Real Estate, Housing & Construction
Browse published legal information questions related to Real Estate, Housing & Construction.
Is it legal for a landlord to charge an application fee and deny me without explanation in Rhode Island?
In general, yes, a landlord in Rhode Island may be allowed to charge an application fee and may also be allowed to deny an application without giving a detailed explanation. That is often true in ordinary rental screenin...
Can a Landlord Charge Late Fees Even Though Their Payment Portal Was Down?
In Alaska, a landlord may be able to charge a late fee even if a payment portal was temporarily down, but that usually depends on the lease, the timing of the rent payment, and whether the tenant had other reasonable way...
Do I have to pay for cable service that was bundled into my rent even though I never used it?
In New York, the short answer is usually that it depends on what your lease says and how the charge was set up. If cable service was truly part of the rent or a required amenity under your lease, you may still owe the am...
What happens if a contractor fails to complete work by the deadline stated in the contract?
In Vermont, if a contractor does not finish work by the deadline in the contract, the late completion may be treated as a breach of contract. What happens next usually depends on the contract language, the reason for the...
Is it legal for a dealership to charge a document fee of $899?
In Colorado, a dealership may be able to charge a document fee, but whether an $899 fee is legally allowed depends on several factors, including how the fee is disclosed, what it is for, and whether the dealer is followi...
What happens if my security camera records audio of guests talking inside my living room?
In California, a security camera that records audio inside your living room can raise significant privacy issues, even if the camera was installed for home security. Whether the recording is lawful usually depends on the...
What happens if my spouse refuses to sign a quitclaim deed after divorce?
In Connecticut, what happens next usually depends on what your divorce judgment, separation agreement, or property orders say about the home and the title transfer. A quitclaim deed is often used to transfer one spouse’s...
Is it legal for a landlord to reject my service dog because the building has a no-pets policy?
In general, a landlord in Rhode Island usually cannot reject a service dog just because the building has a no-pets policy. Housing rules for assistance animals often treat service animals differently from ordinary pets,...
What Can I Do If a Store Sold Me a Defective Appliance and Will Not Take It Back?
If a store in Nebraska sold you a defective appliance and will not take it back, your options usually depend on the store’s return policy, the appliance’s condition, any warranty coverage, and what happened before and af...
Is it legal for a landlord to post an eviction notice on my door where neighbors can see it?
In general, a landlord may be allowed to post an eviction notice on your door, but whether that is legally proper depends on the applicable notice rules, the type of notice being used, and the facts of the situation. In...
Can a landlord refuse to fix a dishwasher because they say it is a convenience appliance?
In Kansas, the answer often depends on the lease and on whether the dishwasher was part of the rental agreement when you moved in. In general, a landlord usually has to maintain the basic habitability of a rental unit, b...
What are my rights if my upstairs neighbor’s pipe burst and ruined my furniture?
If an upstairs neighbor’s pipe burst and damaged your furniture, you may have rights to seek payment for the loss, but the source of those rights depends on the facts. In Maryland, claims of this type often involve prope...
Do I have to split rental property that I owned before marriage?
In general, rental property that you owned before marriage may start out as separate property in an Oregon divorce. That means the property itself is not always split just because you are getting divorced. But the answer...
What are my rights if I received an eviction notice while hospitalized and missed the deadline?
If you were hospitalized and missed an eviction deadline, you may still have options, but the available relief depends on the type of notice, what stage the eviction is in, and whether you can show a legally recognized r...
What happens if a dog bit me at a dog park where signs say dogs are off leash?
If a dog bites you at a dog park where dogs are allowed off leash, the fact that the park is off leash does not automatically mean there is no legal responsibility. In general, dog bite liability depends on the facts, in...