Common Landlord-Tenant Disputes in Westlake Village

The extremely tight housing market is tough on renters. Not only is it hard to find a place to live, but landlords often take advantage of the situation and fail to uphold their obligations.

An attorney at Block LLP can help with common landlord-tenant disputes in Westlake Village. Our landlord-tenant dispute attorneys could offer guidance, advice, and representation when your landlord is trying to force you out or refusing to meet their responsibilities.

Condition of the Premises

Landlords must maintain habitable premises, meaning the unit must meet all applicable health and safety codes. The landlord is also responsible for making necessary repairs promptly. When a landlord does not keep the premises safe or delays necessary repairs that interfere with the tenant’s use or enjoyment of the property, the tenant has several options.

They could make the repairs themselves and then deduct the cost from their rent. Hiring someone to do the work or even withholding rent could be legal responses to a failure to make repairs in some cases.

Sometimes, a landlord objects to the way a tenant uses or keeps the premises. In that case, a landlord’s legal options are to increase a security deposit, amend the lease to address the conduct the landlord wants to correct, or even evict the tenant. A tenant in this common dispute situation should contact a Westlake Village attorney immediately.

Disputes Regarding Rent

Failure to pay rent can lead to eviction. The California Code of Civil Procedure § 1161(2) allows a landlord to serve a tenant with a pay or quit notice when they are just three days late with the rent. Sometimes, tenants experiencing financial hardship can make partial payment arrangements with their landlord, but the landlord is not obligated to accept partial payment.

A dispute over rent sometimes occurs when landlords want to raise the rent. In most cases, a landlord can increase the rent a maximum of 10 percent once each year and must provide tenants adequate written notice of the increase. Westlake Village has an ordinance specific to renting mobile homes. A mobile home tenant having a dispute over rent with their landlord should consult a local attorney.

Lease Violations

Leases set forth the obligations of the landlord and the tenant. Common landlord-tenant disputes arise out of a Westlake Village landlord’s failure to abide by the lease. For example, appliances in the unit might not be in working order or the landlord might not have repainted like they promised.

Landlords sometimes accuse tenants of violating their lease and try to evict them. The alleged violations could be related to noise complaints, the presence of pets, concerns about how the tenant is using the property, or something else. Sometimes, changes in the market mean a landlord could get far more for a unit than they could legally charge an occupying tenant. In that case, unscrupulous landlords might try to evict the tenant to regain possession of the unit.

Landlords also might try to evict a tenant on false grounds, when the real reason is due to the tenant’s race, religion, medical condition, gender expression, or sexual orientation. Housing discrimination is illegal, and a tenant who suspects bias is behind an attempted eviction should contact a legal professional immediately.

Contact a Westlake Village Attorney When Experiencing a Common Landlord-Tenant Dispute

Finding decent housing is difficult to begin with, and the thought of having to find a new place can be frightening. A skilled attorney could stand up for your rights and help you resolve the problem.

You typically have little time to address common landlord-tenant disputes in Westlake Village. Reach out right away for help and guidance.