Why You Need A Landlord-Tenant Lawyer If You Own Rental Properties

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When you own rental properties, you must follow all the landlord-tenant laws in your state. Failing to follow these laws can result in financial problems and lawsuits, which you can avoid if you handle things correctly. The best way to avoid these problems is by hiring a landlord-tenant lawyer. Here are four reasons you need to hire one if you own rental properties.

To Learn Your Responsibilities for Repairs and Maintenance

The first reason is to make sure that you know your responsibilities with maintenance and repairs on your buildings. When you rent units to people, you must make sure that they meet certain standards. For example, they must offer running water and heat. If your properties experience problems that cause issues with these things, your tenants could sue you. If you are unsure about what rules you must follow, you can ask a lawyer. Your lawyer will help you know these laws, which can help you follow them easier in the future.

To Help You Create the Right Lease

You might also want to have a landlord-tenant lawyer for help with creating your lease. When you rent units to people, you are the landlord, and they are the tenants. The tenants must sign a lease, which states the rules and consequences for breaking the rules. The lease you ask them to sign must not contain anything that goes against the landlord-tenant laws in your state.

To Handle Evictions

You might encounter times when you need to evict a tenant. When you do, you will need the assistance of a lawyer to handle the eviction properly. Your lawyer can handle the responsibilities related to the evictions you must use to get rid of bad tenants.

To Follow Fair Housing Laws

You should also have a lawyer for help following fair housing laws. Fair housing laws tell you that you cannot discriminate against people for certain features they have, such as their race, color, or sexual orientation. By learning these rules, you can avoid breaking them. If you break them, people can sue you.

If you own rental properties, you might need legal advice from time to time. If you hire a lawyer now, you will have one to call whenever you need advice or have questions about your rental properties. Contact a law firm to learn more about hiring a lawyer that specializes in landlord-tenant laws in the state where you live.


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