The number of lawsuits filed by resident managers this past year did not decrease. If anything, they increased. And I don’t believe this reality will change until plaintiff lawyers stop liking money and apartment owners and management companies more fully understand the complex laws surrounding how to pay resident managers (and appreciate the importance of…
For property owners, turnover is more than a minor inconvenience – it’s a major financial drain. When tenants move out, units often sit vacant for weeks while repairs are made and new renters are found. Costs pile up in cleaning, marketing, leasing fees, and lost rent. Studies show it can take months before a landlord…
As we draw the curtain on what has been a challenging year for rental housing providers, there is no reason to believe that the legal landscape in 2026 will be any friendlier for landlords forced to comply with an already maddening regulatory regime. Unlike in years past, the rental housing community did not have…
Contrary to popular belief, it takes a little more effort to own an investment property than merely collecting rent, paying the mortgage, and pocketing the profit. To make your property habitable for renters, you will need to handle key apartment maintenance activities as soon as you purchase a new property. That’s why we’ve compiled a…
Emotional support animals (ESAs) remain one of the most misunderstood areas of fair housing compliance. While property managers and housing providers often encounter resident concerns about animals, the Fair Housing Act sets clear boundaries. When a resident or student has a verified disability and a legitimate need for an ESA, housing providers must make reasonable…
The apartment industry is facing a complex landscape marked by economic uncertainties, technological disruptions, and evolving regulatory environments across the country. The top four uncertainties facing the rental housing industry are set out in a new in-depth study that shows how operators across the country are navigating them. No. 1 – Expense Levels During the…
A federal complaint accused landlords of violating the Fair Housing Act after denying a tenant’s request to keep two cats and three rats obtained after her psychiatrist recommended emotional support animals. The complaint alleged that the owners denied the request and retaliated against the tenants, when they attempted to exercise their rights under the Fair…
As if there are not enough penalties to dissuade landlords from improper rent hikes, these illegal rent increases may violate California Penal Code Section 496. We have always been proponents of legal rent increases, with the operative term being ‘legal’. Landlords who are overeager and raise rents beyond what is legally allowed, or rent out…
It’s a phrase that housing providers hear far too often: “I’ll sue you!” These words are flung casually by tenants as if they’re a default response to any conflict, big or small. Whether it’s a notice to fix a lease violation, an attempt to collect unpaid rent, or even a simple request to comply with…
Immigration authorities have issued subpoenas demanding that landlords turn over leases, rental applications, forwarding addresses, identification cards and other information on their tenants, according to the Associated Press. Eric Teusink, an Atlanta-area real estate attorney, told the Associated Press that several of his clients recently received subpoenas asking for entire files on tenants. A rental…