Practical guidance on evictions, rent control, and California landlord law, written for owners, not lawyers.
A 2026 law makes a working stove and refrigerator part of a habitable rental. Here's why a small maintenance issue can now become a defense that slows an eviction.
In the Bay Area, the statewide rent cap often isn't the number that matters. Here's how local rent-control ordinances in San Francisco, Oakland, Berkeley, and San Jose change the math for owners.
A 2026 law sets out what California owners must do when a declared disaster hits a rental, halting rent during evacuations, returning deposits, and preserving a tenant's right to return.
A new 2026 law lets a court pause a nonpayment eviction when a tenant's missed rent traces to delayed Social Security benefits. Here's what it does, and what it doesn't.
California tightened its deposit rules for 2026, a one-month cap, a photo requirement that can make or break a deduction, and new electronic-return rules. Here's what owners need to do.
California's statewide rent cap reset on August 1, 2026. Here are the new AB 1482 limits by region, and why a lower local ordinance usually controls in the Bay Area.
Month-to-month tenants and "no reason" terminations are far more restricted in California than many owners expect. Here's what the Tenant Protection Act and local just-cause rules actually allow.
Which California eviction notice fits your situation, 3-day, 30-day, or 60-day, how it has to be served, and the mistakes that void a notice and force you to start over.
A plain-English roadmap of California's unlawful detainer process for landlords, from the first notice through the sheriff lockout, and the missteps that force owners to start over.
A miscounted deadline or a wrong dollar amount can void your notice entirely. Here’s how to get the 3-day notice right the first time.
New buyers can pursue an owner move-in, but only with exact notice periods and, in some cities, relocation payments. A step-by-step for new owners.
California gives you 21 days to return a deposit with an itemized statement. Miss it and a tenant can pursue penalties well beyond the deposit itself.
A tenant petition has its own rules, deadlines, and hearings, separate from the courts. What owners should do in the first week after being served.
Self-help removal is illegal in California and can expose you to liability. How to tell a trespasser from a tenancy, and the right way to regain possession.
Most landlord disputes trace back to a weak lease. The addenda and disclosures that protect owners before a problem ever starts.
Oakland now requires specific attachments with any increase. Here’s what a valid increase package looks like.
Tenants stop paying. Notices get ignored. Here’s what a landlord-focused attorney actually does, and why it matters.
Most managers handle issues internally, until a small misstep creates a big delay. Here are the moments that matter most.
Articles only go so far. A free consultation gives you answers that apply to your property, your tenant, and your city's rules.