Every Tenant's Legal Guide »

Janet Portman is the Managing Editor at Nolo. She specializes in residential and commercial landlord/tenant law, legal issues related to courts, landlords and tenants, and neighbor disputes. She is the co-author of Every Landlord's Legal Guide, Every Landlord's Guide to Finding Great Tenants, Every Tenant's Legal Guide, Renters' Rights, Negotiate the Best Lease for Your Business, Leases & Rental Agreements, The California Landlord's Law Book: Rights and Responsibilities, and California Tenants' Rights. Ms. Portman received undergraduate and graduate degrees from Stanford University and a law degree from Santa Clara University. Before joining Nolo in 1994, she practiced law as a public defender.

Marcia Stewart has been a Nolo editor and author since 1989, writing and editing books on landlord-tenant law, real estate, and other consumer issues. She is the co-author of Every Landlord's Legal Guide, Every Tenant's Legal Guide, Leases and Rental Agreements, and Renters' Rights. She has edited dozens of Nolo books, including Every Landlord's Guide to Finding Great Tenants, How to Buy a House in California, and Nolo's LeaseWriter Plus software for landlords, and Parent Savvy.

Rent smart with the definitive all-in-one book for every tenant!

Every Tenant's Legal Guide gives you the legal and practical information you need to deal with your landlord and other tenants, and protect your rights when things go wrong. Written in plain English, it shows you how to:

inspect a place before you move in

negotiate a lease or rental agreement

put roommate relationships on a sound legal footing

understand key rules on rent increases and rent control

get needed repairs and maintenance

protect your privacy

fight illegal discrimination

break a lease with minimum financial liability

get your security deposit back

understand and prepare for eviction proceedings

Los Angeles Times

Don't let any landlord violate your rights. If you are having a problem, do the research. Get a copy of a renter's law book, such as the Nolo's Every Tenant's Legal Guide...

I. Introduction
1. Finding a Place to Rent
2. Leases and Rental Agreements
3. Basic Rent Rules
4. Security Deposits
5. Discrimination
6. Inspecting the Rental Unit and Moving In
7. Roommates
8. Major Repairs and Maintenance
9. Minor Repairs and Maintenance
10. Making Improvements and Alterations
11. Your Right to Privacy
12. Injuries on the Premises
13. Environmental Hazards
14. Crime on the Premises
15. How Tenancies End or Change
16. Moving Out and Getting Your Security Deposit Back
17. Termination Notices Based on Nonpayment of Rent and Other Illegal Acts
18. Evictions: An Overview
19. Resolving Problems Without a Lawyer
20. Lawyers and Legal Research
Appendix I. State Laws and Agencies
Appendix II. Tear-Out Forms
Index