Landlords vs. Tenants: Who’s Responsible?

After coming home from the hairstylist, Sam excitedly rushed into the bathroom to check out her new look!

Suddenly Sam slips on a puddle of water on the bathroom floor, falls and hurts her ankle.

“Darn it! I told my landlord about this sink leak last week!” yelled Sam.

Sam wants to insist that her landlord pay all of her medical bills related to her fall in the bathroom.

Who is responsible?

The Landlord!

Landlord Responsibility #1:

Make repairs in a reasonable amount of

time.

Bill was on vacation in Disney World from April 27-May 6.

Ecstatic from all the fun he had from his visit from the happiest place on Earth, he became instantly unhappy when he saw a notice on his apartment door.

“What?? I am being charged an extra month’s rent because I didn’t pay rent on May 1! But what was I supposed to do? I was in Florida when it was due!” Bill exclaimed in anger.

Who is responsible? The Tenant!

Tenant Responsibility #1:

Pay Your Rent On Time

Sarah has moved out of her apartment. Her landlord is now conducting the move out inspection in Sarah’s apartment and notices that Sarah’s kitchen cabinets are covered in grease.

It looks like they haven’t been cleaned in months! Sarah also left many holes in the walls left behind from pictures she had hung.

Sarah is being charge a fee for the mess.

Should Sarah be charged? Who is responsible?The Tenant!

Tenant Responsibility #2:

Take good care of the property.

Amy has been having horrible headaches ever since she moved into her apartment.

One evening, while working in the kitchen, she noticed everything in her utensil drawer covered in black mold.

Disgusted, Amy inspects the kitchen and finds TONS of mold under the counters and under the sink!

Amy refuses to use her kitchen until her landlord replaces the cabinets and finds the source of the mold. Besides being unsanitary, Amy believes this might be the reason for all of her headaches!

Who is responsible? The Landlord!

Landlord Responsibility #2:

Keep the premises safe and sanitary.

Milton noticed a hole in the bedroom wall when he moved in.

It looks like the door was pushed too hard when it was opened, and the door knob left a hole in the wall.

The hole doesn’t bother Milton, so he just ignores it.

Months later, when Milton has moved out, he is charged a fee for the hole in the wall.

Milton is mad. He should not be charged for something he didn’t do.

Who is responsible?

The Tenant!

Tenant Responsibility #3:

Tell the landlord if repairs need to be made.

Erin loves to decorate. When she moved into her new apartment, she spent no expense making her apartment look like something out of Better Homes & Gardens magazine.

She painted the walls, put wallpaper on the walls in the dining room, changed the light fixtures and even attached crown moulding to the ceiling, in every room!

When Erin moved out, she repainted the walls, and left.

Her landlord is charging her fees for wallpaper and crown moulding removal.

Who is responsible?The Tenant!

Tenant Responsibility #4:

Do not make changes to the property that the landlord must fix

later.

Cole is home from work, sick with the flu.

After sleeping the morning away, he wakes up to try to eat something. As he walks in to the kitchen, wearing his Transformer’s footie pajamas, he literally trips over his landlord working on the kitchen’s leaky pipes that Cole had informed him of last week.

Cole is mad that his landlord is in his apartment. (And slightly embarrassed that his landlord now knows he wears footie pajamas..)

Is Cole allowed to be upset? Who is responsible?

The Landlord!

Landlord Responsibility #3:

Enter the premises only on agreed-upon times.

Mike and Rachel have moved out at the end of their lease term. They left the apartment in perfect condition.

They always paid their rent on time, notified the landlord of all repairs that needed to be done, and made their own repairs when they moved out.

A month has gone by and they have not received their security deposit from their landlord.

Who is responsible?

The Landlord!

Landlord Responsibility #4:

Fulfill all terms of the lease agreement.

Bert and Ernie are best friends. They decide to move in to an apartment and be roommates.

After Bert stole Ernie’s girlfriend, Ernie kicked Bert out of the apartment.

Ernie’s landlord is now making Ernie pay all of the rent.

Ernie doesn’t think that’s fair.

Who is responsible? The Tenant!

Tenant Responsibility #5:

Be prepared to pay all of the rent if your roommate moves

out.

Veronica just adopted a stray kitten she found in the parking lot. She named it Mr. Bigglesworth and has been feeding it Meow Mix.

When the maintenance man came to fix her dishwasher, he noticed Mr. Bigglesworth sleeping on the couch.

Veronica is in trouble. If Veronica doesn’t pay the pet fee, her landlord will evict her.

Can her landlord do that?Who is responsible?

The Tenant!

Tenant Responsibility #6:

Fulfill all terms of the lease agreement.

your responsibility as a tenant

• Pay your rent on time.

• Take good care of the property.

• Tell the landlord if repairs are needed.

• Tell the landlord if you plan to leave at the end of the lease.

• Tell the landlord if you plan to leave before your lease is up.(If your landlord can’t find new tenants, you may be requiredto keep paying rent until your lease is up.)

• Pay for any damage to the walls, floors or furniture.

• Don’t make changes that the landlord must fix later.

• Be prepared to pay all the rent if your roommates move out.

• Fulfill all terms of the lease agreement.

Teens 2 – Lesson 5 - Slide 5-2c

your landlord’s responsibilities

• Make repairs in a reasonable amount of time.

• Keep the premises safe and sanitary.

• Enter the apartment only at agreed-upon times.

• Collect rent.

• Fulfill all terms of the lease agreement.

Teens 2 – Lesson 5 - Slide 5-2e

•Tenant

•Landlord

•Lease

•Term

•Rent

•Premises

•Default

•Negligent conduct Teens 2 – Lesson 5 - Slide 5-2

a lease agreement

1. Parties/Premises:This Lease is made this 27th of August, 2004, by and between Alice Chan (herein referred to as “Landlord”) and Don Baker (herein referred to as “Tenant”). Landlord hereby leases to Tenant certain real property situated in the City of San Francisco, State of California, commonly known as 123 Main Street and described as Two Bedroom Apartment (hereinafter called the “Premises”).

2. Term:The term of this Lease shall be for one year commencing on September 1, 2004, and ending on August 31, 2005.

3. Rent:Tenant shall pay to Landlord as rent for the Premises the sum of $850.00 dollars per month, on the first day of each month. Rent shall be payable without notice or demand at the address as the Landlord may designate to Tenant in writing.

4. Utilities:Tenant shall make all arrangements and pay for all gas, heat, light, power, telephone, and other utility services supplied to the Premises and for all connection charges.

Teens 2 – Lesson 5 - Slide 5-2a

a lease agreement

5. Hold Harmless:Tenant shall hold Landlord harmless from and against any and all claims arising

from Tenant’s use or occupancy of the Premises. Except for Landlord’s willful or grossly negligent conduct, Tenant hereby assumes all risk of damage to property or injury to persons in or about the Premises.

6. Default:If Tenant shall default and breach any covenant or provision of the Lease, then the

Landlord, after giving the proper notice required by law, may re-enter the Premises and remove any property and any and all persons therefrom.

7. Holding Over:If Tenant, with the Landlord’s consent, remains in possession of the Premises after

expiration of this Lease, such possession shall be a tenancy from month-to-month at a rental in the amount of the last month’s rent. Tenant must notify Landlord in writing at least thirty days prior to evacuating the Premises. All other provisions remain the same.

Teens 2 – Lesson 5 - Slide 5-2b

sample notification letter

John Scott1015 Stone Hill Road, Apt. BBoone, NC XXXXX

November 28, 2004Mr. Henry Moss1011 Stone Hill RoadBoone, NC XXXXX

Dear Mr. Moss:I’ve been a tenant in one of your apartments for the past nine months. I was suddenly laid off from

my construction job yesterday. Without my regular income, I’m unable to pay monthly rent. My lease ends in three months.

Please accept this 30-day notice for me to move out of the Stone Hill Apartments at the end of December. I will keep the apartment neat and ready for you to show new tenants.

Please answer this letter in writing so I know you received it. I’ve really enjoyed living here and apologize for any inconvenience to you.

Sincerely,John Scott

Teens 2 – Lesson 5 - Slide 5-2d