Lots of people dream of growing up and buying their own house. That dream isn’t for everyone, though.
There are a ton of benefits that come along with renting your home. You get the freedom to live where you want and move when you want without being tied down, and you don’t have to worry about costly repairs. Renting also comes with specific tenant rights that must be followed by the landlord.
What are your rights as a renter? Read on to find out!
Right to Habitable Conditions
Every person who rents an apartment or home in the United States has a right to have a home with habitable conditions.
This means your home must have clean, running water, including hot water. It should also have heat, and there just be no hazard to your health present like asbestos. If you come across any issues, you have to notify your landlord and give them the opportunity to fix it.
This may not be spelled out in your lease, but courts across the country have found that it is implied. If your landlord has left hazardous conditions inside and outside of your apartment, then you might be thinking about suing landlord for negligence. Talk to an attorney in your area to learn which steps to take.
Quiet Enjoyment
The right to quiet enjoyment is in virtually every lease, whether it’s spelled out or not.
Quiet enjoyment means more than you think it means. In short, it means the renter has the right to enjoy their apartment or home without interference from the landlord. Interference comes in the form of things like frequent inspections, landlord harassment, or even noisy neighbors.
Anything that goes beyond routine issues may be a violation of your right to quiet enjoyment.
The Right to Enforce Your Lease
When most people think about the provisions of their lease, they worry about their landlord trying to boot them for breach. Breach of your lease can work both ways, however.
Your landlord must uphold their end of the bargain. This means they must deliver what they promised in the lease.
For example, if you rent an apartment with a dishwasher, you should expect to be able to use that dishwasher while you live there. If the dishwasher breaks and the landlord refuses to fix it, then they may be considered to be in breach of the lease. Speak to an attorney about this issue to determine what your next steps should be.
Tenant Rights Vary from State-to-State
Tenant rights are an essential part of the relationship between landlord and tenant. If you feel that your rights have been violated by your landlord, then it’s important to start documenting the issue and the steps you have taken to attempt to remediate the situation. You may need to speak to an attorney for legal help to enforce those rights.
There are tons of legal questions that arise with renting and even buying a house. Don’t you wish there was a place to go to get your questions answered? Check out the rest of our blog for tons of great content that’ll help you better understand the law.
