maintenance – Renters Alliance

Property Maintenance in the Era of COVID: Cleanliness Matters!

April 28, 2020July 31, 2020 Mark Elliot 212 S Reeves, AAGLA, CAA, Carole Hoffman, COVID-19, Essential management, maintenance

Residential rental dwellings must be fit for human habitation and free from ‘dilapidations,’ says California Civil Code section 1941. In part that means “all areas under control of the landlord, kept in every part clean, sanitary, and free from all accumulations of debris, filth, rubbish, garbage, rodents, and vermin.” Not a high bar! But not all landlords live up to that standard and during the COVID-19 pandemic we may see some landlords shirk their responsibility.

Commentary

Clean & Sanitary: The Most Basic Multifamily Maintenance Standard

November 23, 2019November 23, 2019 Mark Elliot 212 Reeves, Essential management, maintenance

The State Civil Code is clear that “clean and sanitary” premises is a responsibility shared by both landlords and tenants. The tenant must keep her reasonably clean, of course, and the landlord, according to the law, must keep the common areas “in every part clean, sanitary, and free from all accumulations of debris, filth, rubbish, garbage, rodents, and vermin.” As many tenants know that is not the case when basic maintenance goes wanting.

Commentary

156 South Reeves: Another Case Study in Neglect and Hazard

October 25, 2019November 23, 2019 Mark Elliot 156 S Reeves, maintenance, neglect, Stephen Copen

Beverly Hills landlord Stephen Copen’s properties are often an object lesson to fellow landlords: When we neglect to repair our residential rental property the inevitable result will be deterioration, decay, and ultimately, a hazard we visit upon our community. That’s the lesson we can all take from 156 South Reeves today. Just take a look at that overhead garage door that fronts on Charleville. It has deteriorated so significantly that it now sags and menaces passersby with exposed, rusty nails. How did it come to this?

Explainer

Grant-Funded Home Repairs for Qualified Tenants

June 23, 2019July 5, 2024 Mark Elliot home handyworker, maintenance

Did you know that the federal Community Development Block grant program provides free home repairs for tenants? It includes mobility enhancements, weather protection, water conservation and other aspects of apartment maintenance that may be long-ignored by the landlord. The only catch: households must income-qualify… and the landlord must agree.

Commentary

Tenants Should Not Depend on a Tarp to Keep Dry

March 10, 2019June 9, 2019 Mark Elliot 153 S Crescent, 205 S Reeves, maintenance, Prinz Family, Reeves Drive, Taft Family

The city has identified two objectives for rent stabilization: to enhance the stability of renting households and to maintain and improve rental housing. But when landlords put profit before maintenance neither objective is accomplished: the property declines and prematurely reaches the end of its useful life. And there is no clearer sign of decline than a tarp on the roof!

Explainer

Exterior Maintenance: Our Code Violation Spotter’s Guide

February 17, 2019February 20, 2025 Mark Elliot 126 N Almont, Community Preservation, maintenance

You are reading this guide because you are probably tired of seeing your apartment building fall into disrepair. Maybe you wondered why an owner would run into the ground his own investment. It is because some Beverly Hills landlords treat their apartment houses like a consumable: they pull out the cash without reinvesting in the maintenance. We have laws against dilapidation. Why doesn’t Beverly Hills enforce them?

Explainer

Repair-and-Deduct: Proceed With Caution!

February 1, 2019June 22, 2019 Mark Elliot maintenance

Tenants are allowed to deduct from the rent the cost of a repair when the landlord won’t make it. Colloquially it’s known as ‘repair-and-deduct’ and the logic is straightforward: the rental agreement says you pay your rent and the landlord maintains the premises. But like so many tenant protections, this one too comes with practical limits. Beware!

Explainer

Winter Rains Bring Water Leaks: What Should You Do?

January 16, 2019January 14, 2023 Mark Elliot maintenance, small claims court

Days of nearly nonstop rain in Southern California are a reminder that big problems like water leaks can strike. But not every landlord is responsive. What if your apartment springs a leak and your landlord is in no hurry to address it? We recap the remedies available to the tenant.

Commentary

When Landlords Put Profit Before Maintenance

December 19, 2017June 9, 2019 Mark Elliot 200 S Reeves, habitability standard, maintenance, Reeves Drive, Stephen Copen

Beverly Hills residents take well-kept properties for granted. High-and-rising values generate resources for maintenance and, in turn, maintenance keeps property values up. But maintenance is not part of the business model for some owners of residential rental property. Instead their priority is cash flow. But scrimping on maintenance not only affects tenants; it also augurs an overall decline in the city’s rental housing stock. Let’s take an example!

Explainer

My Landlord is Asking for an Estoppel. Need I Sign It?

July 16, 2024July 29, 2024 Mark Elliot

An estoppel certificate is a legal document that simply establishes the terms and status of a rental agreement (or lease) for a third party like a prospective buyer. Typically a tenant is asked to complete an estoppel when purchase negotiations advance and that request may come from the current owner or an agent working on behalf of a prospective buyer. It is nothing to fear; it is a standard step in the sale of real property. In any case the lease or rental agreement may require the tenant to complete it. When presented with an estoppel to complete and sign you may have questions. Here is what you need to know.

Explainer