Rental Tenant Rights
Tenants have several responsibilities when renting property, but they're also protected by various rights, including the right to privacy, the right to receive his security deposit back, the right to refuse a rental increase and the right to rent property without being discriminated against. Any landlord who violates these rights can face legal consequences.
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Discrimination Rights
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The rental tenant has the right to equal housing opportunities, which means the landlord cannot deny a tenant because of race, gender, national origin, disability, age, religious beliefs and other personal characteristics. This is known as discrimination, and the Fair Housing Act states that no tenant can be denied housing because of discrimination. Any rental tenant that is discriminated against has the right to file a civil claim against the landlord in a court of law.
Right to Privacy
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A rental tenant has the right to privacy regarding his rental property. In some states, the landlord may not enter the rental property without giving the tenant notice. The standard requirement is 24 hours, but this varies from state to state. However, the landlord is allowed to enter the rental property without notifying the tenant in the case of emergencies, such as fire or cooperation with law enforcement authorities.
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Rental Increases
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Once a rental agreement has been signed, the terms outlined in the agreement are binding. Therefore, the rental fee the landlord and rental tenant have agreed upon cannot be increased without the consent of both parties. When the rental agreement expires, the landlord has the right to increase the rental fee, but the tenant is not obligated to renew the lease.
Security Deposits
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By law, the security deposit of a rental tenant should be returned unless the landlord can provide justifiable reasons for keeping it. Justifiable reasons include any outstanding rent a tenant owes and reimbursement for repairing any damage the tenant caused outside of normal wear and tear. If the landlord keeps the security deposit without a legal reason, the rental tenant has the right to file a civil claim against the landlord.
Eviction Rights
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A renter has the right to dispute an eviction, so the renter may not be forced or locked out of her rental property by the landlord unless a court of law orders it so. The landlord also must give the tenant notice before proceeding with an eviction, and the tenant may have the right to stay in the rental property until he finds a new place to live, depending on the ruling of the judge.
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