Real Estate, Housing & Construction
Browse published legal information questions related to Real Estate, Housing & Construction.
Can my landlord keep my deposit for damage I did not cause?
In general, a landlord may only keep a security deposit for reasons allowed by the lease and by state law. If the claimed damage was not caused by you, your household, or your guests, the landlord may have a weaker basis...
Can a Daycare Keep My Deposit If I Changed My Mind Before My Child Started?
In Connecticut, whether a daycare can keep your deposit if you changed your mind before your child started usually depends on the enrollment agreement, the center’s written policies, and the facts of how the deposit was...
Can I ask the court to order the harasser to stay 500 feet away from my home?
In Washington, you can usually ask a court for a protection order that includes a stay-away distance from your home, but the court does not automatically grant a specific 500-foot boundary in every case. Whether a judge...
Do I have to pay a cancellation charge when the cleaning company canceled on me twice?
In general, if the cleaning company canceled on you twice, whether you owe a cancellation charge depends on the contract, the company’s cancellation policy, and what actually happened. If the company was the one that fai...
Can my landlord charge me for utilities that were supposed to be included in rent?
In Maryland, whether a landlord can charge you for utilities that were supposed to be included in rent usually depends on what your lease says and how the housing arrangement is structured. If the lease clearly states th...
Is it legal for a towing company to tow my car from my assigned apartment space?
In Tennessee, a towing company may be allowed to tow a car from an apartment space that is assigned to a tenant, but the answer usually depends on the lease, the parking rules, the signage, the apartment community’s towi...
Do I have to pay for a broken appliance if it stopped working due to age?
In general, whether you have to pay for a broken appliance that stopped working due to age depends on what the appliance was, who owned it, and what agreement controlled the situation. In Indiana, as in many states, the...
Do I have to accept store credit if an appliance store delivered the wrong refrigerator?
In general, if an appliance store delivers the wrong refrigerator, you do not automatically have to accept store credit instead of getting the problem corrected. The answer often depends on the sales agreement, the store...
Can I ask for an antiharassment order if a stranger keeps showing up outside my apartment building?
In Washington, a person who keeps appearing outside your apartment building may sometimes be the kind of conduct that supports an anti-harassment order. Whether that is true usually depends on the facts, including what t...
A package locker malfunctioned and my package disappeared. Is the apartment complex responsible?
In Virginia, an apartment complex may be responsible for a missing package only in some situations, and the answer usually depends on the lease, the property’s rules, who controlled the locker system, and what caused the...
Is it legal for a landlord to blame me for falling down stairs that had poor lighting?
In general, a landlord in Arkansas may try to blame a tenant or visitor for a fall on stairs, including a claim that the person was not watching where they were going or was using the stairs carelessly. But that does not...
Do I have to pay rent if my apartment was burglarized due to a broken lock the landlord ignored?
In Mississippi, the fact that your apartment was burglarized does not automatically end your duty to pay rent. In general, a tenant’s rent obligation usually continues unless the lease, the facts, or the law give the ten...
Can a Landlord Refuse to Fix a Broken Refrigerator?
In general, a landlord may not be able to ignore a broken refrigerator if the appliance is part of the rental agreement or was provided with the unit, especially if the issue affects habitability or the tenant’s use of t...
What are my rights if an online retailer refuses to refund a returned item worth $300?
If an online retailer refuses to refund a returned item, your rights usually depend on the retailer’s posted return policy, what was promised at checkout, the condition of the item, and whether the retailer actually rece...
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...