Landlord & Tenant Services

We are skilled in representing both landlords and tenants.

Our experience allows us to quickly see the issues and form an effective action plan to meet your needs. We want you to understand your rights and responsibilities.

If you want a lease agreement for your office building, shopping center, residence or other property, we will prepare a lease to protect your property interests. If a tenant has not paid rent, we will start the process to have the tenant be removed from the property.

If you are a tenant, we will advise you about your rights and duties in the lease and help you negotiate more favorable terms. Our goal is work closely with you to find out your objectives. Then we will creatively and efficiently take action to meet your goals.

Commercial and Residential Landlord & Tenant Issues

There are many types of issues in landlord & tenant law. Sometimes a tenant closes their business and leaves early before their lease expires and refuses to pay rent as agreed. Sometimes there are habitability issues regarding the condition of the premises and the landlord refuses to take action to fix the issue. Perhaps a foreclosure has occurred and the new owner wants to evict you. We will help you increase your chances of getting the results you want.  We can guide you through a variety of issues including:

  • Leases (residential and commercial)
  • Rent increases/change in lease terms
  • Tenant repair and deduct
  • Nuisance problems
  • Foreclosure issues for owners, renters and buyers
  • Evictions
  • Relocation fee claims
  • Rent control issues
  • Estoppel certificates
  • Trespass
  • Constructive eviction
  • Lawsuits for damages

Residential and Commercial Leases – Draft, Review, Explain and Negotiate

We know that a well-crafted lease can create a strong and lasting relationship between a landlord and a tenant.  We believe that if you invest upfront in a solid lease, you will dramatically reduce the likelihood of a dispute with your tenant down the road. Wouldn’t you rather try to avoid having to spend the money to sue your tenant? Are you a landlord with a large apartment complex who wants to have a lease agreement to use for all tenants? Do you want to rent out a house you purchased as income property? Are you a business owner interested in renting a large commercial space to expand your company? We will take great care to see that the lease involved makes sense for you and your overall objectives. In a commercial lease, we can prepare a lease to protect your interests. Our experience with terms such as options, parking, signage and sublease or assignment provisions can help you plan for and manage risks over the lease term. If you need a residential lease, we can simplify the lease terms to encompass protection of your property and your rights. Call (925) 463-9000 or contact us to discuss your legal situation with an attorney.

Residential and Commercial Tenants

Your real estate agent may offer to review your lease but they do not have the legal expertise or training to understand the legal consequences of all of the terms. We have the knowledge and skill to read your lease and explain the terms to you so you understand your rights and your responsibilities. Leases can be lengthy documents with complicated terms involving insurance, rent increases, signage restrictions and other rules regarding use of the space. We will carefully review an existing or proposed lease and explain each provision to you in plain language.  We will help you negotiate your lease and recommend options to work out your concerns or disputes. If you are leasing commercial or residential property involving a lease or rental agreement, contact us or call (925) 463-9000 so we can help you to understand and protect your rights.

Evictions and Unlawful Detainer

Once your tenant is in possession of the premises, we will help you with any disputes that may arise from the tenancy. We will prepare and serve default notices if a tenant fails to pay rent or does not comply with the lease terms and handle any eviction proceedings.  We work hard to ensure your rights and interests remain protected. Evictions, also referred to as unlawful detainer actions, are the process to legally remove a tenant from residential or commercial property for failure to pay rent or other defaults in lease terms. Unlawful detainers (eviction lawsuits) must be handled quickly. For a property owner, the longer a tenant remains on in the property without paying rent, the greater the amount of income you lose. For a tenant subject to an eviction action, it can be stressful not knowing what will happen to your ability to stay in the property. Whether you are a property owner or a tenant, we are devoted to protecting each client’s rights and helping them to successfully resolve their case. To learn more about eviction laws and your options, contact us or call (925) 463-9000.

For Property Owners

If you are a landlord or property owner and you have a tenant who has breached the lease or rental agreement by failing to pay rent or for some other reason, you need to move quickly to legally regain possession, get the unit leased and generating income again. There are strict requirements that must be followed with regard to giving notice, filing the complaint, proving the breach and regaining possession of the premises.  Failure to follow these strict guidelines will delay your ability to regain possession. To evict a tenant from a residential or commercial property, a landlord must start with a properly prepared and served default or termination notice. If the tenant does not comply with the notice then an eviction proceeding or Unlawful Detainer action must be filed without delay. This is an accelerated legal action for the recovery of possession of leased/rented premises. If you need assistance with a tenant, contact us today or call (925) 463-9000.

Protecting Tenants

We can assist you in defending a commercial or residential eviction. We know the law and understand the techniques used to challenge eviction proceedings. We can help with security deposit disputes, when the landlord does not make repairs and other situations. It is wise to hire us if you are facing an eviction. Unrepresented tenants often find the eviction process difficult to understand, may miss crucial deadlines and may not know what is necessary to win an eviction action against them. The eviction process moves very fast. If you do not act quickly you may find yourself being escorted from the property by the Sheriff. We will scrutinize your case and build a persuasive argument to meet your needs. We work hard to help commercial and residential landlords and tenants with disputes and eviction (Unlawful Detainer) actions. Contact us today or call (925) 463-9000.

Preparing to Meet with Your Real Estate Attorney

To help you prepare for your meeting, here is a checklist  for important documents and information you may be asked to bring to an initial meeting with your real estate attorney.

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