How to Hire a Landlord Tenant Lawyer and Why You Might Need One

Your home is your sanctuary unless you live in an apartment with a bad landlord. There are some apartment annoyances we all have to deal with, like the occasional loud neighbors.

But others aren’t so normal. You shouldn’t take a faulty eviction or refusal to repair your apartment in stride.

Learn when to hire a tenant lawyer and how to do it below.

You’re Being Evicted

Unless you know you’ve done something wrong, like not paid rent in months, you should fight your eviction. Evictions go on your record and they can stop you from getting safe living situations in the future.

An eviction hurts your credit score as well – so you want to do your best to get it reversed. Since you signed a lease, the landlord seems to have more power in this situation. That’s why you need a lawyer.

They can point out any loopholes, confusing language, or inconsistencies in the lease itself and your landlord’s argument.

Your Landlord Won’t Fulfill Their Duties

When you sign a lease for an apartment, there’s usually a clause about maintenance. It’s your duty to report any breaks or issues to the apartment complex, using whatever form they choose – learn more.

But if you report and nothing ever happens, that can put you in danger. There are stories of people in apartment complexes living with toxic mold, no air or heat, and pretty much anything else you can think of.

If your landlord won’t make repairs, it’s time to take them to court. Even if you don’t think it’s that big of a deal – you’re standing up for all the tenants who didn’t have the courage to in the past and you’re solving the problem for tenants in the future.

You’re Injured or Otherwise Damaged

If you’ve taken the necessary steps to alert your landlord to an issue and they don’t respond – that’s one thing. If that happens and it results in you getting hurt or sick – that’s another.

And we mean another type of lawsuit – both are times you should take this person to court.

Landlords have a legal duty to do basic maintenance. Like arranging to de-ice walkways or getting rid of a sickly tree. If they don’t do that, it’s a form of neglect and they need to be held responsible in court.

How to Hire a Landlord Tenant Lawyer

Now that you know when you should hire a lawyer, you need to know how.

Hiring a tenant lawyer is like hiring any other kind. You want to make sure they’re going to represent you well and honestly, and that they have experience arguing cases like yours.

Use a lawyer directory and look at a few of the choices. Read their testimonials and see what their intake process is like.

Many case-basis lawyers will have a free consultation, which you should take them up on. They’ll let you know if you have a case, to begin with.

Wrapping Up

If you don’t stand up for yourself where you live, how are you going to stand up for yourself anywhere else? If you didn’t do anything wrong and they did, they should be held accountable.

Don’t “just deal with it”. At least call a landlord tenant lawyer and get a consultation – you’ll be happy you did.

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