Landlord and Tenant Lawyers in Belmont

Find the right Tenant attorney in Belmont, CA

Tenant Law in California

The relationship between a landlord and tenant in Belmont, California can occasionally be a touchy one. Landlords and tenants are not always clear on their respective rights and obligations.

Tenants and landlords have various legal rights and responsibilities. In general, these rights don't conflict with one another, as long as both parties are clear about what they are, and act accordingly.

Landlord's Rights in Belmont, CA

Landlords are, of course, entitled to collect rent from their tenants. If a tenant fails to pay the agreed-upon rent, the landlord is usually able to evict the tenant without too much trouble, though the process can sometimes get fairly complicated.

Landlords also have a right to be free from damage to the rented unit. Tenants are expected not to damage their dwellings, intentionally or negligently. Landlords can deduct the cost of repairs from the tenant's security deposit. In general, tenants are not accountable for damage resulting from ordinary wear and tear.

Tenant's Rights in Belmont, CA

The most basic right of a tenant is the right to a living space that's fit for human habitation. This is, after all, what they're paying the landlord to present. Landlords in Belmont, California are under a legal duty to make sure that their apartments are habitable. There are various factors that are considered in deciding if an unit is habitable or not, but, generally, an unit will not be deemed habitable if it lacks any of the following: running water, electricity, heat, and protection from the elements (such as proper insulation, and windows that close).

In addition to habitable living spaces, tenants also have a right to reasonably safe common areas. Common areas contain lobbies, hallways, and stairwells - essentially anything that everyone living in an apartment complex has access to. These common areas must fulfill the building standards of Belmont, California, and must not contain any unnecessary safety hazards.

Under the laws of California, and the United States, discrimination in housing on the basis of race, religion, or gender is strictly prohibited. Additionally, under the Americans with Disabilities Act, landlords must not discriminate against renters on the basis of any physical disability. They also have to authorize the renter to make reasonable modifications to their apartment, to make it more accessible. Generally, landlords are only required to allow relatively minor and reversible modifications, and tenants cannot compel them to remodel the building, for example. Also, once the tenant leaves, the landlord can bill the tenant for the costs of restoring the apartment to its original condition.

Lastly, tenants are legally protected from arbitrary eviction. Landlords typically must have a very good reason to evict a tenant before the lease agreement reaches the end of its term (at this point, they are of course allowed to decline to renew the lease). Of course, if the tenant breaches the lease agreement (such as by failing to pay rent, damaging the property, or violating other reasonable rules the landlord has put in the lease), the landlord, like a party to any other contract, is free to terminate the agreement and evict the breaching tenant.

Can a Belmont, California Landlord/Tenant Lawyer Help?

Landlords and tenants almost always prefer to prevent conflict. In a perfect world, tenants would pay rent on time, and landlords would always provide the services that they're being paid for. As we know, the world isn't perfect. When situations demonstrate the world's imperfection, a Belmont, California real estate attorney can help, whether you're a landlord or a tenant.

Talk to a Real Estate Law Attorney now!

Life in Belmont

Belmont, California is a city in San Mateo County, in the southern portion of the San Francisco Bay Area. It currently has a population of about 25,000 people.

Belmont is known for having one of the most restrictive set of anti-smoking laws in the U.S. In Belmont, smoking is prohibited in all public parks, all workplaces, and all multistory apartment buildings. The law largely owes its existence to lobbying by a group of retirees who were concerned over the health effects of secondhand smoke drifting into their retirement community from outside. While the law is not particularly popular among smokers, non-smokers and public health organizations are overwhelmingly in favor of it.

Because this law imposes new regulations on landlords and business-owners, the lawyers of Belmont, California sometimes have to advise those parties about complying with the law, providing them with a good amount of business.

So, if you live in Belmont, California and are in need of a lawyer, you're in luck. There are plenty of successful and experienced Belmont, California attorneys who can help you with almost any legal issue.

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