Legal Issues

In an age where texts and emails are the preferred forms of communication, it’s safe to say that letter writing has become a foreign concept to many people. But in some professional situations — like when you need to complain to your landlord about problems with your apartment — you’ll find that a formal, typed […]

If you’ve recently turned on HGTV or opened up a home and garden magazine, you know that everyone is flipping for flipped homes.

Learn how to identify and report health code violations in your apartment, from pests to mold, lead paint, and more. Understand your tenant rights and ensure your living space meets safety standards.

Tenant background checks make up a perfectly normal part of the rental process. Whether you’re signing a long-term lease or just a month-to-month agreement, most landlords will want to know if you’re trustworthy, financially stable, and free of a criminal past before agreeing to take you in.

Getting scammed is embarrassing. Whether it’s an auction site purchase, an allegedly “free” vacation, or an apartment rental, you usually feel stupid in hindsight when all those big red flags suddenly become visible to you. Don’t be too hard on yourself, though

When you’re a renter and looking for a place to live, you may know exactly what you want in an apartment, like hardwood floors, two bedrooms, and a place that’s close to public transportation. What you may not know, however, is what type of landlord you prefer: a large property management company or an individual […]

When a renter has a problem, a good landlord will try to fix it as soon as possible. After all, they want their tenants to be happy and stay with them long-term so they’ll have a lower turnover and spend less money on advertising, move-in renovations, etc. But then there are the proverbial landlords from […]

Landlords will often ask for a security deposit when you first move into a rental space, whether it’s a house or an apartment. That security deposit is to help them with any unexpected expenses, such as a tenant causing damage to their property or defaulting on rent.

Every single time you want to rent a new apartment, condo, or house, you’re going to have to fork over quite a bit of money — including a hefty security deposit. In case you didn’t know, a security deposit isn’t just a random fee that’s required to rent an apartment. In reality, it’s given to […]