DavewassermansfPosted by wasserman Recently, one of our tenants has been complaining that her nose is stuffed up whenever she is in the building and that she believes there is mold. We looked, but did not see any. Still, she believes it is there and is asking us if she can break her lease. What should […]
Posted by wasserman I am renting one unit to my nephew and his girlfriend at a discounted rate. Is it okay to put only my nephew on the lease even though I know his girlfriend will be moving in as well? If they break up, will she be able to stay at the discounted rate […]
Posted by wasserman One of my tenants recently asked me if he could keep a friend’s small dog for a week while the friend is away on vacation. I have a no-pet provision in my lease, but I don’t mind the short-term stay. But, if I allow the tenant to do this, do I waive […]
Posted by wasserman Can you explain the new changes regarding how to deal with abandoned property after the tenant moves out? Landlords have certain obligations to deal with a tenant’s abandoned property if the tenant has vacated or been evicted. Recent changes, supported by CAA, have been made to these laws to make it easier […]
Posted by wasserman My tenant changed the locks on some if not all of the doors of the home that she is renting from me. I understand that I can serve her a notice that she must provide a copy of the keys to those locks to me. If, after serving this notice, she does […]
Posted by wasserman My elderly disabled tenant’s car is leaking oil and I am concerned that someone could slip and fall. I have sent a letter telling the tenant to clean up the oil, but so far she has not done so. What do I do now? Am I liable if someone falls? Once again, […]
Posted by wasserman I have requested that a tenant remove his items from a common area in my building. So far he has not done so, but he has sent his rent for the month. Can I cash the check or will that waive my right to ask him to remove his things from the […]
Posted by wasserman Recently, tenants in my building were displaced because of a fire next door. The original tenant of one unit has notified me that he wants to return when his unit is repaired, at the same rent. The problem is, I don’t know if his two roommates were still living at the building […]
Posted by wasserman You can pay them (right) now or you can pay them (a lot!) later Introduction One of the most important people involved in the success of your property’s performance is the on-site manager (Resident Apartment Manager). This person is often the face of your property in your absence and may even be […]
Posted by wasserman A tenant reported a problem with bedbugs after living in the apartment for three months. Within 24 hours, the property management company responded with the proper treatment. Can a tenant break a lease due to bedbugs even though the owner has properly treated the apartment by a bedbug expert? The bedbug problem […]
Posted by wasserman My lease does not cover move in/move out fees. I found out after I signed a tenant to a new lease that there is this fee by my condo association. Can I recover this when my tenant moves out in a mid-rise new building—i.e., no rent control? The answer is no. It […]
Posted by wasserman I recently gave a tenant notice of an upcoming rent increase. He verbally told me that he has no intention of paying the new amount. What should I do? Service of rent increase notices can create tension. Oftentimes, tenants are unaware that your operating costs continue to rise. In recessions, when people […]
Posted by wasserman I told my tenant that I wanted to raise his rent $100 and he agreed. Then I realized that even with banked rent increases I can only raise it about $30. What should I do? Rescind the unlawful rent increase immediately, and promptly refund any overage to the tenant. The rent law […]
Posted by wasserman Q: My tenant asked me if she could have an extra key to give to her boyfriend. She specified that he would not be living there, but that she would like him to be able to get in occasionally if she is not there. What should I do? For San Francisco rent […]
Posted by wasserman At what point during the eviction process can I change the locks on the apartment doors? After a drawn out eviction trial, there is no better feeling than winning your case and having a judgment granting you possession of your apartment. Sometimes the judgment will also include monetary awards, such as back […]
Posted by wasserman I have a no-pet policy in my building, but recently one of my tenants said he needs a “comfort pet” and had the doctor’s note to back it up. I knew I had to allow him to have it, but now I have another tenant (with her own doctor’s note!) saying that […]