Landlord Legal Guide: Leases, Deposits, Entry, Repairs and Evictions

Starting a tenancy

• Housing and landlords

  Landlord Legal Duties Checklist: What New Landlords Must Know

  A checklist of key landlord legal duties: leases, disclosures, deposits, habitability, entry notice, fair housing, evictions and recordkeeping for new landlords.

  3 min read
• Legal documents

  Lease Agreement Guide: What to Include and Check Before Signing

  What a residential lease should contain, the key terms tenants and landlords should read closely and required disclosures.

  4 min read
• Housing and landlords

  Tenant Screening Reports: What Landlords See and How to Fix Errors

  What tenant screening reports contain, your rights under federal credit reporting law, how to get a copy and how to dispute mistakes.

  4 min read
• Legal documents

  Rental Application Form: What Landlords Ask and What They Should Not

  What a rental application typically requires, fair housing limits on questions and how landlords can screen tenants fairly and legally.

  4 min read
• Housing and landlords

  Lease Amendments: How to Change a Lease Without Starting Over

  How to change rent, add a roommate, allow a pet or extend a lease in writing, and why verbal changes cause disputes.

  4 min read
• Housing and landlords

  Short-Term Rental Agreements: What Hosts and Guests Should Put in Writing

  Key terms in a vacation or short-term rental agreement: deposits, cancellations, house rules, damage and local permit rules.

  3 min read

During the lease

• Housing and landlords

  Landlord Checklist for Returning a Security Deposit Correctly

  A landlord's checklist for handling security deposits: move-out inspection, allowable deductions, itemized statements, deadlines, normal wear and tear, penalties for mistakes and records to keep.

  4 min read
• Housing and landlords

  Landlord Entry and Notice to Enter: What Tenants Can Expect

  When a landlord may enter a rental, how much notice is common, emergencies and how to handle repeated entry or privacy complaints.

  4 min read
• Housing and landlords

  Landlord Notice Rules: Entry, Rent Increases and Ending a Tenancy

  When a landlord must give written notice to enter, raise rent or end a tenancy, and why the timing depends on your state and lease.

  4 min read
• Housing and landlords

  Landlord Liability for Tenant and Visitor Injuries: Property Conditions, Repairs and Insurance

  When a landlord can be held liable for injuries on rental property: duty to repair, common areas, security, notice of hazards, defenses, insurance and steps landlords can take to reduce risk.

  3 min read
• Housing and landlords

  Tenant Repairs and Habitability: What Your Landlord Must Fix

  Landlords must keep rentals livable. Learn what habitability covers and the steps to take when repairs are ignored.

  4 min read
• Housing and landlords

  Lease Violation Notices and Cure Periods: What Tenants and Landlords Should Know

  How lease violation notices work, what a cure period is, common violations, how to fix problems, when a landlord can terminate and how to respond.

  3 min read

Nonpayment and eviction

• Housing and landlords

  Nonpaying Tenant: What Landlords Can and Cannot Do Before and During an Eviction

  How landlords should handle late or unpaid rent: late notices, pay-or-quit notices, payment plans, illegal self-help, filing an eviction, court steps, costs and tips to avoid mistakes that delay the case.

  3 min read
• Legal documents

  Eviction Notice Guide: What a Valid Notice Must Contain

  What landlords must include in an eviction notice, common notice types and why using the right form and timing matters.

  4 min read
• Housing and landlords

  How Evictions Work: The Legal Process From Notice to Court

  A landlord must follow legal steps to evict a tenant. Learn the general process and what rights tenants have.

  5 min read
• Housing and landlords

  Cash for Keys and Lease Buyouts: Should You Accept?

  What a landlord buyout offer means, how to negotiate, risks and what to include in a written agreement.

  2 min read
• Legal documents

  Commercial Lease Guide: Key Terms Before You Rent Business Space

  How commercial leases differ from residential leases, common terms such as NNN and personal guarantees, and what to negotiate.

  4 min read
• Housing and landlords

  Commercial Evictions: Notices and Process for Business Tenants

  How commercial eviction differs from residential, typical notice steps, lease default and options for business tenants.

  4 min read

Frequently asked questions