There is an old saying that tells, “To live in peace and harmony, you need boundaries”. However, when it comes to establishing good boundaries in the rental world, it is imperative to have some solid ones in place with your landlord else risk them showing up uninvited far too often.

Even though rental laws vary from state to state, there are five important aspects that landlords should never ask. They include:

Move Out Immediately

A landlord should know that tenants cannot be expected to leave without proper notification. Even though notice to vacate and rental termination laws vary depending on where one lives, a landlord is required to give one notice that should be anywhere from two weeks to a few months, depending on prevalent circumstances.

The landlord should be aware that informing a tenant to move out immediately is declared as insufficient notice under any state law.

Do Not Plan To Have Children If You Live Here

As per Fair Housing Act, familial status is a protected class. This means a landlord cannot discriminate against a tenant based on whether they have kids or plan to have kids in the future. Landlords are also prohibited by the Fair Housing Act from asking questions like ‘Where do you go to church?’ OR ‘Where is your family originally from?’.

Repair It Yourself

A landlord should never ask a tenant to undertake major repairs on property like repairing a porch or handrails themselves. That is because the tenant may lack the skills to do a proper job and secondly, the landlord’s liability increases exponentially if an unlicensed person is hired to do the work that can result in an injury to the tenant or a guest. 

Further, a landlord is required to complete minor repairs, depending on the tenant’s lease and area tenant laws. In case, the tenant feels he/she lacks the skills to complete the task or the funds to hire a professional to do the job, then he/she can tell the landlord that I lack the skills or the competence to do the work safely or correctly.

Can I Store My Tools In The Garage

As per the laws, the tenant has exclusive control of the premises that are described in the lease. This means that a landlord cannot keep or should try to keep a portion of the tenant’s storage unit or garage or storage space to store tools or other personal items unless specified in the lease agreement.

I Will Stop By When I Want As I Own The Property

A landlord does not have unlimited access to the premises they rent out. What access they have varies from state to state. 

If the landlord attempts to enter the premises to perform maintenance or conduct legitimate inspections, then such random check-ins are not allowed. Further, the lease agreement may have guidelines on when it is acceptable for the landlord to access the tenant’s property, including how much notice they should be giving.

The bottom line is the landlord may own the property but it is the tenant who is paying the rent and hence has the right to enjoy all of the renter rights and asset them.

Guidance On Health And Safety Inspections

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