Rental laws in California are notoriously tenant-friendly. If you’re renting out a home here, you likely understand that there are
laws around fair housing, rent control, just cause evictions, support and service animals, security deposits, and habitability standards that must be followed.
Recent legislation has strengthened many of the existing tenant protections and also impacted areas such as e-bike storage, organic waste recycling.
Let’s take a look at the best way to navigate tenant laws in Sacramento to ensure you remain in compliance.
Stay Informed and Follow Updates
In July of this year (2024), there was a dramatic change in how much landlords can collect as a security deposit. You would have missed this if you were not paying attention. There are exceptions, but generally the law now states that you can only collect the equivalent of one month’s rent as a security deposit, whether your property is furnished or unfurnished.
If you’re renting out a multifamily property in Sacramento, you need to provide clearly marked organic waste recycling bins. And you cannot prohibit the storage of an e-bike or an e-scooter.
There are new protected classes in the state fair housing laws. Enforcement requirements are stricter around habitability laws.
You need to follow these laws and keep up with the current and pending legislation if you want to invest in Sacramento real estate and avoid expensive legal mistakes.
Document Every Process
It’s important that you document everything in order to protect yourself from complaints, disputes, and lawsuits. In order to navigate tenant laws, you have to make sure tenants know where you stand when it comes to:
- Tenant screening
- Cleaning and maintenance standards
- Pet policies
- Rent collection
- Subletting
Your
lease agreement is the best way to document all of your expectations and your tenant’s responsibilities. We also recommend that you document your standard rental criteria for potential applications. Put your tenant screening process in writing so you can demonstrate it’s objective and fair. Keep every piece of tenant communication, whether it’s an email or your notes following a phone conversation or an in-person encounter.
Invest in Professional Sacramento Property Management
If you don’t know the difference between a pet and a service animal and an emotional support animal, you need a
Sacramento property manager.
If you don’t know whether your property is covered by rent control laws, you need us.
If you have not changed your lease agreement in a decade to reflect the new laws and required language, it’s time for us to talk.
Contact our team at Sacramento Delta Property Management. We can help you navigate the legal landscape in Sacramento real estate.
