Skip to content

Habitability

Aggressive tactics seeking your results through habitability

A rental unit must be fit to live in; that is, it must be habitable. In legal terms, “habitable” means that the rental unit is fit for occupation by human beings and that it substantially complies with state and local building and health codes that materially affect tenants’ health and safety

California law makes landlords and tenants each responsible for certain kinds of repairs, although landlords (also known as slumlords) ultimately are legally responsible for assuring that their rental units are habitable.

The landlord has this duty to repair because of a California Supreme Court case, called Green v. Superior Court, which held that all residential leases and rental agreements contain an implied warranty of habitability. Under the “implied warranty of habitability,” the landlord is legally responsible for repairing conditions that seriously affect the rental unit’s habitability. That is, the landlord must repair substantial defects in the rental unit and substantial failures to comply with state and local building and health codes.

A dwelling also may be considered uninhabitable (unlivable) if it substantially lacks any of the following:

In addition to these requirements, each rental must have all of the following:

As an experienced landlord tenant law firm, we will navigate you through your tenancy and ensure your rights are not violated.

Steps to take for Habitability issue:

welcome icon

1. Provide notice to the landlord of the exact issues that need to take place.

Make sure this is in writing (email, letter or text message) so that there is a time and date and no dispute that you told the Landlord your concerns.

welcome icon
2. Take pictures and videos of the concerns.

Everything should be documented so that you can present the evidence if a lawsuit needs to be filed.

welcome icon

3. Provide additional notice, after waiting 2-5 days (depending on urgency of issue).

In case the landlord did not receive or disregards the first one. This shows consistency and the seriousness of the issue.

welcome icon

4. Contact the health department.

Having the government involved will put greater pressure and will generate an inspection report.

welcome icon

5. If applicable, contact a mold inspector.

Mold inspections record the amount of mold present in the unit/apartment.

welcome icon

6. Contact our office

We will write a demand letter or commence a lawsuit.

The aggressive lawyers at the Law Office of Aaron Kohanim are knowledgeable and experienced in all aspects of California and Los Angeles Rent Control Laws. Contact us immediately for a Consultation to see how we can help! As a tenant defense attorney, it is our responsibility to negotiate the best deal on behalf of our clients. In the State of California, when a Landlord files an eviction case, the case is sealed.

How to get started:

Contact our office to help navigate you through the process.

If you are having any or all of the problems above as a tenant, make sure to contact our office for a case review and intake.

You don’t pay us until your case is over. It’s that simple. To get started with our firm, we do not require retainers, starting fees, or hourly rates. A portion of your settlement pays for our help. If we don’t “win” your case, you don’t pay our attorney’s fees.

Take the next step today

Schedule a Consultation

Prospective clients can schedule a phone consultation by contacting Aaron Kohanim by email or by phone and providing their name and the proposed date & time of consultation.