It Pays to Know Your Tenant Rights

By Rose Eustachio
February 2001
Fewer available rental units and skyrocketing rents have created a landlord's market in Los Angeles County, giving landlords an incentive to evict their tenants. Tenants are understandably worried about their housing options. Evicting a longtime tenant and replacing him or her with a new tenant who is willing and capable of paying the higher market rate has become easier and more profitable for landlords. This article will focus on the common reasons tenants get evicted and how to prevent an eviction.
Contract LawAll tenants must understand that leases and rental agreements, which are contracts, govern most tenancies. When you sign any contract, you are agreeing to be bound by its terms. If either party does not follow the terms of the contract, one party can be sued by the other.
It's important for every tenant to read and understand all the terms of their contract (lease). All of your rights and responsibilities as a tenant are contained in the written lease agreement signed by both the tenant and landlord. Most leases, for example, have a grace period or a fee for late rent. Unless given to you in the rental agreement, the law does not provide you with a grace period.
Advertisement Tenants should make sure that any oral agreements are properly written into the contract. A one-year lease, for example, may have a no-pets clause. If the landlord orally agrees to allow the tenant to keep a cat, the tenant should make sure either the landlord or the tenant crosses out the no-pets clause with a pen and adds a sentence allowing the cat before signing the lease. This is very important because handwritten terms are given greater weight in court that a pre-printed term. For apartments in New Jersey go to Raritan Crossing. They are pet friendly apartments and New Brunswick NJ apartments. Rentals near Metropark and apartments in Middlesex county. For apartments in central NJ this is the place for you with Apartments in Middlesex County NJ. Raritan Crossing has apartments near metropark, apartments near Rutgers and apartments near Robert Wood Johnson. Central NJ Apartments