California Rental Laws Carpet Replacement

California tenant rights to livable premises.

California rental laws carpet replacement.

All landlords are legally required to offer livable or habitable premises when they originally rent a unit in california and to maintain it in that condition throughout the rental term. According to state laws civil code 1941 1 and 1941 3 at minimum every rental must have. Landlords are obligated to make rental property safe and habitable. The landlord could properly charge only 200 for the two years worth of life use that would have remained if the tenant had not damaged the carpet.

Department of housing and urban development 451 7th street s w washington dc 20410 telephone. If the tenant vacates the apartment in any other condition the landlord can use a portion of the tenant s security deposit to cover the costs associated with having the rental unit cleaned. B as used in this section security means any payment fee deposit or charge including but not limited to any payment fee deposit or charge except as provided in section 1950 6 that is imposed at the beginning of the tenancy to be used to. Most disputes over security deposits come down to what constitutes normal wear and tear.

Under california landlord tenant guidelines a carpet s useful life. A this section applies to security for a rental agreement for residential property that is used as the dwelling of the tenant. Even if no damage to the rental property carpet has occurred age and normal wear eventually triggers the need for replacement. California law does not specify when landlords must replace carpeting in rental units.

If carpeting is moldy worn or very unsanitary it can pose a health risk. Civil code 1950 5 b 2. Carpet that is ripped or torn can cause you to fall and injure yourself. A landlord must replace carpet that poses these types of safety hazards.

It does clarify that worn or aged but otherwise undamaged carpet does not affect a property s habitability. For example suppose a tenant has damaged beyond repair an eight year old carpet that had a life expectancy of ten years and that a replacement carpet of similar quality would cost 1 000.