Landlord's Legal Kit For Dummies - Softcover

Griswold, Robert S.

Softcover

ISBN 10: 1118775198 ISBN 13: 9781118775196

Publisher: For Dummies, 2014

Synopsis

The landlord′s essential guide to residential rental law

Landlord′s Legal Kit For Dummies is a comprehensive guide to the laws and legalities of renting property. This one–stop legal reference provides both guidance and the correct forms that help landlords avoid tenant issues, which could lead to legal ramifications. From screening potential tenants to handling your own insurance and taxes, you′ll find expert insight in this easy–to–read style that simplifies complex legal matters into understandable terms. The book includes access to all the needed legal forms in both English and Spanish, and contains current information about applicable codes, ordinances, and policies across the country.

Landlords have a responsibility to provide a safe, fully operational home for their tenants, and oversights can result in major court settlements. As a landlord, you need to know what the law requires of you. You also need to understand your rights, and the actions available to you when the tenant is in the wrong. This resource brings you up to speed, with the most current information about residential rental property law. The book covers privacy rights, domicile laws, paperwork, and more.

• Features up–to–date lease forms and contracts available for download online
• Provides information about applicant screening questionnaires and anti–discrimination policies
• Includes state and local building codes, health ordinances, and landlord–tenant laws
• Instructs you how to handle breach of lease situations and evictions

There′s even guidance on hiring a lawyer to protect your assets, property, and rights. Ignorance of the law is no excuse in court, and it frequently leads to misunderstandings that can hurt your wallet and your reputation. Before you lease another property, get all your ducks in a row with the essential instruction and tools in Landlord′s Legal Kit For Dummies.

About this title

From the Back Cover:

Learn to:

• Understand the rights and responsibilities of residential landlords
• Get up to speed on residential property law
• Grasp tenant rights and avoid legal ramifications from renters

Your go–to guide to residential rental law

Success as a landlord means more than finding residents, collecting rent, and performing repairs and maintenance. Based on expert, hands–on experience, this friendly guide leads you through the legal minefield of owning and managing residential rental properties so you can comply with federal, state, and local laws―and steer clear of costly consequences.

• The keys to success ― get started with the fundamentals, from protecting your legal assets and insuring your new property to hiring―or firing―a property manager
• Take on new residents ― grasp the legal aspects of advertising, set your property’s rents, approve or reject applicants, and compose your lease or rental agreement
• Honor your duties ― maintain habitable housing, minimize injuries, eliminate hazardous environmental conditions, and protect residents and workers from criminal acts
• The Tax Man ― get up to speed on current tax laws, keep track of income and expenses, maximize deductions to minimize taxes, and keep impeccable financial records
• Learn about leases ― find out how to handle cotenancies, sublets, and assignments, as well as ways to terminate leases by legal means

Open the book and find:

• Contracts, forms, and other documents
• How to avoid and protect against claims commonly filed against landlords
• Legal obligations that landlords need to uphold for their residents
• The lowdown on the Fair Housing Act
• Applicant screening questionnaires and antidiscrimination policies
• How to handle breach of lease situations and evictions
• Ways to establish a security deposit policy

About the Author:

Laurence C. Harmon, JD, is the CEO of HARMONLAW LLC, specializing in apartment–related legal and property management consulting.

Robert S. Griswold, MBA, MSBA, is a successful real estate investor and property manager with a large portfolio of residential and commercial rental properties.

About this edition

• Publisher: For Dummies
• Publication date: 2014
• ISBN 10: 1118775198
• ISBN 13: 9781118775196
• Binding: Paperback
• Edition number: 1
• Number of pages: 422