Having a favorable tenant-landlord relationship is essential for maintaining a comfortable living space. Common grievances can be resolved by sitting down and having a respectful discussion about the issue, and finding a mutually beneficial solution. If you are trying to resolve an issue with your landlord and refuse to cooperate, consider taking legal action against him or her in case the following seven circumstances arise.
1. If Your Landlord Intrudes on Your Privacy
The most common reason why tenants use to take legal action against a landlord is an invasion of privacy. A landlord may enter your home without permission or spy on activities unrelated to them. These things lead to a violation of privacy rights that affect every person’s life!
2. In Case of an Injury While on the Premises
In many cases, landlords fail to provide safe living conditions. But when they do cause harm to a tenant, they refuse to pay compensation for medical expenses and damages caused to the property. It is important to note that the lease agreement should specify any risk of damage and injuries that could happen within the premises since it affects the whole community. All the injured parties should file a suit to receive fair compensation.
3. Unlawful Eviction
If a tenant has been evicted from the premises illegally, then he or she should take legal action. An illegal eviction occurs if the landlord doesn’t give the required notice before evicting the tenant. This type of eviction can also happen if there isn’t enough money to cover the rent. In such a situation, the landlord must re-let the unit at no cost to the tenant. Failure to make restitution after an eviction due to nonpayment of rent can result in criminal charges being filed by the tenant.
4. Violation of Security Deposit
Many landlords fail to return a part of the security deposit given along with the first month’s rent. In this way, the tenant loses his entire security deposit. Therefore, it would be better to keep a record of all the security deposits paid to avoid losing them in the future. Since all these issues cannot be solved amicably, residents should seek legal assistance right away.
5. Rent Increase
Most people agree upon the fact that rent increases are justified, but some landlords overstep their boundaries by increasing rent unexpectedly or unreasonably. A simple phone call can help you sort out this matter. You can also report the unreasonable behavior to the government, which will help you end the dispute.
6. Repairs & Maintenance Issues
Many renters complain about repair problems. They feel uncomfortable using the place because of leaky pipes, broken toilets, etc. So, they request repairs, but the landlord delays fixing the problem. Therefore, they take legal advice and file the complaint. The law protects the tenants from substandard maintenance. It entitles the tenants to get free repairs if anything goes wrong with the rental unit. For example, if there is a leaky faucet, the landlord must fix it immediately or else face harsh penalties.
7. Discrimination
Discrimination occurs mainly due to ethnic or religious background. For instance, a landlord may refuse to rent out his premises to a certain race or religion. However, discrimination is prohibited under the USA Civil Rights Act (1964), which forbids discrimination of any kind based on race, color, national origin, sex, age, disability, or veteran status. It further states that anyone who discriminates on any of the above grounds shall lose his license to conduct business. This law makes sure that everyone gets equal treatment regardless of ethnicity, gender, sexual orientation, among others.
