Davis Landlord Tenant Lawyers Serving Northern California
- Pakpour Banks LLP is based in Davis, CA, and is proudly serving: Davis, Woodland, Sacramento, West Sacramento, Vacaville, Dixon, Fairfield, Roseville, Elk Grove, and surrounding areas.
- Our team has been successfully representing cases in Yolo County, Sacramento County, Solano County, Placer County, Colusa County, El Dorado County, and Yuba County.
Whether you are a landlord dealing with a tenant violating the lease or a renter whose tenant’s rights are in jeopardy, it is vital to have a Davis landlord tenant attorney with the knowledge and experience to handle your situation.
The attorneys at Pakpour Banks LLP are Davis landlord tenant attorneys. We have experience representing parties with a multitude of issues in commercial and residential landlord-tenant disputes.
Perhaps the greatest mistake either a landlord or tenant can make is representing themselves or taking matters into their own hands when dealing with a lease violation. If you have a question about your lease or about what you can do to deal with a lease violation, contact a Davis landlord tenant lawyer at Pakpour Banks LLP.
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Landlords
California is a tenant-friendly state. There are a number of legal hurdles that can trip up landlords. Here are some of the more common reasons landlords might need legal representation in California:
Ignorance of the Laws
In California, landlords have to contend with state laws and municipal ordinances, as well as federal requirements (in the case of Section 8 housing). These laws lay out the proper procedures for raising rent and processing evictions. They also spell out when it is proper to serve complaints on tenants. The courts are not forgiving to people who have not made the effort to educate themselves on the law. As the saying goes, ignorance of the law is not a defense.
Habitability Issues
Just because a building is not a “slum” does not mean it does not have habitability issues. Sometimes landlords might not even know that certain poor living conditions exist or code violations are present. Tenants also have obligations to keep the property in a clean and sanitary condition.
Injuries on Premises
If a tenant or their guest was injured on your property, you might be facing a personal injury suit. You will need a lawyer to defend you against claims that you were negligent and failed to maintain the property in a safe condition. A lawyer can explore different defenses and mitigate any damages.
Tenants
Tenants do not have to wait for their landlords to act before enforcing their rights. If your landlord has violated your rights, you can take action on your own. You do not have to live in poor conditions. Tenants have many solutions available to them in California and should consult with a legal practitioner as soon as possible.
Wrongful Evictions
An unscrupulous landlord might wrongfully evict a tenant for a multitude of reasons. A common one is to get a new tenant to pay higher rent. Evictions without “just cause” are illegal. If your landlord illegally forced you out of your rental, they could be liable for triple damages, plus attorneys’ fees and costs.
Uninhabitable Units
Landlords in California must maintain their units in a clean, sanitary, and safe condition—something called the warranty of habitability. Breaches of this warranty include a lack of utilities like heat and hot water, unsanitary common areas, and pest infestations.
Toxic Conditions
If your landlord knew of a toxic condition but failed to disclose it, they could be liable for any resulting injuries. This issue also falls under the umbrella of habitability. For example, landlords do not generally have an obligation to remove asbestos in older buildings. However, they must be careful to hire only qualified professionals to perform work on the premises.
If they know there is asbestos, and they do not maintain the area to prevent asbestos exposure—or fail to inform the tenant of the risk—they could be liable. In the case of lead exposure, federal law requires landlords to make certain disclosures about the possibility and risk of lead exposure. Failure to do so could result in the landlord being liable for injuries.
Need legal help? Contact the seasoned California landlord tenant attorneys at the Pakpour Banks LLP now.