A landlord/tenant attorney can help you analyze your situation, determine what your rights are, and make a well-informed decision about how to protect your interests. We've created a list of trusted landlord/tenant attorneys to help you find a lawyer who is the best fit for your situation.
Legal issues related to real estate and the landlord/tenant relationship come in a variety of forms. These often include: 1 Landlord/tenant disputes, such as those related to rental rates, late or unpaid rent, security deposits, disagreements about the habitability of rental property, and other tenant rights and landlord rights issues. 2 Eviction, either seeking to evict a tenant or helping a tenant fight eviction and stay in their home (especially during times where additional tenants' rights/renters' rights are in effect, such as the COVID-19/coronavirus pandemic). 3 Rental agreements and lease agreements, including initial drafting and review of rental contracts, updates to the terms of the lease, and other contract-related matters. 4 Discrimination claims, including those related to housing discrimination on the basis of race, national origin, sex, religion, disability or other classification protected under the federal Fair Housing Act or other state or local ordinances. 5 Commercial real estate matters, from negotiating an initial commercial lease to litigating business disputes related to the lease or other issues. 6 Personal injury claims, if a property is not kept safe and in proper repair and someone is injured as a result. 7 Addressing tangential issues for landlords, including business law and estate planning-related issues such as business succession planning, and protection of rental property assets in a divorce or other family law matter.
On the other hand, a landlord / tenant lawyer also helps landlords who have tenants breaking rules, such as moving out three months early or refusing to pay rent. Tenant eviction laws are very specific, with different rules in each city.
A landlord/tenant lawyer can help you win an eviction lawsuit, steer clear of liability, and collect or return a security deposit. Whether you are a landlord drawing up a lease or a renter trying to get back your security deposit, an attorney can assist in cases of all types, especially those involving illegal discrimination, property damage, ...
Generally speaking, property owners owe a duty of care to ensure that visitors do not get injured while on their property. It even extends in a limited sense to trespassers on the land, especially trespassers that the owner knows to be on the land or trespassers who enter the land frequently.
Trespassing occurs when a person enters another person’s land or real property unlawfully and without their permission. Trespassing can also involve other issues, such as interfering with another’s ability to use their property, or when a person remains on property without permission.
In contrast, property obtained outside of the marriage (i.e. before the marriage) may be considered “separate” property; each spouse usually keeps their own separate property in full when they divorce. Communal property generally does NOT include: 1 Property obtained before marriage; 2 Property given as a gift specifically to only one spouse; 3 Any property obtained after divorce or separation proceedings has already been initiated.
Real property is defined as land, as well as anything that is affixed to, growing on, or built on that plot of land. It therefore includes man-made structures and buildings as well as crops, plants, and even oil, gases, and minerals that may be found under the ground.
Tangible personal property includes items that can be physically handled, like jewelry, clothes, electronics, etc. Intangible property are assets that can’t be handled, like stocks or bank account amounts . So, as you can see, there will be major differences with regard to laws covering real and personal property.
In comparison, real property can be difficult to “divide”. In many instances, it depends largely on whether property (whether real or personal), is considered “community property” or “communal property”. In most states, communal property is defined as property that was acquired while the couple was married.
For instance, state and federal laws often address other types of property like: Intellectual Property: Intellectual property is a type of property that is generally intangible and without physical form, such as songs, names and logos attached to products, inventions, and authored works.
Property disputes can involve just about anyone who has an interest in the real estate in question. For example, most property disputes involve the owner of the property in some way, but they can also involve: Neighbors; Landlords and Tenants; Homeowner Associations (HOAs);
A property dispute is a legal dispute that involves real estate. While it may sound relatively simple, the term “property dispute” covers a wide range of possible disputes over a wide range of property. The property involved could be anything from a vacant lot to a home, deck, condominium, manufactured home, pond, driveway, ...
Sometimes, a dispute can be resolved by just talking to your neighbor and maintaining a good relationship with them. Politeness and respect can go a long way in resolving minor disputes. If it gets to the point where you feel a demand letter is necessary, you can certainly discuss that option with an attorney.
Generally speaking, a “cloud” on title refers to any irregularity or outstanding claim in the chain of title to the property. Usually this means that there is an unresolved claim, a lien, or some other encumbrance on the property that would prevent transfer of ownership from one party to another.
Judicial sale also occurs in partition actions, where co-owners of a property no longer want to be co-owners. In a partition action, the court may order the property sold and the proceeds distributed among the co-owners according to the proportion of their ownership of the property.
Or, for instance, if a neighbor cuts down one of your trees, you may be entitled to monetary damages (like the value of the tree). Quiet title actions are a specific type of lawsuit used to determine legal ownership of a property, and are more common when the chain of title in the public record is incomplete.
An injunction, sometimes referred to as a “cease and desist” order, is a judicial order that requires a person to do or stop doing a specific action. In some cases, the court may use a judicial sale of the property to remedy the situation.
Sometimes, a landlord's failure to maintain the rental property causes damage to your personal property. For example, a landlord's faulty wiring repair job could spark an electrical fire in your living room, damaging your furniture and other belongings.
If you believe your landlord is discriminating against you, you may need a lawyer to stop the illegal actions and help you recover damages for any harm you suffered. One option is to hire a lawyer to sue the landlord in court.
Landlords must follow eviction procedures set forth by state and local law. If your landlord tries to evict you by taking matters into his own hands—for example, by locking you out, canceling your utilities, or even removing your doors, windows, or possessions—consider hiring a lawyer.
If you have renter's insurance, your insurance company will cover the loss and its lawyers will then seek reimbursement from your landlord. If you don't have insurance or have inadequate coverage and the damage to your property is substantial, consider hiring a lawyer to help you obtain reimbursement from your landlord.
If your landlord serves you with a termination notice that you intend to fight, hiring a lawyer can increase your chance of success. Choose a local lawyer that is knowledgeable about landlord-tenant law and has significant experience fighting evictions.
A real estate lawyer can help with negotiation, addressing mortgage fraud, managing foreclosures and bankruptcy, transfers of titles and deeds, property ownership disputes, zoning issues, creating a co-ownership contract for joint purchase of a property, and much more.
In many states (such as Vermont and Maine), you are required to hire a real estate lawyer to handle the closing documents of a home sale. The lawyer may prepare the deed, examine the title, review purchase and sale paperwork, work directly with the lender, and more.
The cost to hire a real estate lawyer depends on your needs. The national average cost for real estate lawyers ranges between $350 and $550, although prices can vary greatly based on the individual case. Many states, such as New York and Georgia, require that a real estate lawyer handle the closing documents when buying or selling a house.
Many states require a real estate attorney to handle sale closing documents. For more complex matters such as a real estate deal gone awry or foreclosure, you’ll want to find an attorney who has successfully handled cases like yours. Look for online reviews of real estate lawyers in your area.