Ask a group of people and usually at least one can share a horror story about housing, often centered on an awful roommate who was loud, never paid rent on time, or refused to lift a finger when it came to keeping the place clean. Some might also share a…
Bedbugs are a growing problem, as our San Francisco attorney has commented on several times in this blog. Bedbugs, which are usually brought into a property by pets, clothes, or luggage, are an especially big problem because of their ability to hide in cracks, electrical outlets, behind wallpaper, between baseboards…
Sometimes legal standards are relatively strict – If a driver’s blood alcohol content is greater than 0.08%, the driver is legally drunk (though a lower BAC can certainly be a factor in finding a driver was reckless). In contrast, some legal principles do not have a strict definition, such as…
One of the primary reasons for the rule of law and the presence of courts is to help resolve disputes without resort to violence and physical intimidation. Landlord/tenant disputes are among the most heated conflicts that courts and lawyers see, not surprising since they involve the home, a place that…
There are some great landlords out there, but there are also some terrible ones. It is because of the latter that California law provides a number of specific protections for renters. This includes rights related to hazardous materials, rights that protect the health of California renters during their tenancy and…
California has long led the nation in efforts to protect people from the health threat of second-hand smoke. An article published by The New York Times on the eve of 1998’s extension of the public smoking ban to refers to “the biggest assault yet on cigarette smoking in the United…
Hearing the word mold immediately brings about the connotation of something bad and unhealthy. Mold is a category of fungi that can be found both indoors and outdoors. Usually mold is either associated with old food or moisture in homes. It tends to grow in areas that are warm, damp,…
In 1979, the City of San Francisco was facing a housing crisis. The Board of Supervisors and the Mayor enacted the San Francisco Rent Ordinance (the “Ordinance”) in an effort to alleviate the crisis. Today, the Ordinance (now available online) continues to protect the rights of tenants and ensure the…
Moving into a new home is an exciting time for any individual. It can represent an upgrade, a new beginning and even a fresh start. Imagine though, if after you are all moved in, the furniture arranged, items taken out of their boxes, one morning you wake to bug bite…
Home should be a place of joy and comfort, a place to build happy memories and also a place to retreat from the outside world. People deserve to have the feeling of home, whether they own a massive house or rent a studio apartment. At the Brod Firm, our San…