If you are renting an apartment, home or condo, it is important to be aware of your renter and landlord rights and review your lease with a real estate attorney. Knowing the responsibilities of the renter and the landlord can save you trouble in the long run.
Discrimination
Your application to rent a unit cannot be rejected based on race, color, gender, ethnicity, religion, age or mental or physical disabilities. A landlord must be in compliance with Fair Housing laws to ensure that they are not rejecting a tenant based on discrimination. If you have submitted an application and have disclosed that you have a disability, it is the landlord’s responsibility to make proper accommodations for you.
Eviction
Your landlord has the right to evict you if you break any promise you made on the lease, such as not paying rent, committing a crime or having a pet that was never allowed in the unit. The tenant has a right to have notice of the claim of an eviction and given time to pay rent or damage, if any.
Privacy
An important part of your lease is your right to privacy. Each state has laws about how much notice is required before the landlord may enter your unit. This is for situations related to maintenance or showing the unit to others when you are planning to move, for example. Otherwise, your landlord cannot come into your home unannounced.
Security Deposits
Some states have a cap as to how much a landlord can charge for a security deposit, but a landlord cannot raise the security deposit without reason. Having an animal or pet living with you is a viable reason to raise the amount, but raising it based on race or gender is unlawful.
If you are in need of a real estate lawyer in San Antonio to review your lease with you, call Dan Burke Attorney At Law to set an appointment today.