| The landlord tenancy act or more correctly the | | | | The landlord is responsible for maintaining in good |
| Uniform Residential Landlord and Tenant Act | | | | order, plumbing, electrical, heating and air |
| (URLTA) is a document that defines the many | | | | conditioning, and anything else supplied by them. |
| rights and obligations of tenants and private | | | | This also includes providing water supplies, and |
| landlords. The landlord tenancy act only applies to | | | | maintaining hot water, and any other things not |
| residential properties it does not govern the letting | | | | supplied by the tenants. |
| of commercial properties. | | | | The exception to this part of the landlord tenancy |
| In article Two of the landlord tenancy act, there | | | | act is that the tenant may take on part of the |
| are several things that private landlords must | | | | private landlord's responsibilities if it is in writing in |
| comply with other than dealing with tenants. While | | | | the rental agreement, entered into in good faith |
| this is by no means all of what is put forth by the | | | | and where the heating and or hot water supply is |
| URLTA, here are three things that private | | | | fully controlled by the tenant. In this case the |
| landlords must comply with. | | | | tenant would have their own agreement with the |
| One of the stipulations regarding the landlord | | | | utility company. |
| tenancy act has to do with security deposits. A | | | | In the landlord tenancy act it says that the |
| landlord cannot charge a security deposit that is | | | | private landlord, upon receipt of payment from |
| more than one month's rent. This means that if | | | | the tenant, has to deliver the unit to the tenant in |
| the rent is $550 a month, all security deposits, | | | | compliance with whatever is written in the rental |
| including any pet deposits cannot be more than | | | | agreement. |
| $550. | | | | This means that when the rent is paid and the |
| Section B states that when tenancy is | | | | rental agreement signed a landlord cannot deny |
| terminated, any security deposit can be applied to | | | | the tenant from occupying the residence. Failure |
| accrued rent or any damages, but any damages | | | | to do so may result in the landlord having to |
| have to be itemized, with a written receipt. Any | | | | forfeit the rent, any security deposits, as well as |
| remainder of the security deposit must be | | | | any other expenses incurred by the tenant while |
| returned within 14 days of the date of | | | | waiting for the unit to become available. |
| termination of the tenancy. | | | | While this may seem to be a strict set of rules |
| Although the URLTA is the base for all state laws | | | | and regulations, the URLTA is set up to protect |
| that apply to private landlords, each state has it's | | | | not just tenants but landlords too. Each state has |
| own laws and requirements, so you need to | | | | its own detailed information and special rules and |
| check the relevant law for the state in which | | | | regulations for these acts. |
| your property is located. | | | | While this may seem very complicated, the |
| Part of the landlord tenancy act has to do with | | | | landlord tenancy act has to be very detailed to |
| the landlord's responsibilities for maintaining the | | | | make sure that all the different aspects of the |
| rental property itself. The first thing is that the | | | | landlord - tenant interactions are covered. A |
| private landlord has to make sure that the | | | | committee holds meetings on a regular basis to |
| property being let complies with all the housing | | | | assess any necessary changes and update the |
| and building codes that are applicable for their area | | | | URLTA. |
| that affect the safety and health of the tenant. | | | | A good private landlord complies with all of these |
| Private landlords are required to to keep the | | | | rules and regulations anyway, but tenants need |
| residence in a habitable and fit condition by making | | | | the protection of the landlord tenancy act in the |
| any and all necessary repairs. If a building owned | | | | cases where private landlords may not be doing |
| by the private landlord has multiple apartments | | | | what they're supposed to. |
| then the private landlord must make sure that | | | | The end result is that private landlords need to |
| any common areas, hallways, lobby, elevator or | | | | know which laws they should be in compliance |
| stairwell are maintained in a safe and clean | | | | with and what that compliance involves. |
| condition. | | | | |