berkeley rent board formsberkeley rent board forms

Note: Even if your notice does not indicate whether you can correct the problem, you can try to convince your landlord of this solution. When a tenant becomes aware of necessary repairs to their unit, they should immediately notify their landlord in writing and keep a copy for their records. Smoking is prohibited in all multi-unit buildings in Berkeley. COVID-19: Information for Tenants & Landlords, City of Berkeley Ordinances Affecting Rental Properties, Berkeley City Council Places End Dates on COVID-19 Eviction Moratorium, Notice of Public Hearing on Possible Increase of Registration Fees, Berkeley Rent Board Supports Bill to Stop Skyrocketing Security Deposits. Check the Fee Scheduleto see the amount you will be billed. The notice is mailed to the address of the responsible party according to the Alameda County Assessors Office and to the account holder. Email for tenant counseling: [email protected]. If you dont comply with the terms of the agreement, the landlord may have the right to evict you. Once the required information has been received, the rent reasonableness determination will begin. The best practice is to give your landlord 30 days notice that you plan to terminate the lease (California Civil Code section 1946.1). However, there are specific requirements and steps for using this remedy, as follows: Using the Repair and Deduct remedy can be effective, but it carries some risk. The law is very specific as to what kinds of conditions make a rental unit uninhabitable. Berkeley Rent Board Only those applicants who were selected in the lottery will be able to register by clicking on the following link:Login - My Housing, For more information, call the pre-recorded Informational Line at 510-981-5495. In the notice to the landlord, the tenant should, If the landlord doesnt make the repairs requested, and doesnt have a valid reason for doing so, the tenant may have the option to use the , that affect their health and safety and render the rental unit legally uninhabitable. When a tenant becomes aware of necessary repairs to their unit, they should, and keep a copy for their records.

Communicate with the subtenant and discuss the terms of the agreement, as the subtenant is responsible to YOU, not the landlord. At the end of a lease term, allowable rent increases may be limited by a local rent control ordinance (as in Berkeley, Oakland, and San Francisco) or by California state law (California Civil Code Section 1947.12). IF the landlord does agree to let you stay, make sure this agreement is in writing! to make the needed repairs before undertaking the repairs themselves. Copyright 2023 UC Regents; all rights reserved, During the lease term, both the landlord and the tenant have maintenance responsibilities. You can find a copy of one on the. City staff are only taking credit card payments online or in person, which may mean credit card payment by phone is no longer an option for this service. If your 3-day notice is for something else, the notice should indicate whether you can correct the problem and remain in the unit.

d.Owner or agent signature. The Board works to ensure compliance with legal obligations relating to rental housing, and to advance the housing policies of the City with regard to low- and fixed-income persons, minorities, students, persons with disabilities, and the aged. Before utilizing the abandonment/early lease termination remedy, consult with an attorney or (if you are a currently registered UC Berkeley student) make an appointment with SLS. Are you an owner, property manager or provider of services for the rental housing industry? If so, the landlord can sue the tenant to recover the money deducted from the rent, or attempt to evict the tenant for nonpayment of rent. WebBerkeley Rent Stabilization Board. 4. To file a complaint, you must live in the same building as the person responsible for causing the smoke. This article by the UC Berkeley Risk Services Office provides a useful overview of renters insurance, and an option to purchase insurance through a company vetted by the campus but you can obtain a renters insurance policy from virtually any insurance company. For additional information, check out the Department of Consumer Affairs Legal Guide to Rental Housing & Repairs. Whether you're renting your single family home or you have responsiblity for a multi-unit building, managing rental property in Berkeley is highly-regulated.

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Acopyof a sixty (60) day advance writtenNotice of Intent to Increase the Rent, served to your tenant containing the following information: b. Send this notice to the same place as your rent. Civil Code Section 1950 allows a tenant to make a claim for a penalty equal to twice the amount of the withheld security deposit if the landlord withheld it in bad faith. If you feel that your landlord has improperly given you any termination notice, consult with SLS or another lawyer to evaluate your options. Consult Student Legal Services for assistance, and see sls.berkeley.edu for a sample security deposit demand letter that you should send before filing a Small Claims action.

Once you decide to rent a unit, the landlord will probably require a security deposit. . endstream endobj startxref Writing is. Executive Director If violations are corrected, the inspector will close the case and issue a Certificate of Compliance. WebForms for Owners | Berkeley Housing Authority Landlords Forms for Owners For more information, call the pre-recorded Informational Line at 510-981-5495 Forms for Owners Tip Sheet, and the following state laws: California Health and Safety Code 17920.3, . If you sublease either all or part of your apartment/house, you still remain liable under the terms of your lease with the landlord. You need to consider whether it is better to get some money to defray the cost of your rent or pay it all yourself. 351 0 obj <>stream not using the bedroom as a kitchen), and notifying the landlord when deadbolt locks and window locks do not work properly. If the tenant deducted money for repairs not covered by this legal remedy, or they didnt give the landlord proper notice, or reasonable time to make the repairs, the court can order the tenant to pay the full rent (even though the tenant paid for the repairs), or order that an eviction could proceed. Website: rentboard.berekleyca.gov. WebBPOA is the grassroots trade association that represents rental housing providers in the city of Berkeley. This depends on the defects and the types of repairs that are needed. If you do nothing, the lease automatically becomes a month-to-month periodic tenancy (Civil Code Section 1945), but the landlord can potentially terminate upon 30 days notice (although this termination right of the landlord is limited in some cities see below). If you have an emergency associated with an eviction, please call the Eviction Defense Center at (510) 452-4541. For more information about this remedy, please see the Implied Warranty of Habitability section of the , This article by the UC Berkeley Risk Services Office, Local Fair Housing Organizations in the Bay Area, California Department of Fair Employment and Housing, sample of a repair and deduct notice/letter, In Berkeley: Housing Code Enforcement Program, sls.berkeley.edu for a sample security deposit demand letter, Repair of damage beyond ordinary wear and tear, Cleaning of premises, if necessary to return them to the same level of cleanliness as when the tenant moved in, Replacement of personal property (if provided in the lease), When you move in, print an inventory checklist. From news and political reports to articles and advice, we cover the state and local issues you need to know about as a housing provider in Berkeley. If some of your roommates are staying in the apartment, there may be an issue if your roommates do not approve of your subtenant. All rights reserved.

Housing for Disabled & Homeless Individuals (SROs), Tips for Obtaining a Unit with a Section 8 Voucher, https://cityofberkeleyhousingauthority.myhousing.com/webapp/lotterychecker. These standards are set by the California Building Standards Code.

[email protected].

Joining BPOA is the easiest business decision you'll ever make. WebIncumbent Soli Alpert, the boards vice chair and an aide to Councilmember Rigel Robinson, is running along with Stefan Elgstrand, aide to Mayor Jesse Arregun; Carole Marasovic, a East Bay Community Law Center Before paying this fee, find out how and when it will be applied and what will happen if you change your mind.

Berkeley Housing Authority1947 Center Street, Fifth FloorBerkeley, CA 94704. If you own a residential property that you rent out, you are responsible for ensuring that your units meet housing safety standards.

The tenant should keep all receipts for the repairs. However, under California law, the landlord is ultimately responsible for making sure that a rental unit is . We implement Berkeleys Rent Ordinance, which regulates most residential rents in Berkeley, gives tenants protection against unwarranted evictions, and is intended to maintain affordable housing and preserve community diversity. Streets, Sidewalks, Sewers, and Utilities, RHSP Self-Certification Checklist (Schedule A), Performing Remote Self-Certification Inspection document, Rental Housing Safety Program Frequently Asked Questions, Rental Housing Safety Program Exemption/Correction Form, Rental Housing Safety Program Self-Certification Checklist (Schedule A), Performing a Self-Certification Inspections Remotely, Rental Housing Safety Program Fee Schedule. Connect with us online, by phone, or in person. You can find more details about the yearly RHSP per unit/room fees in ourFrequently Asked Questions. Upcoming and past meetings, agendas, and more.

Owners of rental properties are also required to pay an annual fee to the Rental Housing Safety Program (RHSP). If the landlord rents the apartment to someone else, you are entitled to your holding deposit and any other costs that you have incurred. All rights reserved. For units that have NEVER been registered with the Rent Board. If you are using this form to register a rental unit, you must ALSO file a VR. Must be filed with an ARS when claiming an exemption of owner-occupancy for properties that are owned as a revocable living trust. (Rent Board Regulation 503 (B).) WebProperty owners of rental housing in Berkeley are responsible for inspecting their units each year to ensure they meet housing safety standards.

The Berkeley Housing Authority (BHA) policy permits an owner/agent to receive one rent increase per year per unit, provided: (1) The request is supported by a rent reasonableness determination; (2) unit meets Housing Quality Standards (HQS); (3) The rent increase will be effective after the first year of the lease. Roommates should sign an agreement in advance that governs how the security deposit will be handled if one tenant moves out before the other(s).

More information on requesting an inspection can be found on the Housing Code Enforcement Inspection page. Get your complimentary copy of a recent issue of theBPOA Monthly below.

Consult with SLS if you have questions about whether a termination has just cause..

If there are any needed repairs, identify them on the checklist, keep a copy of the checklist, and also mail a copy of it to your landlord by certified mail for an additional record of the pre-existing problems at your unit. According to Civil Code Section 1950.5, a security deposit cannot be deemed non-refundable. Other important information to know about your security deposit: The rental agreement is crucial, as it specifies all the terms of agreement between you and the landlord. A landlord cannot refuse to rent to a tenant, or engage in any other type of discrimination, on the basis of group characteristics specified by law, which include: race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, marital status, national origin, ancestry, familial status, source of income, disability, medical condition, and personal characteristics. In legal terms, habitable means that a rental unit is fit for occupation by humans and substantially complies with state and local building and health codes that affect tenants health and safety. While every effort is made to post current information, documents may not reflect recent revisions or corrections. The RHSP also performs proactive inspections of randomly selected properties.

Ask landlord to approve the sublease by signing under a line titled Approved by Landlord at the end of the document. 227 0 obj <>stream

Step 2: Know the legal deductions a landlord can make.

Property owners of rental housing in Berkeley are responsible for inspecting their units each year to ensure they meet housing safety standards.

But there are also risks: If your lease is about to end and you would like to continue living there, tell your landlord BEFORE the end of the term. Watch a recording.

2023 Call a housing counselor at 510-981-7368 Ext. %%EOF If this IS the case and you want to remain in the unit, you must correct the problem before the third day.

In place of performing the yearly self-inspection you may request that the City conduct the inspection by completing an Owner Request for Inspection form. Berkeley Rent Board

You must either: pay the rent that is due, vacate within THREE days, or dispute the landlords unlawful detainer action in court if the amount of rent demanded is incorrect. Explore city services, report issues online, pay parking tickets, Explore news and events, adopt a pet, visit acity park or pool, Get vaccinatedfor COVID-19,report a crime,access homeless services, Apply for a permit,schedule an inspection, research zoningpolicies, Apply for a business license,get business assistance,find bid & proposal opportunities, Attend a City Councilor commissionmeeting, apply for jobs,look up City holidays. c.Effective date of proposed change Connect with us online, by phone, or in person. BHA will notify you and your tenant within 30 business days of receipt of a complete WebOnce the required information has been received, the rent reasonableness determination will begin. Request a housing counseling appointment here.

Discuss your plans with your landlord in advance, EVEN IF your rental agreement does not directly prohibit subleasing. Make sure you do this within the time permitted; otherwise, the landlord can file an unlawful detainer lawsuit to evict you. The landlord can only receive the higher rent for the remainder of the time you live there (i.e.

For additional information, check out the Department of Consumer Affairs, , such as hallways and outside areas. If specified in the agreement, or if the initial lease term has ended and is now a month-to-month lease, the landlord must give you at least 30 days notice prior to a rent increase if it is 10% or less (per California Civil Code Section 827(b)(2)). Phone: 510-452-4541, To track your ballot status visit: https://www.sos.ca.gov/elections/ballot-status/wheres-my-ballot. Smoking is not allowed in any multi-unit building with two or more units (i.e., apartments, co-ops, condominiums, common interest developments, etc.) All proposed rents must be reasonable and comparable to other unassisted rents of like properties in the neighborhood. Communication. hbbd```b``"WI["#I`0O 1`XA@qy5m6$i$a` I? BG BPOA is the grassroots trade association that represents rental housing providers in the city ofBerkeley.

1 Email a housing counselor at Learn more about our three different types of membership, their benefits and costs.

If the repairs require urgent attention, the tenant can notify their landlord orally, but should memorialize it in writing as soon as they can afterwards.

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2023 See the FAQ section below for a discussion of the consequences of an eviction. 2023 If no violations or deficiencies are observed, the inspector will close the case and issue a Certificate of Compliance. Owners of rental properties are also WebRent Board Email Lists; Unit Information Lookup; Rights & Responsibilities. But depending on market conditions, you may need to reduce the amount of rent you will ask your subtenant to pay. hb``f``ZAb,rw 1d)00=B@,`c`gzh,dx)qe^0[xc`zQ [w3rE hb```E ea0;(e""lz)L@u/j hi%X5'!y 'rq. So if your subtenant fails to pay rent or damages the unit, the landlord will expect you to pay the rent or the cost of repairing the damage.

For a 3-day notice: If your notice is a demand to pay rent, it should specify the amount of rent you owe. Understand that the subtenant has only the same rights and responsibilities as you do (for example, month to month rent or pet policy). A notice to BHA of any proposed change in the amount of the rent to the owner at least sixty days before the proposed changes are to go into effect. For information on early termination of your lease, refer to the tip sheet Terminating a Lease.