The City of San Francisco is aiming at a landlord who rented an illegal basement space to 20 tenants that the San Francisco Fire Department alleges had many fire code violations. City Attorney Dennis Herrera stated on August 22 that the City filed a lawsuit against...
I follow court opinions in order to keep current with changes in the interpretation of landlord-tenant laws. I occasionally write about cases that are important to tenants in this blog. This case, which I call “The Case of the Master Tenant Who Acted Like a...
Sheila James, an office worker, starts her week by rolling out of bed at 2:15 am to get to her job in downtown San Francisco by 8:00 am. Because of high rental rates in the Bay Area, she moved to Stockton, where she can rent a 3-bedroom house for $1,000 a month. She...
You believe your home has a serious violation of the housing code. But you’re not certain. How can you tell? “Substantial” compliance is the standard used by the courts. Landlords are not required to have their properties in perfect, aesthetically pleasing...
As an attorney defending residential tenants, I find that each case has unique details. Knowing which details are important when arguing a case can be the difference between winning and losing. That’s why I keep track of court opinions, which I write about...
The landlord or his realtor presents you with a document asking you about the details of your lease. The document might be called “Rental Questionnaire” or a “Statement of Tenancy.” Be careful. It could be a tenant estoppel. Tenant estoppels legally certify facts...
