How to Report a Landlord In Los Angeles

Landlords are obligated to keep their premises in good condition to ensure a comfortable living is provided for tenants. This means that the landlord should cater for any repairs required as well as solve conflicts that may arise.

Some tenants have, however, encountered some problems with their landlords. Such tenants may face such as eviction without notices and delayed return of deposits. Moreover, some landlords may be reluctant to give back the security deposit. Reporting such a landlord may solve some of these issues, but the process involved can prove to be a daunting task. However, with DoNotPay, the process itself becomes super easy, convenient as well as less frustrating.

Eviction Laws in Los Angeles

The lease clause of the apartment documents all the rules and regulations a tenant ought to follow. The has the right to issue an eviction notice to tenants who fail to abide by these rules, but he has to follow some set guidelines when doing so. They include:

According to California Civil Code Section 1946.1, the landlord must give a tenant who has resided in their premises for more than a year a 60-day notice before terminating the tenancy. However, according to the Los Angeles Municipal code, if the tenant has resided for less than a year, then a 30-day notice is given, after which the tenancy is terminated.
In case the tenant has not vacated the premises in the period set, the landlord can then file a lawsuit which will help recover possession of the rental unit and the unpaid rent.
The tenant can also file a petition for eviction in court. The jury will then hear arguments from either side and then make a ruling on whether the tenant deserves to be evicted or not.

Reasons to Be Evicted

The main reason why someone may become evicted is mostly when the tenant has violated some of the rules and regulations in the lease clause. Here are some common reasons for eviction in Los Angeles:

Failure to pay rent on the premises even after the period of 30 or 60 days has elapsed.
Violating the lease clause such as damage to property, unauthorized pet, and unauthorized additional person among many others.
Causing disturbance to the neighbors such as playing loud music and dumping piles of trash in the wrong place.
Using the rental property for the wrong purpose, such as using illegal drugs and carrying out any other unlawful practices.
Denying the landlord the rental unit if he or she had a reason to do so.

What Are My Rights as a Tenant in Los Angeles?

Los Angeles has many renters because the cost of homeownership is very expensive. After all, it is the second most popular metropolitan area after New York City. The tenants living in Los Angeles are protected by the law since they also have rights that need to be taken under consideration. They include:

The tenants have a right to live in clean habitable housing units in which maintenance and repairs are done.
A 24-hour notice must be issued if your landlord wants to get inside your premises unless it is an emergency.
The tenant is entitled to have a regular supply of running water and electricity.
Tenants who use Section 8 vouchers should not be discriminated against in any way by their landlords. This means that a landlord cannot turn down tenants because they use a federal program to pay their rent.
The tenants also have a right to have any issues with the housing unit addressed.

How to Report a Bad Landlord in Los Angeles

If you have any issues with the house and upon informing the landlord, no measures are taken, then you can follow these steps:

Steps	Details
Make a formal complaint	This is normally done by writing a formal letter to your landlord in which your issue(s) are stated clearly.
File a complaint to the Los Angeles Housing Department(LAHD)	This department investigates infringement of the Rent Stabilization Ordinance (RSO), a law in Los Angeles that sets the maximum annual rent increase based on the cost of living index.

If you live in federal housing units, you can place your complaint with the U.S Department of Housing and Urban Development(HUD).

Next Steps for Reporting a Bad Landlord if the Issue Is Not Resolved

If your issues are not resolved even after taking the above steps, then you should take the matter to court. This is expensive and it involves a daunting process, so you should contact an advisor first before doing so.

Handling Issues of a Bad Landlord With the Help of DoNotPay

DoNotPay is the perfect solution if you are experiencing problems with your landlord. It saves you time as it guides you through the process and files disputes on your behalf. Our Landlord Protection product can help you:

Get back your security deposits.
Learn about your state's eviction laws and what protections apply in your case.
Resolve disputes regarding repairs with your landlord.
Resolve disputes with roommates by filing demand letters or going through small claims court.
Break your lease early.

How to Break a Lease in Los Angeles Using DoNotPay:

If you want to break a lease in [state] but don't know where to start, DoNotPay has you covered in 4 easy steps:

Search for and open the Landlord Protection product on DoNotPay.
Select which issue applies to you.
Answer a simple set of questions so our chatbot can collect the necessary information to create your demand letter.
Choose whether you want DoNotPay to send the demand letter to your landlord or roommate on your behalf. If you already tried sending a demand letter and it didn't work, we can help you start the small claims court process.

Why Use DoNotPay to Report a Bad Landlord?

DoNotPay is the best when you want to file a complaint against your landlord. This is because:

DoNotPay is fast. You don't have to spend hours trying to solve the issue.
DoNotPay is easy. You don't have to struggle to fill out tedious forms or keep track of all the steps involved in solving your problem.
DoNotPay is successful. You can rest assured knowing we'll make the best case for you.