Landlord Tenant Law: What Are My Rights as a Tenant?

If you are a tenant, and have ever had a dispute with you landlord, then you know the importance of knowing what your rights as a tenant are beforehand. This article will look at some different issues that can happen between a landlord and tenant, and some of the possible measures that can be taken to resolve these issues.

If you are a tenant applying for an apartment, the government says that you have the right to apply for an apartment without being discriminated against because of your race, gender, color, religion, age, nationality, physical or mental disability or family status. The landlord or person renting the hours is also required to give you written noticed on why your application was rejected in the event that you are ever denied the right to rent a home or apartment.

Before you sign a lease it is recommended that you make sure that you read your lease carefully, paying special attention to the fine print. If possible, have your Attorney look over any documentation before signing. It is never a good idea to sign a lease without taking the time to read over everything very carefully, and there is the remote possibility that if you sign the lease without taking the time to read over everything, you may unintentionally forfeit some of your renter's rights.

Every tenant who enters into a rental agreement is also entitled to the right to privacy in their own home, and in most states, unless it is a matter of emergency, the landlord is not allowed to enter into the premises unannounced. In most cases a minimum of 24 hours notice is required.

You have the right to request repairs. This simply means that your apartment must be in a livable condition. The unit should be free from any safety hazards, and the utilities must be readily available.

If your apartment is ever in need of repair and the landlord fails to respond after you have made a formal request in writing, you have the right to withhold a portion of the rent to make sure that the items in question are properly repaired. After the repairs have been make, simply present the landlord with a copy of the repair bill, along with a copy of your formal complaint, which you delivered to him few day prior. In situations like this you will not have to worry about whether or not you are violating your lease because the landlord is required by law to make any necessary repairs within a timely manner.

If you have no problems during your tenancy and you come to the point were you are ready to move out, for whatever reason, it is important to know the proper procedure for making sure that you receive the full amount back that you paid for a rental deposit.

The easiest way to make sure that you receive all of your money is to do an initial walk-through when you first move into the apartment. The purpose of this walkthrough is to document any damages that were already in the apartment before you gained possession. Pay special attention to the carpet, broken appliances or streaks on the walls. In the event that you do find any damages, be sure to take pictures and keep them in a safe place in a case you ever need to produce them to prove that the damage already existed before you took occupancy of the apartment.