Representing landlords in California for over 20 years. Best practices and news from a CA eviction attorney. No legal advice on X. https://xitter.cf/t.co/PDJRJLxS2l
Santa Clarita, CA
Joined July 2011
- Tweets10.6K
- Following153
- Followers1.7K
- Likes4.3K
David Piotrowski | CA Landlord Eviction Lawyer retweeted
West Hollywood is looking at adding registered multi-partner relationships to its rent stabilization rules. Under the ordinance that was up for first reading on Oct 19, a tenant's registered partner would be treated like a spouse or registered domestic partner under 17.52.010, so that one added occupant couldn't be used to terminate or refuse to renew the tenancy, and the same goes for a registered partner's minor child.
It isn't law yet and still needs a second reading and adoption. Oftentimes owners lean on an extra occupant ground, so if you're in WeHo it's especially worth checking who the person actually is before serving anything.
Ventura County owners and property managers, the local housing authorities want to know the rents you actually charge. Fair Market Rents help determine how much Section 8 assistance is available, and when they lag the market, voucher tenancies are much harder to make work.
Landlord: I just found your unit listed on Airbnb.
Tenant: I'm only renting it out when I travel. I travel frequently for work, and that's why you're seeing it posted online sometimes. I'm a great host and I get great reviews. What's the big deal?
Landlord: Your lease says no subletting without written approval, no short-term rentals, and there's a city law that prohibits such use. Using the property as a STR creates liability for me and is against the rules of the lease that you signed.
Tenant: It's my place while I'm on the lease.
Landlord: This is your one warning. If you continue to list and allow STR, you will be evicted.
Tenant: OK, see you in court. I'll get a free lawyer provided by the city.
Like what you read? Follow @DavidPiotrowski for more of the same. Thanks very much!
Landlord: The tenant stopped paying. I'm shutting off the water until he leaves.
Me: Please don't.
Landlord: It's my building.
Me: It's also illegal to cut off utilities to push a tenant out, and the penalties run daily. File the eviction and let the court do it.
Like what you read? Follow @DavidPiotrowski for more of the same. Thanks very much!
Landlords deserve equal rights under the law.
Not special treatment. Just fairness.
ALT A crowd gathers, holding signs advocating for landlords' rights, with one prominently stating "LANDLORDS NEED EQUAL RIGHTS."
Like what you read? Follow @DavidPiotrowski for more of the same. Thanks very much!
Guest limits and animal clauses in a lease only help if you document each breach. The Encino landlord suing Clavicular alleges more than the 6 allowed guests at an Oct 11 party with fights and law enforcement showing up, plus a horse brought on without written consent.
Some new tenant protection laws sound reasonable on their own. Then you stack twenty of them and the owner is running a charity with a mortgage.
Count your 3-day pay or quit notice right.
In California it excludes Saturdays, Sundays, and court holidays. Serve it Friday, and day one is Monday. It runs out after Wednesday. File Thursday, not before.
File early and you hand the tenant a free win.
In California, in most cases, a landlord has to let a departing tenant know in writing that they can request an initial inspection and be present for it.
Under Civil Code 1950.5(f), it happens no earlier than two weeks before the move-out date, and the landlord gives the tenant an itemized statement of the repairs or cleaning they plan to deduct for. The tenant then has until move-out to fix those items.
Also keep in mind a cleaning deduction is limited to returning the unit to the same level of cleanliness it was in when the tenancy started.
Changing the locks because the tenant is late on rent?
In California that can turn into a claim against you.
Get the judgment first giving you possession. Then the sheriff handles possession. Don't take matters into your own hands.
Here we go again. This one is for landlords in Santa Monica.
Measure RR on the Nov 3 ballot would change nonpayment of rent evictions. UDs would be blocked unless unpaid rent exceeds the HUD Small Area FMR for that unit size, and the 3-day notice would have to state the bedroom count and that threshold.
Los Angeles already has a similar rule and it's being challenged in court.
Do you think a tenant needs to owe a certain amount of past-due rent before a landlord can begin an eviction?
In California, a tenant gets 10 days, not including weekends and holidays, to respond to an eviction. Is this too long?
64%Yes
36%No
44 votes • Final resultsThe call: "I'm selling the building and the tenant needs to be out by closing."
A sale doesn't cancel a tenancy. The buyer steps into the seller's shoes, lease and all. Tell your buyer about the tenant before they find out the hard way.
Tenant: My boyfriend is moving in next month. Can you just add him to the lease?
Landlord: Has he filled out an application?
Tenant: He's been staying here already. Why does he need to apply?
Landlord: Because you need approval before adding an additional occupant. If he's already been staying with you, he's currently an unauthorized occupant. I'll need an application, screening, and a written addendum.
Tenant: You're just trying to cause trouble for me and more paperwork.
Landlord: You have the option of not moving him in.