Few issues give tenants heartburn like a new landlord asking for a large deposit check. What is a deposit and why do landlords get to ask for so much? A deposit is defined under the law as any payment, fee, deposit or charge that is imposed at the beginning of the...
Most renters know they need to pay their rent every month. But when should you pay your rent? Usually, in most leases, it states that rent needs to be paid on the first of every month. It might state you have a ‘grace period’ to pay. This means that if you mail your...
The San Francisco Rent Ordinance Rules and Regulations contain a section regarding a clause in a rental contract against subletting. If your lease contains such a clause, it is still possible to sublet. Nevertheless, some rules must be followed. For agreements made...
A state law known as the Costa-Hawkins Act allows a landlord, whose rental property would otherwise be subject to local rent control laws, to increase the rent without legal limit if one of the tenants move out. With subtenants, Costa-Hawkins permits a landlord to...
California law permits a landlord to go out of business and remove her rental units from the rental market. This law is known as the Ellis Act. The law was passed by the California Legislature after the California Supreme Court held that landlords could not go out of...
California law seems to prohibit rental agreements from compelling mandatory arbitration of disputes. However, there is a conflict between two laws that the courts have not yet resolved. California Civil Code section 1953 states “any provisions of a lease or rental...
