LAW IN AMERICAN SOCIETY APARTMENT LIVING NOTES

Living In An Apartment 1. Tenant’s most important duty: Paying the Rent a. (House) Mortgage: Loan to cover the remainder of house cost after down payment (10% – 20% of purchase price)

2. Rent Control: Limits on how much landlords can raise rents a. Laws passed by city councils, village boards b. Some type of percentage increase 1. Tied to cost of living, inflation, taxes

3. Housing Codes: Set minimum standards for repairs and living conditions a. Courts enforce notion that a Warrant of Habitability is implied in every lease: 1. Landlord promises to provide a place fit for human habitation

What Tenants Can Do When Something Is Wrong Right to Quiet Enjoyment: Right to use and enjoy property without being disturbed a. Most basic right of the Tenant b. Have whether stated in the lease or not c. Must be reasonable; always will be some noise when sharing space

1. Complain to the Landlord a. Tell Verbally first, then write a letter b. Always keep a copy if need to build a case

2. Tenant Organization a. Consult other tenants – Unified Front for better results b. Tenant Organization might consult legal aid

3. Complain to Government Agencies a. Request a Housing Inspection b. Landlord can be fined or loose license to rent

4. Rent Withholding a. States that recognize Warranty of Habitability might give tenant right to withhold rent if landlord won’t make repairs b. AKA a “Rent Strike” c. Very Serious Step: Might Lead to Eviction in Court 1. Always consult a lawyer first

5. Suing the Landlord a. May sue for repairs, or return of paid rent b. Court very costly

6. Moving Out a. Abandonment: Tenant ignores the lease and moves out 1. Might not be justified legally b. Constructive Eviction: tenant can legally break lease because property is so run down & unlivable

Eviction 1. Legal process of removing a tenant from the property a. Can’t just throw you out! Must file a case in court

2. Retaliatory Eviction : Landlord tries to evict tenant(s) who complain / organize a. Illegal in most states

3. Squatter : Person living in a building illegally

Housing Discrimination 1. Real Estate Agents sometimes guilty of Steering: Directing Renters to certain areas because of their race, income, religion etc.

2. Redlining: Bank refusal to give loan / mortgage for home purchase in certain neighborhoods

a. Community Reinvestment Act 1977: Stop lenders from routinely rejecting applications for purchase in low-income / minority neighborhoods

1. Banks can’t expand unless can prove makes loans to fund low- income housing