California Tenants' Rights

The go-to survival guide for California tenants

California tenants have many rights, especially those lucky enough to be in a community with rent control. But knowing and enforcing these rights can be difficult. Fortunately, California Tenants’ Rights, the leading tenant guide for more than 45 years, provides all the information and key forms tenants need to:

• find a good apartment in a competitive market
• learn whether you can be turned down because you have kids, are a student, or have too many roommates
• understand the rules regarding service and support animals
• deal with a problem roommate or noisy neighbor
• stop landlord intrusions of privacy
• get your landlord to make repairs or deal with mold or bedbugs
• fight illegal discrimination, harassment, or retaliation
• break a lease with minimal liability
• respond to a late rent or termination notice
• get as much of your deposit back as possible, and
• fight an eviction, with line-by-line instructions on completing required forms.

The 21st edition includes updated information on state eviction rules and forms, local rent control ordinances, and tenant rights to sublet on Airbnb.

Provides the information and strategies California tenants need to enforce their many rights (under state law as well as local rent control), including rights to privacy, repairs, deposits, a safe place to live (free of defects and hazards such as bedbugs), and breaking a lease. Includes detailed information (and official forms) on how to respond to an eviction lawsuit, useful sample letters to send landlords , roommate agreements, and more.