Knowing your rights is the first step to protecting your home. Our plain-language guides break down California tenant law — evictions, repairs, habitability, deposits, and the latest renter-protection laws — so you can understand where you stand and what to do next.
Free, easy-to-read guides written for renters — not lawyers. New guides are added regularly.
California requires heat, not cooling — but if AC came with your unit, they have to keep it working. LA County’s 82°F rule, your right to install your own, and the “new heat law” myth.
Read More EvictionsFor most tenants, the answer is no. The just-cause rule, why a lease ending isn’t a reason, the owner move-in loophole, and how to spot a “no reason” eviction that’s actually illegal.
Read More Mold & HealthVisible mold makes your rental legally substandard — and fixing it is the landlord’s job. The “black mold” myth, what you can recover, and your rights if the mold made you sick.
Read More Privacy & EntryYour landlord owes you 24 hours’ written notice — with only three real exceptions. When entry is legal, when it’s harassment, and the recording mistake that can backfire on tenants.
Read More Rent IncreasesYour 2026 rent cap explained — 5% plus inflation or 10%, the exemptions landlords misuse, the notice they owe you, and what to do if your increase is illegal.
Read More Know Your RightsA plain-language overview of the core protections every California renter has — from habitability to eviction rules — and how to use them.
Read More DepositsCalifornia’s 21-day rule, what a landlord can legally keep, the proof they need, and exactly what to do when your deposit isn’t returned.
Read More Law UpdatesRequired stoves and fridges, new disaster protections, electronic deposit refunds, and a Social Security eviction safety net — what changed this year and how it helps you.
Read More EvictionsStep by step, from the first notice to court to the sheriff — and the points where tenants have real rights and defenses.
Read More EmergenciesThe urgent steps to take, your right to get back into your home, and what a landlord may owe you for an illegal lockout.
Read More RepairsHow the remedy works, the strict limits most renters don’t know about, and safer ways to get serious repairs made.
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