Tenant Tips
18 articles in this category
How to write a notice to vacate letter (and when to send it)
A notice to vacate letter takes ten minutes to write. Timing it correctly is the hard part. Here is what the letter must say, how much notice your state expects, and how to prove it was delivered.
The Implied Warranty of Habitability: What Your Landlord Must Fix
Almost every rental in the country comes with an unwritten promise that the home will be livable. Here is what the implied warranty of habitability covers, the remedies it gives tenants, and why a lease cannot sign it away.
How to Replace or Remove a Roommate Mid-Lease
One roommate leaving before the lease ends does not end their liability. Here are the three documents that move a name off a joint lease, and who stays on the hook.
Rent Control and Rent Stabilization: Where It Actually Exists
Rent control exists in far fewer places than most people assume, and most states forbid it outright. Here is where local rent regulation is allowed, where it is preempted, and how stabilization differs from control.
Can a Landlord Show Your Rental While You Still Live There?
A for sale sign in the yard does not suspend your tenancy. Here is how notice rules, allowed hours, and permitted purposes limit showings while you are still living in the unit.
Tenant Rights When the Rental Goes Into Foreclosure
When a landlord loses the property to foreclosure, the tenant does not automatically lose the home. A federal law lets most leases survive and guarantees at least 90 days of notice. Here is how it works.
How Much Notice Does a Tenant Have to Give Before Moving Out?
How much notice you owe before moving out depends on your lease type. Here is the difference between month-to-month and fixed-term leases, why written notice matters, and what happens if you leave early.
24 States Let Your Landlord Charge Any Security Deposit They Want
Half the country sets no legal ceiling on security deposits. We reviewed all 50 states and DC to find where the limit exists, where it does not, and what actually protects you when the law will not.
What Quiet Enjoyment Means and Why It Is in Every Lease
The covenant of quiet enjoyment gives every tenant the right to use their home without unreasonable interference. Here is what it covers and how it is enforced.
In 36 States, Your Rent Is Legally Late the Day It Is Due
Most renters assume a grace period is the law. We reviewed all 50 states and DC: only 15 states guarantee one. In the other 36, rent is late the day after it is due unless your lease says otherwise.
What Happens to Your Security Deposit When the Rental Is Sold
When your rental changes owners mid-lease, your deposit does not disappear. Here is how it transfers, what the new owner owes you, and what you should document to protect it.
14 States Owe You Interest on Your Security Deposit, and Most Renters Never Collect It
In 14 states plus DC the law requires your landlord to pay you interest on the deposit they are holding. It is real money, and most tenants walk away without ever asking for it.