What Are my Basic Rights As A Tenant?

​Your basic rights as a tenant can protect you from abusive treatment of landlords and other cases where something disrupts your quality of living.

1. Having A Habitable Home
   The house or apartment should be free from safety hazards such as bad wiring, water leaks from the ceiling, and rats and cockroach infestations. Read thoroughly into the contracts your landlords provided and see if they're tricking you into "waiving" this right from having a livable home.
   
   
2. Limits And Deadlines For Security Deposits
   Most states require landlords to have a deposit limit and the deadline by which it can be refunded once you move out or when the lease term has ended. Landlords may keep some of the deposit for repairs in case of property damage, cleaning, unpaid utility bills, and rent.
   
   
3. Anti-Discrimination Laws
   You must know landlords in the Anti-Discrimination Law, particularly under the Fair Housing Act, may not discriminate against their tenants or prospective tenants based on age, gender, race, religion, ethnicity, or disability. 
   
   
4. Getting Informed For Any Rent Increases Or Eviction Notices
   You and most tenants may have a budget allotted for rent, which can affect your finances if you haven't prepared enough budget for the rent increases. In cases of eviction notice, tenants must have time to move out of the house or apartment. Many states have required landlords to at least provide the number of days for eviction notice or notice for rent increases.
   
   
5. Right To Privacy
   Landlords should take privacy as a way to respect tenants in their personal space. They should always ask for your permission to access your apartment or house in case of repairs or give you notice beforehand.
   
   
6. Disclosure Of Application Requirement
   Through the Fair Credit Reporting Act, you have the right to know the reason why your application for renting the apartment was rejected. This may be due to the applicant's bad credit score, criminal convictions, or other lawsuit histories. However, the law didn't specify how detailed the landlord should disclose in rejecting your application.

Conclusion
Be informed and discuss your basic rights with your landlord, especially if you feel such rights are being violated or you're getting unfair treatment. If you're still checking houses or apartments to move in, ensure your basic rights as a tenant won't be disregarded in terms of contracts and compromise your living conditions.

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