Top 5 Reasons Tenants Sue Their Landlord

Rental agreements are legally binding contracts, but what happens when landlords don’t hold up their end of the deal? In this video we review the top 5 reasons tenants can use to successfully sue their landlord. A rental agreement is a legal contract between a tenant and a landlord or third-party owner representative. Unfortunately, contracts of this nature can result in all sorts of issues if not executed correctly. But today we are going to focus on 5 major disputes that often arise. These include -

1. Disputes over security deposit funds
2. Breaching a tenant’s right to quiet enjoyment
3. Concerns over safety or livability
4. Landlords not following legal eviction procedures
5. Violating a tenant’s consumer reporting rights

With all of that in mind, we also take a moment to discuss whether or not a court battle is really the necessary action to take. Before taking such a drastic step, it is a good idea for parties to try and work together. Some local jurisdictions offer advice and free resources that can help landlords and tenants resolve issues without leading to a costly court case. We recommend talking to a qualified attorney before moving forward and be sure to try working with the landlord first. Often, that will work out best for everyone involved.

00:52 - 5 Reasons Tenants Sue Their Landlord
01:22 - #1 Security Deposit Disputes
02:02 - How to Avoid Security Deposit Disputes
02:27 - #2 Breaching the Right to Quiet Enjoyment
03:34 - #3 Livability and Safety Concerns
04:30 - #4 Not Following Legal Eviction Procedures
05:24 - #5 Violating Consumer Reporting Rights
06:17 - Bonus Reason to Sue
06:54 - Is Taking Legal Action the Right Choice?
07:13 – What to Consider Before You Sue

One of the best defenses against landlord-tenant disputes is to foster a healthy and professional relationship from the start. For more advice on a variety of issues important to the rental industry subscribe to the Bay Property Management Group channel. Also, don’t forget to hit the notification bell so you never miss out on exclusive content. If you liked this video, please give it a thumbs up or leave a comment down below. Thanks for watching and we will see you on the next video!

[kleakatrah]

YESSS!! Record, document, record, and repeat!!! Even if you won't need to use it a least you have documentation, because God Forbid it's likely that landlord will F up again in some other way!! As soon as I move in and out of a place, I video every tiny thing!! I don't trust any of them or rental management companies especially! Beware!!!

[lovethisone]

What can the residents do when the landlord makes false assumptions about the residents, especially during the lease renewal process? Is this considered normal for the landlord to engage in such cruel and inhumane treatment, as well as unsafe conditions. They expect you to comply 100% without question. But when you are questioning the landlord's ability to do his/her job thoroughly and accurately, they get offended because you are asserting your constitutional rights to the utmost. A former president once said, "If you want to test a man, 's character, give him power.". If a former president said this, and knew what he was talking about, the landlord should have been about the business of serving the residents. Not the other way around. Continue to bring this to public attention. This is necessary.

[hollywood]

Landlord accused us of causing the condensation coming from the air-conditioning unit. And said that our laundry was a fire hazard.

[jenmdawg]

I’m suing a property management company for leasing a residence that has no working heater, chronic leaking, a broken lock on the patio door, latex paint on the floor, fixtures improperly installed and that’s just the habitability part. When I notified them of the issues they gave me a bunch of phone numbers for handymen (none licensed) including the same dude who has been out here twice for the leak/flooding issue . I’m so naive I assumed they would offer to pay for me to stay elsewhere while the issues were addressed - I can’t imagine not doing my job and then asking the customer to do it for me. I’m actually too busy running a small business giving people what they pay for and was a landlord myself until recently.
I called a lawyer and got a new place because their response tells me all I need to know about how they conduct business.

Don’t trip over a dollar to pick up a nickel when it’s comes to property / being cheap gets expensive fast.

[AnitaBonita]

I have a landlord who divided a one-bedroom apartment into 2 units. I am unit A and there's another tenant living next door to me which is Unit B. After living for four years here come to find out that we shared the same circuit breaker box which is in my apartment unit A. All of the sudden unit B has a bad outlet in his kitchen that blows off if used in which blows out the lights in my bathroom that are connected wall to wall. I myself had a bad outlet in my unit in which I took extension cord and connect it to another outlet so I resolved that problem. Unfortunately Unit B refuse to do the same and calls the landlord for repairs. Landlord refuse to repair the problem and threatened to evict both of us, if I don't take responsibility for another tenant's electrical problem and turn on the outlet every time they use it and it goes out. This situation has interrupted my peace in the unit. Every time I use the bathroom weather on the toilet or taking a shower if they use the outlet and it blows out they bang on the wall until I turn it back on 🤦 landlord also wants me to give them access to my apartment if I'm out of the house, or out of town or at work. Landlord wants no part of this problem. I apologize for the long explanation. But is this illegal? #West_Palm_Beach

[aliciaroot]

I live in oklahoma and I thought my landlord l. Was a good guy but 2 days ago. He broke into my rental house druck with somewhere guy. I'm 73 yrs old in a wheel chair and was threatened and told that I was out in 5 days. What?? I called the cops they came in as this asshole did handcuffed him and took him away. When the were questioning him he knew I was watching he turned and flipped me off with both hands. That was really professional if him! Right?? I think he was drunk and mental too. He posted an eviction notice on my door today. Please he's such a looser. I will try to sue him. He broke so many rules on our contract. Good grief

[ryans]

God i don’t know why it so tough to get a landlord to fix something. I got such the run around when I needed the landlord to fix my hardwood flooring from a moisture issue. I showed her the damaged floor and ask can we get a contractor in to cut some these planks and see what’s going on under the floor and weeks went by until anything happened the contractor came said it’s due to moisture cut some the damaged planks and found no wet spots or any moisture he said whatever was there dried up but something got in but hasn’t been there for awhile. So I got the planks replaced with peace’s that were close to matching I didn’t even care if they matched or not I just wanted a good floor again. But man did it take forever like why this didn’t have too take so long to do something

[victoryamartin]

This video has me terrified. I'm not a landlord; I let some homeless friends into my house to give them time to find shelter, but they immediately changed the lock on my guestroom and changed our relationship to adversaries. They won't leave although I asked them to 8 months ago, and they're threatening to sue me for $1 million if I try to evict them. I thought this was preposterous, but after seeing this video, I can believe they are gathering evidence against me over much of these things, including having guests come over without having first obtained their permission. They have me by the short hairs and they are taking full advantage of that. As a homeowner, it is looking to me like this couple is planning to take my fully paid house away from me...legally. This is truly terrifying. I am elderly, disabled, paying all the utilities, not charging any rent, and living on a small Social Security income. If they do this to me, and I now believe they will try, I am SOL, I will be the homeless one and they will have all my assets. 😢 How can this be justifiable?

[joeblc]

Anybody can be a landlord wich is wrong they should get a permit or license by the state to know the rules and regulations according to the laws knowing the tenants rights as priorities. We need to vote to expand our rights.

[katherinehawksdavidson]

I’m being illegal evicted in NC because the office manager send me an illegal rental lease with the wrong dates on it. There is what I’m trying to tell you, The beginning date of rental lease is August 1, 2023 and ended on February 28, 2023. My rent is current and I’m looking into getting legal representation to fight this issue. The eviction notice told me to move out of my residence in two weeks. I received this eviction notification on Saturday, August 19, 2023. I tried to discuss this issues with the landlord’s property management and she refuses to correct her mistake. Just sharing my story.

[Seatonni]

My landlord hasn’t don’t repairs or basic upkeep for the whole 15 year period we’ve lived here. They’ve had neighbors harass us to force an eviction for over a year since 2022- current day. We’ve always paid our rent on time.
They’ve employed neighbors to force an eviction and use emotional distress repeatedly.

They haven’t repaired anything or kept the electricity up to date on current property codes. There’s mold growing on the walls in multiple units and they refuse to fix the problem. They won’t do renovations because they’re refusing to pay for the damage and housing fees during the repairs. Our electricity and heating system is not working properly which is a fire hazard.
They overcharge for the bill which we have paid through out the years of bad electric wiring that is completely outdated.
Our ventilation system doesn’t work at all and is an outdated system that has to be updated and changed to be up to property codes.
They’ve been avoiding repairs for years. When we brought up the mold years ago he told us to clean it and to be thankful. The mold is from the ceiling because of the bad roofing and no slant which means that the water is held onto the roof longer. He doesn’t pay for regular maintenance for the whole building like cleaning gutters, pool maintenance, and laundry room maintenance. Along with that wiring being outdated and not following electrical codes as well.

They’ve done improper logging work which resulted in a tree falling on a neighbors house and continue to do cheap fixes when the trees aren’t able to withstand near a shallow bank due to the creek.

He also used part of the properties for his own personal storage.

He doesn’t keep up with pool maintenance by following city codes and used hose water to fill it which eventually causes health hazards because of the water system he refuses to fix the pool cleaning filtration.

Along with refusing to have heating in the pool ever since we’ve lived here for 15 years and before that.
I would have tried to work it out if they didn’t employ others to harass us all hours of the night and day.

When we moved in they did no remodeling that were up to code standards at all for example sealed windowsills were a code standard even when we moved in. So refusal to do these things is long overdue and I think we have been patient for long enough.
There’s mold growing on the windowsills because they refuse to do those repairs. The windows barely shut.

The walls have no insulation. The bathroom shower is peeling off of the wall. The counter in the kitchen is doing the same because it’s done with patchwork with seal glue. Just overall really cheap fixes. I am still shocked they had the audacity to even rent this.

[LetArtsLive]

Well if you're on HUD you can guarantee you lost your security they'll find a reason there is no normal wear and tear you're supposed to rebuild their house for them if you live there 14 years

[Angela-otes]

My landlord consistently shows up unannounced. I've told her only to come when we've previously scheduled an appointment but she still shows up anyway. This week, she's already come to my apartment twice. (I know it's her because she announces herself.) According to the lease, I'm only obligated to answer the door for inspections, pest control etc. so I stopped answering. She doesn't enter but the knocks/doorbell have certainly woken me up and her visits are becoming more frequent. Can this be considered a breach of "quiet enjoyability" and harassment?

[nicolemurray]

I need to find out how can I sue my landlord without breaking my pocket? Any advice?

[jenniferhendricks]

Where I live in a dorm and my room pours down like a shower. I took pictures and videos. Im thinking about suing or just move out on an emergency leave. Health problems I do have since the three years Ive been here have gotten worse

[LetArtsLive]

There should be lawyers for people on HUD to fight for your rights a lot of people don't know what I know and they're not knowledgeable like me and even if you are you're going to get screwed if you don't have a good lawyer and you're not going to have one

[celticqueen]

2 of these are a perfect example of what I am going through! Ignoring my emails for fixing a deck I fell through. I have been constantly harassed! I mean from day one!! I have been targeted my social media trolled. I need help!!

[michaelwestjr]

Number 3 is definitely a easy win I just don’t know where to start, no installation rotten wood floors squirrel infestation in attic, fault electrical issues no snow removal or ice removal does those problems sound like something the landlord and I can work out ?

[al-banks]

I have yet to find a firm that protects tenants in pennsylvania I've gone through things in the past when I sued with evidence I found out that the landlords attorney calls ahead to the magistrate or judge pay a few bucks and case thrown out its called a(SPECIAL CASE) an say it the merits or failure to state or make a claim if there was a firm or group of lawyers or attorneys I would go back an sue every landlord I ever had a lease with

[LetArtsLive]

They do not have to keep up with the maintenance if you're on HUD where I live in Batavia New York they Overlook things I'm about to be homeless cuz I complained that's the truth the woman at heart will tell you if you don't like it move I got one leg I can't move