Common Rights That Every Tenant Should Be Aware Of
Hoping to rent out your house to the best possible tenant is an obvious, but challenging, aim. To get a great tenant, you first need to have a house worth living in. The best of the tenants will raise their voice, if you make obvious blunders. The tenants have rights and they do not have to suffer just because they live on rent. They are paying valuable money to the landlord every month and deserve to be treated with respect. Tenants should be aware that they can even take the legal path, if worse comes to worst and thus, claim their right. Some basic rights every tenant should be aware of are –
* The landlord may not have returned you your security deposit. This could be because you are leaving the apartment earlier than what was decided in the lease agreement. However, if it is stated that you can leave after giving a specified notice period, then you can do so without consequences. Ensure the reason why he is not returning the security deposit. You may have damaged the property or maybe you have not read the terms of the agreement properly. If you are sure that the landlord has no reason for doing so, then you have the right to demand your money back.
* Every tenant deserves to live in a dwelling that is habitable. If the landlord is not making efforts to follow the standard codes and regulations of health, hygiene, security and building, then the tenants have the right to raise their voice and ask the landlord to correct these issues.
* Some repairs are absolutely necessary. For example, if your door does not lock properly, then that is a security problem. However, you must give several written reminders and time to your landlord, before going down the legal road.
* Keep every written and signed note, notice, letter and correspondence in your record, even when things appear rosy. These can help you to gather support for yourself later.
* If there is a health code violation, then take the help of environment or health department to inspect your place.
* The landlord must be honest and tell you about the health or safety hazards and notorious elements in or around the house that he knows about. If this concealment of the facts harms you in any way, then it may become a legal issue, depending on the fact that was concealed and the severity of the harm done. Keep the proof of the hazard’s effect on you, if you can, like a doctor’s receipt, pictures of damage to your house, etc.
* The landlords cannot encroach upon your privacy and must not take your personal belongings in their possession or deliberately make your life harder because you are not paying the rent or any such situation. Even if you are wrong, then the landlord’s behavior does not warrant justification.
The landlords can evict you, if you behave rudely or threaten them. Talk calmly and reasonably with the landlord and try to make him understand your viewpoint before taking an extreme action.
