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Landlord harassment and the law

Disagreements between tenants and landlords are no average dispute, mainly because it can threaten one’s living situation. When a landlord harasses a tenant, the issue becomes all the more problematic. California tenants deserve honest communication, proper maintainence upkeep and, above all else, a safe living environment.

Unfortunately, as The Mercury News shares, this was not the case for one San Francisco woman who rented an apartment that she thought had a price too good to be true. To her shock, the apartment apparently came with a hidden cost: she later received sexually explicit text messages from her landlord to the point at which she did not feel safe. According to The Mercury, women across the Bay Area have made recent reports of harassment from landlords, resulting in a #MeToo movement occurring in a place many would have least expected.

What is especially disturbing about these cases is that the problem revolves around a location where a person is supposed to feel safe, and many victims are hesitant to address harassment entirely. The numbers themselves reflect this disturbing issue, with many speculating that this problem is more widespread than initially thought; a large majority of renters avoid reporting incidents.

California’s website for legislative information shares with the public that tenants have protection from landlord harassment. Under the state’s civil code, it is unlawful for landlords to do the following:

  • Use (or threaten to use) force, threats or menacing conduct toward the tenant
  • Threaten to disclose tenant information
  • Engage in any conduct that violates Penal Code Section 518

Tenants can find additional information on the specifics of landlord and tenant regulations on the state’s website. Because the state of one’s living space is largely paramount to happiness and well-being, a dispute between a landlord and tenant is one deserving of time and consideration.

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