Although a landlord may own a rental property, tenants have unique protections from discrimination, harassment, arbitrary rent increases, and wrongful eviction.

Is it illegal for a landlord to refuse to rent to a tenant?

There’s a federal Fair Housing Law and most states have additional fair housing rules that landlords must follow. It’s illegal for a landlord to refuse to rent to a tenant because of the color of her skin, the religious group she’s affiliated with, or because she has a disability. 1

Can a landlord take a tenant to court?

The landlord would need to convince the court that they would have taken that action (raise the rent, not renewed the lease agreement, etc.) regardless of what the tenant’s actions were.

Can a landlord enter a property without proper notice?

Landlords cannot enter tenanted properties without giving proper notice and cannot end someone’s tenancy before the lease expires. Rent increases are not permitted unless otherwise specified in the lease or by the municipality. The Fair Housing Act prohibits a landlord from discriminating against tenants. Entering Without Proper Notice

Can a rental house be sold with a tenant in residence?

When the rental home is occupied by a renter, there are certain steps and conditions that come into play. It’s known as selling with a tenant in residence, and there are lots of things for landlords to consider before listing the home. Does this mean that selling a rental house with tenants currently living there is impossible?

Can a tenant move out when the property is sold?

Some tenants will assume that they have to move out because you are selling the property. In most cases, that is not the case, and you may not be legally allowed to ask them to move out. If a tenant is in a long-term lease and you are selling during the lease, it may be necessary to find a buyer that will take over the lease.

How many people live in privately rented homes?

And living in a privately rented property may affect whether people on low incomes can get a good deal for other products and services. Since 2002, the number of privately rented homes has doubled to nearly 5 million. Over a fifth of the poorest 10% of households now rent privately.