Book Title:

Every Tenant’s Legal Guide (Paperback)
by Janet Portman (Author), Marcia Stewart (Author)

Editorial Reviews:

Amazon.com

Anyone who’s ever run afoul of a landlord will appreciate the information contained in Every Tenant’s Legal Guide, a comprehensive handbook of tenants’ rights put out by Nolo Press.

Are you curious about the strange-sounding clause in your lease? What’s the best way to make sure your security deposit is returned when you move out? Janet Portman and Marcia Stewart answer these and countless other questions as they walk readers through each step of renting, from finding an apartment to giving notice. Credit reports, rent control, grace periods for late rent, privacy rights, evictions – the book lists the legal rights and responsibilities of both landlord and tenant in almost every rental situation imaginable.

If you do get into legal difficulties, the state-by-state charts listing key landlord-tenant laws might come in especially handy. But the time to acquire this book is before things come to such a pass. With Every Tenant’s Legal Guidein hand, you just might save yourself a lot of aggravation – and money.

Robert Bruss, nationally syndicated columnist

“This superb book is written primarily for residential tenants, landlords should read it, too.”

Los Angeles Times

“Don’t let any landlord violate your rights. If you are having a problem, do the research.”

Chicago Tribune

“Virtually every book from Nolo can be highly recommended without reservations. This book is no exception.”

Book Description

Every Tenant’s Legal Guide gives you the legal and practical information you need to deal with your landlord and other tenants, and protect your rights when things go wrong. Written in plain English, it shows you how to:

  • inspect a place before you move in
  • negotiate clauses in a lease or rental agreement
  • put roommate relationships on a sound legal footing
  • understand key rules on rent increases, late rent and rent control
  • get needed repairs and maintenance
  • protect your privacy rights
  • fight illegal discrimination
  • handle a difficult landlord
  • deal with toxic mold, lead paint and asbestos
  • break a lease with minimum financial liability
  • get your security deposit back
  • understand and prepare for eviction proceedings, if necessary

Every Tenant’s Legal Guide now features new information on toxic mold and FCC rules establishing tenants’ rights to install satellite dishes and antennas. It includes tear-out forms and state-by-state charts that detail key landlord-tenant laws.

About the Author

Janet Portman, an attorney and Nolo editor, received undergraduate and graduate degrees from Stanford and a law degree from the University of Santa Clara. She is an expert on landlord-tenant law and co-author of Every Landlord’s Legal Guide, Every Tenant’s Legal Guide and Renters’ Rights. As an attorney, she specialized in criminal defense, conducting trials and preparing and arguing appeals before the Court of Appeal and the California Supreme Court. Janet is the editor of several Nolo books, including Legal Research: How to Find and Understand the Law and How to Seal Your Juvenile and Criminal Records.

Marcia Stewart brings her background in writing and editing on consumer issues to her job as a legal editor at Nolo Press. She is an expert on landlord-tenant law, buying and selling houses, and other issues of interest to consumers. She is the co-author of Every Landlord’s Legal Guide, Leases and Rental Agreements and Renters’ Rights, and the editor of Nolo’s LeaseWriter software for landords. Marcia received a Master’s degree in Public Policy from the University of California at Berkeley and has written and edited a wide variety of consumer publications for government agencies and private businesses.