Landlord and Tenant Lawyers in Blue Springs

Find the right Tenant attorney in Blue Springs, MO

Tenant Law in Missouri

Relations between tenants and landlords in Blue Springs, Missouri can sometimes be touchy. The fact is that it's not easy to be a landlord or a tenant, especially because landlords and tenants often don't understand the legal rights and responsibilities that apply to them.

Both parties to a landlord/tenant relationship are governed by an extensive body of laws and regulations, defining their legal rights and obligations.

Landlord's Rights in Blue Springs, MO

The most basic right that landlords have is the right to be paid the agreed-upon rent by their tenant. Obviously, renting apartments is how landlords make a living, so they are entitled to collect the rent that the tenant agreed to pay.

Landlords also have a right to be compensated for damage to the building that a tenant causes, either intentionally or negligently. Any damage caused by a tenant, besides reasonable wear and tear, can be billed, and the landlord can deduct from the tenant's security deposit to pay for repairs.

Tenant's Rights in Blue Springs, MO

At the most basic level, tenants have a basic right to what they're paying for: a habitable living environment. Consequently, landlords in Blue Springs, Missouri must ensure that the units they rent to tenants meet some basic standards for human habitation. These requirements vary from state to state, but are often fairly easy to meet. There are no legal criteria that rented units be pretty, particularly spacious, or luxurious. They simply have to be fit for human beings to live in them. To be considered "habitable," rented units must have water, electricity, some form of heating (if the local climate necessitates it), and adequate protection from the elements (proper insulation, no roof leaks, windows that close, etc.).

Tenants also have a right to ensure that the common areas of their apartment building are reasonably safe. Landlords are required to make sure that the common areas of their buildings meet Blue Springs, Missouri's building codes, and that there are no conditions that create unnecessary safety hazards. They are required to make, at their own expense, the proper repairs.

Under federal and Missouri law, tenants are also entitled to protection against discrimination in housing based on race, color, religion, marital status, or gender. Such discrimination can lead to severe civil penalties against the landlord. Landlords additionally cannot discriminate against tenants based on physical disability, and have to make reasonable accommodations for physically disabled tenants. For example, they have to allow disabled tenants to make minor physical alterations to the unit (at the tenant's expense) to make it more accessible. Now, they don't need to allow the tenants to have the building remodeled. We're just talking about things like installing handrails in the bathroom, and similar things. The landlord can, however, require tenants to restore the apartment to its original condition, at the tenant's expense, once the tenant leaves.

Finally, the laws of most states protect tenants from unfair eviction. In general, as long as a tenant is paying rent on time, and is not damaging the unit, they cannot be evicted before the term of the lease expires, unless there is a very good reason to do so (such as excessive noise caused by the tenant, or illegal activities in the apartment).

Can a Blue Springs, Missouri Landlord/Tenant Lawyer Help?

Whether you are a landlord or a tenant, chances are that you want to avoid conflict. But if you do end up in a seemingly irresolvable conflict with the other party, a Blue Springs, Missouri attorney can help you protect your rights.

Talk to a Real Estate Law Attorney now!

Life in Blue Springs

Blue Springs is a Jackson County city that is just outside of Kansas City in the State of Missouri. The city is home to 55,000 residents including celebrities like David Cook from American Idol, rapper Tech N9NE, pro wrestler Ricky Vega, and football player Doug Terry. Blue Springs is popular among families and business professionals because it plays host to many award-winning schools and is an attractive residential community for commuters. Notably, a number of lawyers call Blue Springs home. Those lawyers specialize in a wide range of practice areas and daily take new cases. There are also a number of picturesque parks and free recreational activities.  

Blue Springs was founded by settlers traveling westward who utilized the clean spring water from Little Blue River. The river played an important role in the development of Blue River and powered the Burrus Old Mill, a grist mill, which can still be visited at the city's Burrus Old Mill Park on Woods Chapel Road. When the Chicago and Alton Railroads announced they were constructing a station 1 mile east of the mill in 1878, the city's center relocated to attract more commerce. 

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