Six Ways to Protect Yourself From a Terrible Landlord
Landlords have been around for a long time — people have been renting homes from others for thousands of years. There are about 10 million individual landlords in the U.S., and if you’re a renter, you know that experiences can vary widely. There are great landlords who make quick repairs, try to keep rents reasonable, and understand that their tenants are people. But there are also terrible landlords who treat their tenants terribly, which can make daily life stressful and unpleasant.
If you’ve focused on the property rather than the person and missed the signs of a bad landlord, you may feel powerless. After all, they may raise your rent, evict you, make the apartment uncomfortable (or uninhabitable), or just be rude and unpleasant in every interaction. But you can fight back and protect yourself by taking some necessary steps.
Know your rights
Most states have some form of ” tenant bill of rights ” that outlines your rights as a tenant. Your first step when dealing with a bad landlord is to find out what those rights are and who is responsible for enforcing them. Many states have a clearly defined housing agency that handles landlord disputes and complaints, but in some cases you’ll need to contact the state attorney general’s office or some other organization.
In fact, it’s a good idea to know this information before you sign a lease. Knowing your rights and the procedure for filing a complaint in advance will give you a sense of security and save you time if you discover your landlord is a bad person when it’s too late to back out.
Set boundaries
Landlord harassment often involves accessing your home without your knowledge or permission. Many landlords either mistakenly believe that because they own the place, they are allowed to enter whenever they want, or they know better and don’t care. Either way, you expect privacy and the right to use your home. Landlord access is usually determined by state law and the lease you signed, so reviewing both documents will give you the details. But landlords are generally required to notify you when they are going to enter a property unless it’s an emergency.
If your landlord is constantly invading your personal space or constantly harassing you in common areas of the property, start by setting clear boundaries. A written notice outlining the access and notice policy and requiring the landlord to only communicate with you via email or in writing is a good start. For added credibility, include specific language in the lease or applicable state laws.
Keep records
Of course, simply telling your landlord that you expect them to respect your privacy and communication preferences is no guarantee that they will honor those wishes. The next important step when dealing with a bad landlord is to start keeping records: Keep copies of all written communications, and start noting the date and time of all interactions, regardless of their tone or outcome. If the time comes when you have to take more formal action, these details and facts will prove very helpful. For example, if you need to prove that your landlord is violating state law regarding apartment access, having a documented timeline of their poor records will strengthen your case.
Since fighting a bad landlord involves having someone who can lock you out of your home, it’s a good idea to keep these records (along with important documents like your lease) in a separate location — or at least copies of them. If you’re improperly locked out of your apartment (like during an illegal eviction attempt ), you’ll still have access to everything you need to fight back.
Set up security
If you suspect your landlord is violating your privacy but they deny it, installing home security cameras is a great way to document their bad behavior. Not only will a doorbell camera with audio record incidents where your landlord enters your home without notice or permission, helping you keep records, but it can also record interactions where your landlord is abusive or aggressive towards you. Cameras installed inside the apartment can also document unwarranted entry and capture any other bad behavior they may engage in while in your home.
One thing to keep in mind is your state’s laws regarding recording people without their knowledge. Some states are “one-party,” allowing this, while others require both parties to know they are being recorded. While recording anything inside your home is almost certainly legal, recording audio from doorbell cameras can be a bit tricky, so be sure to do a little research before setting one up.
Talk to your neighbors
If your landlord is rude, aggressive, or pushy to you, chances are they are doing the same to other tenants in your building. Talking to your neighbors about your experiences can provide a wealth of corroborating information about your landlord’s behavior that can supplement your own records or support a complaint. Addressing your landlord as a group can also be much more effective than confronting them individually.
If your landlord is not impressed by the complaints of all his tenants, you might even consider forming a tenants association . This would allow for coordinated group action against an unreasonable landlord, including the possibility of (perfectly legal) rent strikes and other collective actions designed to force your landlord to comply with the law and behave decently.
File a complaint
If nothing helps, the last resort is to go to court:
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File a complaint. If you have raised your concerns with your landlord and nothing has changed, consider filing a formal complaint with your state housing authority or attorney general. It is usually best to write directly to the landlord and copy the housing authority in the letter—this gives the landlord a chance to respond formally while letting them know that you are aware of your rights and know who to contact about this.
Keep the letter simple – clearly describe the problem, include specific examples with dates and times, and explain the desired outcome. Create a timeline for a response – for example, “If I don’t hear from you within 14 days, I will take further action.” You can find many examples of these letters by searching online if you need a little guidance.
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File a lawsuit. If your landlord is unresponsive or responds worse, you may need to consider filing a lawsuit. Since you are probably not suing for property damage, something like small claims court probably won’t work for you. Your best bet is to contact a lawyer who specializes in landlord-tenant cases (you can find one here ). They can advise you on whether your landlord’s behavior can be pursued in the court system and help you navigate the process.