Landlord and Tenant Lawyers in Provo

Find the right Tenant attorney in Provo, UT

Tenant Law in Utah

In Provo, Utah, relationships between tenants and landlords can occasionally become strained.

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

Landlord's Rights in Provo, UT

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 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 responsible for damage resulting from ordinary wear and tear.

Tenant's Rights in Provo, UT

At the most basic level, tenants have a basic right to what they're paying for: a habitable living environment. Consequently, landlords in Provo, Utah 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.).

Moreover, tenants are entitled to common areas that are reasonable safe and sanitary. The common areas of an apartment building would contain lobbies, laundry rooms, stairwells, hallways, and fire escapes (essentially, any part of the building which all of the tenants can access). In Provo, Utah, these areas must be kept reasonably clean and safe.

Under the laws of Utah, and the United States, discrimination in housing on the basis of race, religion, or gender is strictly prohibited. Moreover, under the Americans with Disabilities Act, landlords must not discriminate against renters on the basis of any physical disability. They also have to permit 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 usually 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 Provo, Utah 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 cases demonstrate the world's imperfection, a Provo, Utah real estate attorney can help, whether you're a landlord or a tenant.

Talk to a Real Estate Law Attorney now!

Life in Provo

Provo is the seat of Utah County and third largest city in Utah. With 119,000 Utah residents, Provo is popular Salt Lake City professionals and winter vacation homes alike. Brigham Young University, the largest Missionary Training Center for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, and the 2002 Winter Olympics' Peak Ice Arena are all located in Provo bringing a distinctly unique mix of people to the area. Provo is the second largest metropolitan area in Utah next to its close neighbor Salt Lake City that is just 43 miles North. Provo is also the seat of Utah County meaning it plays host to a number of different facilities such as the Utah County Courthouse. Many Utah lawyers call Provo home because it's home to so many courts and near to Salt Lake City. Provo lawyers can help you sort out whatever legal question or issue you may possess.

The annual Sundance Film Festival brings lots of people to Provo and showcases some of the best films of the year. Forbes rated Provo in the top 10 places to raise a family. Additionally, the city has been celebrated as one of the best places to retire, an enticing city to live and play, and National Geographic Adventure dubbed Provo a "cultural hub." The Provo City Library at Academy Square has an extensive selection of more than 280,000 media enclosed with the walls of the former Brigham Young Academy. It was built in 1892. The Covey Center for the Arts shows plays, operas, and other performances all year long. For business, the Utah County Convention Center hosts a lot of events like technology conventions and parties.

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