Residential Landlords

I offer four services to residential landlords: Rent control counseling, renting tips, dealing with problem tenants (including evicting them), and representing landlords in lawsuits.

Rent Control Counseling: Los Angeles, Santa Monica, Beverly Hills and West Hollywood  and many other cities each have their own rent control laws. Los Angeles County and the State of California also have rent control laws. Each law regulates rent increases and limits the grounds for evicting tenants, but the details of  the laws differ.

If you’re in the process of buying an apartment building, I can explain the governing rent control law to you so that you can make an informed decision on whether or not to buy in a particular area. If you already own, I can help you craft a strategy to help you maximize rents or remove problem tenants.

Renting Tips: The best way for a landlord to steer clear of problems is to avoid renting to bad tenants, and to have suitable tenants sign a lease that protects all of the landlord’s interests.

I can’t overemphasize that the most common and costly mistake small landlords make is renting to the wrong tenants (and by "wrong," I mean tenants who do not pay the rent, honor the rights of others,  maintain property properly, or appreciate that respect and courtesy  are the best social lubricants . I can give you several simple tips that will help you identify the types of tenants that are likely to not pay their rent or cause other legal or management problems.

Additionally, a landlord  can easily lose the benefits gained by renting to good tenants by using a substandard lease. Although many form leases are good, none deal properly with all of the issues that I’ve encountered in my years as a landlord-tenant lawyer. (One area where most fall short has to do with late fees.) As part of your consultation with me, I’ll advise you on the appropriate lease that best protects all of your interests.

Problem Tenants: If you do have a bad tenant, such as one that’s damaging the property, interfering with other tenants, or not paying rent, I can help you evict him or her. Evictions are costly and take time, even when they go smoothly. This fact makes understanding your rights, renting to good tenants only, and using the best possible lease all the more important.

Litigation: Landlords often have to sue or defend lawsuits involving ex-tenants, vendors and others over money. I have 30 years of experience representing landlords in all types of lawsuits. 

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