Landlord/Tenant Rights and Responsibilities

Tenant

Signing a lease signifies your commitment to share in the responsibilities of maintaining your rental. Under the Landlord-Tenant Act , you the tenant are required to:

Pay rent, and any agreed upon utilities

Comply with all city, county, and state regulations

Keep the rental unit clean and sanitary

Properly dispose of garbage

Pay for fumigation of infestations you cause

Properly operate plumbing, electrical, and heating systems—watch out for old sewer systems, toilets can get stopped up very easily

Not intentionally or carelessly damage the dwelling

Not engage in or allow any gang-related activity

Not permit “waste” (substantial damage to the property) or “nuisance” (substantial interference with other tenants’ or neighbors' use of their property)

Restore your rental to the same condition as when you moved in, except for normal wear and tear

Think that you’re being burdened with too many responsibilities? Check out what your property owner is responsible for—it’s a much longer list.

Landlord

Under the Landlord-tenant act, the landlord is required to:

Maintain your rental so it does not violate state and local codes in ways which endanger your health and safety

Maintain structural components, such as roofs, floors, and chimneys, in reasonably good repair

Maintain your rental in reasonably weather-tight condition

Provide reasonably adequate locks and keys

Provide the necessary facilities to supply heat, electricity, and hot and cold water

Provide garbage cans and arrange for removal of garbage, except in single family dwellings

Keep common areas, such as lobbies, stairways, and halls, reasonably clean and free from hazards

Control pests before you move in and continue to control infestations in multi-unit rental housing (e.g., apartment buildings), except when the infestation was caused by you. If you live in a single family dwelling, it is the tenants’ responsibility to control pests and infestations

Make repairs to keep your rental in the same condition as when you moved in (except for normal wear and tear)

Keep electrical, plumbing and heating systems in good repair, and maintain any appliances provided with the rental

Inform you of the name and address of the landlord or landlord’s agent

Set water heaters at 120° when you move in

Provide smoke detectors, and ensure they work properly when you move in (you are responsible for maintaining the detectors after that time)

Investigate whether you are engaging in gang-related activity when another tenant notifies the landlord of gang-related activity by serving a written notice and investigation demand to the landlord