Tenants often come together to form a group or tenant association / organization made up of people living, either in a certain building or development, or else a larger scale membership involves those belonging to a county or citywide local tenants’ association. These associations are formed keeping a number of goals in mind, including:

Ensuring tenants are informed and up-to-date on their legal rights under local, state, and federal laws.
Organising lobbies for taking up cudgels on behalf of tenants and their rights, especially at city and county levels of government.
As well, for improving the relationship between tenants and landlords, the conditions of rental buildings, and services for tenants.
Tenant organisations also encourage regular communication and community awareness among tenants.

Right to Organize

Usually, periodic meetings are held by tenant associations in order to encourage active tenant participation, and for promoting awareness amongst tenants of the role played by the association and the services provided.

Just as, employees who join a labour union cannot be stopped or discriminated against for doing so, similarly federal and state fair housing laws prohibit landlords from taking any negative action, in case a tenant participates or obtains membership in a tenant association or similar organization. Prohibited landlord behaviour includes:

Random increases in rent;
Necessary repairs refusal;
Eviction threats.
In addition, landlords cannot prevent tenant associations from holding meetings in a building’s common areas, if other groups are permitted to do so, so long as meeting conditions (i.e. time, place, noise level) are reasonable.

Get Involved

If, you are a tenant in a large residential building or development, or if you rent your home in a mid- to large-size city, why not take the opportunity of getting involved in a tenant association or organization. You can find out more about it by contacting your city’s housing department.

That apart, landlords should make themselves cognisant with all rules and regulations before drafting a lease, and must take all necessary precautions, such as, screening tenants and conducting background checks on prospective tenants, including ensuring all promises in the rental lease are adhered to, as their insurance for a litigation free landlord / tenant relationship. A simple click of the mouse and one can visit www.e-renter.com for tenant screening and background check services