Gotcha! Top 10 Broken Landlord Rules

Some rules are meant to be broken and some rules are not. Landlords vary when it comes to the rules. Some follow it to the “T,” while others decide to stray from the rules. Here is a list of the most common landlord rules that get broken on a regular basis.

Landlord Withholds Deposit

This one is more common than what people think. Almost 50% or more of people withhold a person’s deposit from them. Some landlords withhold the deposit for a month or more. In the contract they are suppose to return the deposit on the day of the person leaving. If this is not done, then they are supposed to mail the deposit to the ex-tenant within 2 weeks.

Just Dropping By

By law, in any lease, landlords are suppose to give a 24 hour notice before doing perimeter and living checks. These are normally done at least once a year. The landlord calls a day before and lets the tenant know what time they will be doing the inspection. The tenant does not have to be home for the landlord to do the inspection. By law if the tenant wants to do an inspection and does not give a 24 hour notice, then the tenant can refuse to let the landlord in.

Landlord Never Fixes Anything

All landlords say they will fix any type of housing problem when it arises. That includes plumbing, outdoor problems, electrical and anything else that arises. However, when the need for something to be fixed comes about the landlord is slow to respond. Sometimes they never give an ounce of attention to the problem. If they are a good landlord they will be attentive and fix the problem as quickly as they can.

It’s Time to Leave

Landlords are supposed to give their tenants a 30 day notice if they decide to evict them. Some landlords tend to break this rule. They normally only give them half a month or sometimes less. It is against the law to do this under some conditions. The normal eviction time that should be given is 30 days, in order for the tenant to find a apartment to live.

Landlords can be sneaky at times. Make sure you know the law, so they can’t take advantage of you.  If you suspect them of taking advantage of you financially, then look at your lease or talk to a lawyer.