The Ellis Act gives a landlord the absolute right to go out of the rental business. The landlord has the right to evict tenants on the basis that the building is being permanently withdrawn from the rental market. A tenant can possibly defeat an Ellis Act eviction by...
There are many ways that a landlord can constructively evict a tenant. One way is for the landlord to commit a ”material breach” of the lease. Under California law, a landlord is required to provide basics in a rented apartment like security, heat and water in...
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...
