Explainer

136 S Canon substandard mailboxes
Explainer 

Must the Landlord Provide a Locking Mailbox? Yes!

Mark Elliot , , , , ,

In ambling around the city’s multifamily residential areas we sometimes see the telltale signs of dilapidation. When we peek inside the vestibule we are likely to see mailboxes that are broken and doors that are agape without a functioning lock to secure them. The Postal Service requires locked mailboxes to protect mail recipients from mail theft and identity theft. And that is the responsibility of the landlord. But some landlords overlook the obligation and even refuse to repair mailboxes at a tenant’s request. One tenant’s complaint sent us down the rabbit hole to learn exactly what are the USPS standards for mailboxes — and what we should expect from the landlord that provides it.

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Notice to enter: building inspection
Explainer 

When Can the Landlord Enter My Unit? [Updated]

Mark Elliot

According to state law the landlord can enter your premises during business hours for any lawful purpose so long as the landlord provides proper notice. However this right is often abused by landlords. Indeed concern about unit entry is among the most frequent reasons a tenant contact the alliance. Some less-scrupulous landlords will bully tenants or suggest they can enter for any purpose. Others are simply unaware of when they can lawfully enter. On this topic the law is specific but complicated so we have prepared an explainer to help tenants identify unlawful entry and deny entry when necessary.

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Dayani featured image
Explainer 

Due Diligence: How to Research the Landlord [Updated]

Mark Elliot , , ,

Most tenants won’t need to research the landlord because the relationship is simply business: the tenant writes the check and the landlord provides the housing. But sometimes complications arise and it is useful to know the owner of the property. Not the property management company but the beneficial owner who profits from the enterprise. Here we share some tips on how we do our due diligence using city and state records.

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Sheriff's notice to vacate
Explainer 

Eviction Resources for Renting Households

Mark Elliot

We expect more renting households to come fact-to-face with the eviction process over the next month or two than over the past three years. The Los Angeles County moratorium expired in March. The Beverly Hills moratorium was allowed to expire last May and June 1st rent repayment deadline now looms with no prospect of extension. Households that cannot pay the rent or the rent arrears may find a 3-day pay-or-quit notice posted. Shortly thereafter comes the court summons for unlawful detainer. What’s a tenant to do? Here we present webinars, books and tools to explain the eviction process.

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Appeal of reported rent amount form
Explainer 

Rental Unit Registration: What Does It Mean for Tenants? [Updated]

Mark Elliot

Owners of Beverly Hills rental property which is not exempt from rent stabilization must register each rental unit with the city’s rental unit registry. Registration starts in January. After the registration period closes in spring, a 15-day appeal window opens. The city then sends each rent-stabilized household a ‘notice of rent amount reported by the landlord’ If the reported rent is the amount paid then no action is required; an incorrect rent amount should be corrected through an appeal. But this is also an opportunity to see if the paid rent is the lawful rent. Here’s what you need to know.

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Explainer 

History of the Beverly Hills Rent Subsidy

Mark Elliot , , ,

Beverly Hills approved a $1M rent subsidy to tenants in the first year of the pandemic to provide up to $1,000 per month for a maximum of three months to an eligible rent-stabilized household. Restrictions on eligibility meant that only one hundred households saw rent relief. Council then proposed a second round subsidy to disburse the balance of program funds but could not come to agreement on a framework for the subsidy or eligibility criteria. That was nearly a year ago and in the meanwhile tenants have asked, What happened to the rent subsidy? We went back in time to document exactly where this program went off the rails.

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Permit-by-plate update January 24, 2023 Tomlinson and Maycock
Explainer 

Permit-By-Plate Preferential Parking: The Good, Bad and the Ugly

Mark Elliot ,

Since December Beverly Hills residents have been on notice that the city is changing-up the residential permit parking program. Gone is the simple application to the transportation division and rearview mirror hangtag. Now the application is online through a cumbersome third-party website. Starting in April, permits and exemptions will be validated primarily by license plate through BHPD. The city promises greater efficiency but the public pays a price in convenience — and in privacy. Let’s look at the good, the bad and the ugly.

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ADU illustration
Explainer 

Accessory Dwelling Units Coming to Multifamily Near You!

Mark Elliot

In recent years the state legislature has taken unprecedented steps to encourage the production of new ‘infill’ housing. Multifamily owners are favored with big incentives to redevelop their property to greater heights. Permitting is streamlined. Local zoning regulations and parking requirements are preempted. It seems like no opportunity was missed to shoehorn new dwellings wherever they may fit. Coming soon to your property: one or more accessory dwelling units carved out of common spaces like the garage, laundry, recreation room or management office. Low construction costs and high rents make it a no-brainer for the landlord. What does it mean for tenants?

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rent is rising graphic
Explainer 

Pass-Throughs and Surcharges: What You Need to Know

Mark Elliot

City of Beverly Hills allows the landlord to pass-through to tenants certain costs of doing business such as refuse collection and alley maintenance. And if the city hits the landlord with a penalty using too much water then the landlord can pass along 90% of that expense too. Longtime tenants may also pay for the landlord’s new roof, a paint job and even seismic retrofit because those capital expenses can be passed-through. Let us explain!

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tenant kicked-out
Explainer 

County Moratorium Continues No-Fault Eviction Protection (Except for Landlord Use)

Mark Elliot ,

Beverly Hills rent-stabilized households lost an important eviction protection when the moratorium expired: starting June 1st a tenancy could be terminated for redevelopment, remodeling, condo conversion, or any reason enumerated in the Beverly Hills rent stabilization ordinance. Households that rent a single-family home or condominium in Beverly Hills have it worse: they can be evicted for any reason or no reason at all with only 60 days notice. These households generally have no protection under local or state law. However the Los Angeles County moratorium does put such no-fault evictions on hold through December of 2022 although with one caveat: landlords can still move-in a relative. Let’s take a closer look at the county moratorium protection.

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Conditions in the 200 block alley between Reeves and Crescent
Explainer 

How Much Can My Landlord Bill Me for Trash Pickup? [Updated]

Mark Elliot

City of Beverly Hills allows residential multifamily landlords to pass through to tenants the bimonthly cost of refuse collection and alley maintenance charged by the city. As of fiscal year 2022-23 those costs can add $40.36 to the monthly rent if passed-through by the landlord. And the landlord can pass it through unless the rental agreement explicitly says that the landlord will pay for refuse. While some tenants already pay for refuse, many more will be surprised to learn that an unexpected $40 can be added to the rent for a basic service like trash collection that should come with the housing.

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