Articles of Interest


  • Bedbug problem bites at tenant

  • Sep 2, 2010  |  Janet Portman  |  Real Estate
  • Q: One unit in our fourplex has a bedbug problem. The landlord hired an exterminator, who found a bug in two other units, so he recommends treating the entire building. We're going to have to take time off from work to prepare our apartment,...
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  • Renter liable for fall on stairs?

  • Aug 27, 2010  |  Janet Portman  |  Real Estate
  • Q: I work at home and regularly receive UPS deliveries of material. Last week, the deliveryman slipped on the front stairs, hurting himself. Those stairs have been in bad shape for years, and I've asked for repairs, but to no avail. I imagine that...
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  • Whose credit check counts?

  • Aug 19, 2010  |  Janet Portman  |  Real Estate
  • Q: We're looking for a place to rent in a tight rental market, and have filled out several rental applications. Each of them asks for a credit-check fee, from $25 to $35, which covers the cost to order a credit report. We have our...
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  • Protect deposit from distressed landlord

  • Aug 5, 2010  |  Janet Portman  |  Real Estate
  • Q: We rent a single-family home from an individual who collected two months' rent -- $9,000 -- as a deposit. We've gotten several letters for her from a bank, and last week a representative from the bank arrived with some legal papers for the...
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  • Can landlord tap rent when damages exceed deposit?

  • Jul 30, 2010  |  Janet Portman  |  Real Estate
  • Q: The rental market in my city is tight, and it's common for applicants to offer many months' prepaid rent as an incentive for landlords to rent to them. I accepted six months' rent from a couple who signed a year's lease, then left...
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  • Make sure 'companion animal' request is legit

  • Jul 23, 2010  |  Janet Portman  |  Real Estate
  • Q: One of my tenants has asked for permission to keep a dog as a "companion animal." He gave me a letter from his doctor, but it's so poorly written that I suspect it's fake, even though it's on a letterhead. This guy...
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  • Avoid discrimination in tenant safety rules

  • Jul 8, 2010  |  Janet Portman  |  Real Estate
  • Q: I manage an apartment complex, where we have many families with children. We have large parking lots where kids often ride their bikes. This is an obvious safety hazard, so I've posted a sign saying "Children may not ride bikes in the parking...
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  • Weighing religious freedom vs. rental alterations

  • Jun 24, 2010  |  Janet Portman  |  Real Estate
  • Q: My tenants have asked for permission to place a large, conventional religious symbol on their front door. They'd need to screw it into the wood. My leases prohibit alterations without my consent, and I don't want the door disfigured like this. But they...
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  • Who pays contractor when renter skips out?

  • Jun 17, 2010  |  Janet Portman  |  Real Estate
  • Q: We rent a single-family house to tenants who have been there for several years. We gave them permission to build a new backyard fence and do some landscaping; they agreed to pay for it. The work was done and finished a month...
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  • Creative penalties for late rent stir debate

  • Jun 11, 2010  |  Janet Portman  |  Real Estate
  • Q: I have come up with a way to motivate people to pay their rent on time, and I'm wondering if it's legal. In addition to my late fee, I'd like to say that tenants may not use the laundry facilities or the...
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  • Subtenancy rules curb unethical profits

  • May 27, 2010  |  Janet Portman  |  Real Estate
  • Q: I rent a three-bedroom house to my tenants, a couple. A while ago, they asked if they could sublet two of the bedrooms, and assured me that they would carefully choose the tenants. The subtenants are fine -- but I've just learned that...
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  • Blowing the whistle on harassment

  • May 13, 2010  |  Janet Portman  |  Real Estate
  • Q: I'm feeling increasingly uncomfortable about the dynamics I'm witnessing at my apartment community. The manager is constantly hitting on my neighbor in public settings (like the pool), even to the point of insisting that she accept his "back rubs." She hates it and...
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  • Using Facebook as a screening tool

  • May 7, 2010  |  Janet Portman  |  Real Estate
  • Q: When I screen potential tenants, I talk to their current landlord and their employer, ask for references, and order a credit report. Some of the landlords in town are also regularly looking on the Internet, to see if the applicant blogs, has a...
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  • Is $1,000 late-fee charge illegal?

  • Apr 30, 2010  |  Janet Portman  |  Real Estate
  • Q: Last September, I was unable to pay my rent ($1,000 per month), and incurred a late fee of $100. I paid all of October's rent, and every month's rent from that time onward, but I wasn't able to pay September's rent until...
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  • Putting a price on odor problem

  • Apr 21, 2010  |  Janet Portman  |  Real Estate
  • Q: When our tenants moved out, we inspected their apartment for damage. We discovered that all of the draperies and curtains, as well as the rug, smell strongly of cooking spices (I think it's curry). These tenants must not have used the kitchen fan...
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  • Asset protection for landlords

  • Apr 9, 2010  |  Janet Portman  |  Real Estate
  • Q: My husband and I are going to rent out my parents' home, which I have inherited. How can we best protect our personal assets from lawsuits or other claims that might arise during our landlording business? --Fred and Delia J. A: The best...
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  • Couple ditches lease for military service

  • Mar 25, 2010  |  Janet Portman  |  Real Estate
  • Q: My tenants, John and Alice, an unmarried couple, have just informed me that they are breaking their lease. John joined the military and has been transferred to Texas, and Alice intends to go with him. I know that the law requires me to...
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  • No renters insurance, no brain

  • Mar 4, 2010  |  Janet Portman  |  Real Estate
  • Q: While my son and his girlfriend were visiting us over the holidays, a water main in their apartment burst and flooded their apartment. All of their possessions -- clothes, furniture, everything -- were ruined by the water or the resulting mold. Is the...
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  • Higher risk, higher deposit for tenant?

  • Feb 25, 2010  |  <span class="">Janet Portman</span>  |  Real Estate
  • Q: I teach piano lessons in my rented duplex. When I told my landlord about it, he said OK, but insisted that the presence of my students would increase his exposure to lawsuits. So now he's asking me to pay an additional deposit. Can...
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  • Consumer Reporting Agency Settles FTC Charges

  • Feb 23, 2010  |  Marv Steier  |  TVS News
  • A consumer reporting agency that failed to properly screen prospective customers and, as a result, sold at least 318 credit reports to identity thieves, has agreed to settle Federal Trade Commission charges that it violated federal law. Under the settlement, the company and its...
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  • Unsigned lease affords rights

  • Feb 18, 2010  |  Janet Portman  |  Real Estate
  • Q: I have a tenant whose one-year lease expired last spring. I gave him a new, yearlong lease then, but he never signed it. When I asked him for it, he said he misplaced it. He did pay the new, increased rent, and...
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  • Foreclosure risk: the writing's on the wall

  • Feb 4, 2010  |  Janet Portman  |  Real Estate
  • Q: Our daughter found a notice of default on her front door last week, telling her that foreclosure was imminent. She called the owner, who straightened things out with the bank, but we're really worried that our daughter will eventually be displaced by a...
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  • Landlord goes 'Sherlock' on recycling

  • Jan 28, 2010  |  Janet Portman  |  Real Estate
  • Q: I own and live in a fourplex apartment building, renting out the other three units. I want my property to participate in our city's recycling programs, and have clauses in my leases that obligate tenants to use the recycling containers (including a container...
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  • Despite death, rent must go on

  • Jan 21, 2010  |  Janet Portman  |  Real Estate
  • Q: We're facing a situation that's pretty unbelievable. My mother-in-law passed away in her apartment on the day rent was due. My wife found her that day, and notified management immediately. We cleaned out the apartment within a few days, and were shocked to...
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  • Landlord, the beehive's in your court

  • Jan 14, 2010  |  Janet Portman  |  Real Estate
  • Q: I rent a single-family home. A beehive under the eaves has grown quite large and active, and it makes me nervous every time I pass by. Who is responsible for removing it: me or the owner? --Cynthia C. A: Your question presents two...
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  • Beware of 'stacked' late fees

  • Jan 7, 2010  |  Janet Portman  |  Real Estate
  • Q: My landlord and I are having a dispute over the timeliness of my rent payment several months ago. I gave it to the manager on time; the manager claims he got it a day later, and charged the fee. I refused to...
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  • Challenging a lease termination notice

  • Dec 28, 2009  |  Janet Portman  |  Real Estate
  • Q: Our family has just received a termination notice from the landlord, for bogus reasons. He claims that we're committing criminal acts on the property because my son was in a fight with a neighboring boy. It's true that there was a fight, but...
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  • Foreclosure rights lost in fine print

  • Dec 17, 2009  |  Janet Portman  |  Real Estate
  • Q: The question you recently answered about a long-term tenant surviving the foreclosure of his home (because his lease predated the mortgage) was welcome reading to us, because that is our situation, too. Our landlord hasn't been foreclosed on yet, but it's imminent. Still...
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  • Lifting 'no pets' policy backfires

  • Dec 7, 2009  |  Janet Portman  |  Real Estate
  • Q: Six months into my tenant's one-year lease, which specified "no pets," she got a dog. She assured me it was housebroken, so I said she could keep it. Then I discovered that the dog had urinated all over the carpet. I had...
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  • Tenants take beefs to the tweets

  • Dec 1, 2009  |  Janet Portman  |  Real Estate
  • Q: I live in a large apartment complex near my university. Management is very poor here: they don't respond to repair requests; they close the laundry and pool facilities regularly; and they don't keep the common areas clean. When the tenants have bad experiences,...
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  • Nonrefundable rental deposits stir debate

  • Nov 19, 2009  |  Janet Portman  |  Real Estate
  • Q: We listed our rental on craigslist, which listed key terms, including a provision that the pet and cleaning deposits were nonrefundable. A couple contacted us and visited the rental, and we agreed orally, (and) with a handshake, to lease to them. It was...
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  • A foreclosure protection strategy?

  • Nov 5, 2009  |  Janet Portman  |  Real Estate
  • Q: My landlord, who's been a great guy, told me that he thinks he's probably going to lose the property to foreclosure. My lease runs out in a couple of months, and I was hoping to stay here for at least another year....
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  • Rules for charging 'pet rent'

  • Oct 23, 2009  |  Janet Portman  |  Real Estate
  • Q: I'm interested in a rental that describes the rent in an odd way: First, the advertisement lists the rent, then it adds "pet rent." Is this legal? --Rigoberto R. A: It's perfectly OK for an ad to specify that if a tenant has...
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  • Tenant to take fall for bath damage?

  • Oct 15, 2009  |  Janet Portman  |  Real Estate
  • Q: While on a visit, my tenant's father slipped when getting out of the bathtub. He fell back against the faucet, injuring his back, though fortunately not badly. The tub, however, which is a one-piece fiberglass shower/tub unit, is ruined. Who is responsible for...
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  • Tenant turnover doesn't add up

  • Oct 2, 2009  |  Janet Portman  |  Real Estate
  • Q: We hired a management company to find tenants and collect rent at our rental in a nearby town. Over the past two years we've had four sets of tenants; one broke the lease and we had to file evictions on two of...
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  • Becoming a Successful Landlord

  • Sep 14, 2009  |  Marv Steier  |  TVS News
  • *Introduction* Ken Roth is a second-generation landlord, a real estate attorney and a former leasing agent. He's been letting properties and dealing with the headaches that inevitably result for over 20 years. Test your knowledge of landlord-tenant relations with the SLAT-- The Successful Landlord Aptitude Test,...
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  • Fees target lease-breaking renters

  • Sep 11, 2009  |  Janet Portman  |  Real Estate
  • Q: My tenant of several months moved out, breaking his year's lease with seven months left on it. The lease has a termination-fee clause in which he agreed to pay 1 1/2 month's rent if he moves out early. I took that money...
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  • Negotiating a lease buyout

  • Aug 27, 2009  |  Janet Portman  |  Real Estate
  • Q: One of my tenants would like to get out of his yearlong lease, which has eight months left. I understand that he remains liable for the whole rent until I re-rent the unit, but he's approached me with a different proposition. He wants...
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  • Would-be tenants play 'religion' card

  • Aug 20, 2009  |  Janet Portman  |  Real Estate
  • Q: During an interview with a potential landlord, we were asked some odd questions that, on reflection, seemed designed to find out if we are religious. She asked me where we got married (not just the city, but the site), and how we liked...
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  • Is tenant monkeying with disabilities law?

  • Aug 13, 2009  |  Janet Portman  |  Real Estate
  • Q: My apartment complex specifies "no pets." A tenant has just asked for permission to keep a monkey -- no, she didn't even ask, she announced -- that the monkey would be living with her. She claims she needs it as a service...
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  • Is my landlord 'rent skimming'?

  • Jul 30, 2009  |  Janet Portman  |  Real Estate
  • Q: The property I'm renting was lost in foreclosure in April 2009. The landlord told me he just wasn't able to keep up with the payments, but it sure seems to me that he's been living pretty well recently -- he's got a...
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  • Canceling rental will cost landlord

  • Jul 23, 2009  |  Janet Portman  |  Real Estate
  • Q: I'm in a bit of a bind. I own a unique, lovely duplex (we live upstairs) that I easily rented in our town of few rentals and high demand. I signed a one-year lease with the new tenants, then learned that my...
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  • 'Oddball' move-in fees questioned

  • Jul 16, 2009  |  Janet Portman  |  Real Estate
  • Q: I'm looking to rent at an apartment complex that imposes some oddball fees when tenants move in. In addition to the security deposit, they impose a one-time "initiation fee" (for showing a new tenant around, I guess), a "key fee," and a "lock...
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  • Not all violations warrant eviction

  • Jun 25, 2009  |  Janet Portman  |  Real Estate
  • Q: I have attempted, and failed, to evict a problem tenant. This person constantly demanded repairs, complained about our policies, and bad-mouthed management to other tenants. Finally, he did something that was prohibited in the lease -- he parked in another person's parking place...
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  • Tenant suspects manager of illegal entry

  • Jun 4, 2009  |  Janet Portman  |  Real Estate
  • Q: My sister has lived in a rent-controlled apartment for 16 years. Over the past month there has been evidence that someone has been entering her apartment. Little things are disturbed, such as a picture on the floor that's moved to the computer and...
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  • Hoping for a renters' insurance miracle

  • May 7, 2009  |  Janet Portman  |  Real Estate
  • Q: When my tenants moved out leaving the place a mess, I hired a handyman to do some cleaning and repairs. While doing the work, he fell through the floor, which had become spongy with rot. Apparently, the pipes had been leaking for some...
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  • Who pays when renter skips out?

  • Apr 10, 2009  |  Janet Portman  |  Real Estate
  • Q: I'm the owner of an apartment complex near a large hospital. The hospital regularly brings in traveling nurses, who stay for three months. The nurses work for an agency, and the agency provides housing for each nurse by renting an apartment from me....
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  • Pay-or-quit notice comes with fee

  • Mar 12, 2009  |  Janet Portman  |  Real Estate
  • Q: I understand that I will have to pay a late fee if I pay my rent late. But what about legal fees? I guess my landlord got his lawyer involved in my pay-or-quit notice, because the lawyer sent the notice, but then...
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  • The Fraud Rental Game

  • Mar 1, 2009  |  Marv Steier  |  TVS News
  • Delinquent Tenant habits: what they do   Owning or managing a rental property can be a full time job and a full time headache if your landlord business does not have a fraud prevention program, particularly if you get a tenant that has previously played...
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  • Avoid Tenant Discrimination!

  • Jan 31, 2009  |  Marv Steier  |  TVS News
  • Tenant screening could cost you rental- by Claes Bell (source) *Preface to article: *Read the article and the comments below by Marv Steier The process of finding the perfect rental house or apartment can range from hectic to nearly impossible. But it could be worse: Picture...
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  • Landlords Affected in Tough Economic Times

  • Oct 14, 2008  |  Marv Steier  |  TVS News
  • Tough economic times affect every consumer that includes tenants and it has become quite evident recently with the global financial meltdown that many consumers/tenants have overspent and incurred more debt than they are able to handle financially. So when consumers default on their financial obligation...
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  • Would You Let This Tenant Break the Lease?

  • Sep 30, 2008  |  Marv Steier  |  TVS News
  • *Employer Willing to Buy Out Tenant’s Lease* by Robert Griswold, Inman News *Q*: I have a tenant who recently signed a two-year lease for my rental home. She just contacted me indicating that she has been approached by her employer about transferring to another city...
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  • Avoiding Rental Property Discrimination Complaints

  • Aug 28, 2008  |  Marv Steier  |  TVS News
  • If you're in the rental housing business for long, you'll hear about six-figure or larger legal awards against rental property owners for violating fair-housing laws. Problems often arise when investment property owners are unaware that their policies or practices are discriminatory. Families, children, and folks...
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  • Equifax Credit Bureau requires site inspection for all End Users

  • Jun 1, 2008  |  Marv Steier  |  TVS News
  • On June 1st/2008 new Equifax Policy stipulates that all End Users (Landlords) must have a site inspection of their Office whether home based or not by a Certified Inspector, (generally a Realtor in your area) to determine if the Office, meets the criteria that...
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  • New Nigerian Rental Scam!

  • Mar 19, 2008  |  Marv Steier  |  TVS News
  • It should be noted that this scam is running all over North America and likely Europe and other parts of the world as most Nigerian scams do. People need to be aware of these types of scams. When you read the email from the...
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  • So You Want to Be a Landlord?

  • Dec 28, 2007  |  Marv Steier  |  TVS News
  • By Motley Fool Staff June 5, 2007 So you want to be a landlord? You're not alone. You could be attracted by the idea of having money just roll in from tenants every month. We spoke with a bunch of people who have owned...
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  • Top Ten Legal Mistakes That Can Sink Your Landlord Business

  • Dec 4, 2007  |  Marv Steier  |  TVS News
  • By Janet Portman, managing editor, Nolo *Know the laws in your state before you rent out space*. Being a successful landlord requires lots of practical know-how, business moxie, and familiarity with the market. Until about 30 years ago, the law didn’t have much to...
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  • Reporting tenant pay habits monthly will enhance your landlord business

  • Nov 20, 2007  |  Marv Steier  |  TVS News
  • *Landlords… *now have the opportunity to report tenant pay habits[tenant-pay-habits.php] on a *monthly basis*; this will have a positive impact on reducing rental income loss and reducing the problem of late rent payments. The ability to *report tenant pay habits on a monthly basis* benefits...
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  • Report Tenant Pay Habits

  • Nov 1, 2007  |  Marv Steier  |  TVS News
  • TVS Tenant Verification Service Inc. one of the premier tenant screening services in the Industry has developed a program that allows landlords to report tenant pay habits on a monthly basis. This is important for a number of reasons: Major Credit Bureaus do...
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