Renters Rights: How did you score?
■ Answers from
quiz on Page 1C
IE. The Landlord/Tenant Act re
quires that a rental unit must be
in good repair. This includes
plumbing facilities, hot and cold
running water, adequate heat,
working electric lights, working
electrical equipment, clean build
ing and grounds and all other fa
cilities properly repaired and
working. It cannot have leaks in
the roof, walls, windows or doors.
2B. A tenant should first write
the landlord a letter stating the
problem he or she has and that it
be repaired within a reasonable
time. The tenant may be able to ne
gotiate with the landlord to do the
repair and adjust the rental pay
ment.
The tenant should be sure to
have everything in writing so that
the issue of rent does not become a
problem later. A tenant may also
consider court action through the
County Small Claims Court if the
landlord refuses to take care of the
problems. A tenant should not
withhold rent without first talking
to an attorney.
3E. The rental unit must include
a working smoke detector, with
working batteries, provided at the
beginning of the tenancy and
working locks for all dwelling en
trance doors. It is the tenant’s re
sponsibility to test the smoke de
tector every six months and to
replace batteries as needed.
4D. The landlord must provide
essential services, which in
clude heat, water and electricity.
The tenant is usually asked to pay
the utility bill. However, rental
agreements vary from landlord to
landlord. If the landlord is going
to pay for some of the utilities, be
sure to have it in writing.
5B. The landlord has 30 days af
ter termination of the rental
agreement and the delivery of pos
session to refund all deposits due.
6 A. If the landlord needs to keep
any of the deposit money to
cover damages, breakage, unpaid
rent, ect., a statement must be for
warded to the tenant within 30
days showing the use of that mon
ey. Money may not be claimed in
this manner by the landlord to
cover ordinary wear and tear by
the tenant. If the tenant and the
landlord disagree on the amount
owed, the tenant may contact an
attorney or make a claim through
Small Claims Court for double the
amount of the deposit.
7 A. A landlord can raise the rent
to any level as often as desired,
providing the tenant receives at
least a 30-day written notice of the
change before it goes into effect.
For a mobile home space or float
ing home the landlord must give
each tenant at least 90 days writ
ten notice of the increase.
8E. Normally, the tenant must be
notified by the landlord or real
estate representative 24 hours in
66
If the landlord needs to keep
any of the deposit money to
cover damages, breakage,
unpaid rent, etc., a statement
must be forwarded to the
tenant.
-55
advance. There are certain excep
tions for the landlord only: then
there is an emergency, then it is
“impracticable to contact the ten
ant,” or if there is a written “agree
ment to the contrary.”
9C. No matter what the tenant
has done to the rental unit or to
the landlord, the tenant cannot be
locked out of the unit or have es
sential services stopped by the
landlord.
A ftE. The fee covers the cost of
III obtaining information on the
applicant as the landlord process
es the application for a rental
agreement. The applicant screen
ing fee may not be greater than the
customary amount charged by
tenant screening services or con
sumer reporting agencies for a
comparable level of screening.
The landlord must provide re
ceipts for the applicant screening
fee, as well as notify the potential
tenant in advance, and in writing,
that there will be such a fee.
H4D.A landlord can give a ten
's I ant a 30-day notice to move
and not state a reason why. If a ten
ant is seven days late in paying
rent, the landlord can give a 72
hour notice to pay or move. If rent
is paid within 72 hours, then the
tenant does not have to move.
A landlord can give a tenant a
24-hour notice to move if the ten
ant has committed an “extremely
outrageous” act. This may include
threatening other tenants, inten
tionally damaging property or in
juring someone.
An act can be proven extremely
outrageous even if it is one that
does not violate a criminal statute.
Source: Senate Democratic Leg
islative Research Landlord/Ten
ant Rights
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