Legal Issues

You come home to find an eviction notice posted to your door. Do not panic. While eviction is a matter that should be taken seriously, and handled immediately, the notice does not mean that you have to move out tomorrow. It is important, however, to understand your rights and the eviction process. The Notice to […]

Rental history is one of the primary things that your landlord will look at when you fill out a rental application. Your rental history can affect you positively or negatively. What is a Rental History? A rental history is a record of your previous rental experiences (of importance to your landlords). Each time you apply […]

Before you sign a lease agreement, or any legal document for that matter, you should read it carefully. Once you have read it, read it again. It is a legal document, and you need to understand every single clause within the document, because once you sign it becomes binding and forms an agreement between you […]

Renting older apartments can sometimes present an unexpected problem: lead-based paint. While any apartment building built after 1978 should be completely free of lead paint, older buildings may have lead-based paint hazards. In order to make sure that tenants are aware of any such risks, landlords are required to tell you if there is a […]

At the end of a lease period, people often find out that there will be an increase in their rent. A landlord can raise the rent for a variety of reasons, including: 1. Cost of Living With each passing year, overall cost of living increases, and with it, your rent. This is usually a small […]

Roommate selection can be difficult enough, but adding a roommate to your rental agreement puts you in an even more awkward position for finding your roommate, and then persuading the front office to allow him onto the lease. Typically, your lease agreement will only provide for those signing the lease at the beginning of the lease […]

A landlord may ask you to fill out a lease application before considering you as a tenant. This helps to screen out tenants who don’t pay rent or pose other problems. They will ask for personal information, references, and proof of work. How well you complete the application determines whether the landlord will give you […]

Hiring an attorney is usually the last thing on your mind when renting an apartment. Location, amenities, rent and apartment layout are the topics you’ll think of first, when talking about apartment living. Unfortunately, as with all things in life, something concerning your tenancy could go awry and put your rights in jeopardy. That’s when […]

Depending on your life situation, you may not be in the market for a traditional twelve month apartment lease. Fortunately, you have options. Know when to choose a short, long or month-to-month apartment lease by reading below. When to Choose a Short Lease Short leases are typically offered in three-month increments (three months, six months or […]