for any and all inspections by their landlords.
• Refuse tenant's application to rent due to discriminatory reasons. The Federal Fair Housing Act of 1968 and the Federal Fair Housing Amendments Act 1968 prohibits discrimination based on race or color, national origin, religion, familial status or age, disability or handicap or sex.  
• Keeping security deposit. In most lease agreements it requires tenants to pay a security deposit to cover tenants’ default or fix damages caused by tenants. However, the landlord must give the tenant an itemized list of deductions and pay the balance of the deposit. Failure of landlord to provide an itemized statement or failure to return the unused portion of the security deposit will result in owning monetary damages to tenants.
• Increasing rent without proper notice. To legally increase the rent, the landlord must provide tenants at least 30-days’ notice to rent increase. The landlord should ensure that he or she will not violate a rent control ordinance.

Q: Who is going to pay for repair?

A: Landlords are basically responsible for ensuring the habitability of the rental unit.  If things that are needed repairs will affect the habitability condition of the rental unit, then it's landlord responsibility to fix it. But on the other hand, if the situation doesn't affect the ability of the tenant to live on the property, the landlord may not be required to fix the damage or may not even require paying for it. If the damage is caused by the tenant, their occupants or guests, then tenants may be responsible for the repair. Tenants must ensure to advise the landlord of any damage occur so the landlord can fix the issue before it gets worst. 

Q: Are landlords allowed to use the tenant's garage or storage space?

A: Landlord should not use the tenant's garage or storage portion unless specified in the lease that both landlord and tenant agreed to sign.

Q: How long does eviction process take?

A: Every state, city or sometimes even town have their own ordinance or laws about evictions. Depending on the landlord's reasons for evicting a tenant it could take time. In the best-case situation, eviction happens in as little as two weeks or could be faster if the tenant decides to move out right away. But in the worst-case situation, if the judge will ask for more evidence it could take a few months.