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8 Common Questions a Landlord Should be Prepared to Answer

Dustin Edwards • October 20, 2021

Give Your Tenants Confidence with Essential Information

Common Tenant Questions
When new tenants move in, chances are they may have several questions for their landlord. While some of these questions are obvious, there are others that landlords may not consider ahead of time. These questions can catch landlords off guard, as they may not have a prepared answer on the tip of their tongue. 

To help remedy this disconnect, here are eight questions new tenants may ask about your Long Beach rental, and sufficient ways to answer them. 

“Is the security deposit refundable?” 
California rental agreements cannot specify that a security deposit is non-refundable. As such, landlords have twenty-one days after a tenant moves out to either return the security deposit in full or provide a written letter explaining to the tenant why they are keeping the security deposit (such as unpaid rent or repairs). However, the security deposit can only go toward repairs on damages caused by the tenants, not repairs on accidental damages or general wear and tear. 

For more information surrounding security deposits, we invite you to check out the California Courts website. 

“When is rent due?” 
For first-time tenants who are unfamiliar with rental properties, this is a perfectly natural question. While the answer will differ from landlord to landlord, most California rental agreements stipulate that rent is due on the first of the month or within the first five days of the month. 

“Are there periods where the rent doesn’t go up?”
In Long Beach landlords can only raise rent once a year. Thus, your tenants will only face rental increases annually (or less depending on your personal discretion). 

Effectively raising rent can be tricky for a landlord, but understanding the legality behind it can alleviate the process. Keep in mind there are limits on the amount that rent can be raised in Long Beach.  You may read state law AB-1482 for additional details on how the rental increase may be handled.  Long Beach has interpreted this law to cap rental increases at a maximum of 8.6%.

“What is included in the rent?” 
Typically, rent includes water, sewer, and trash services, parking, and extra amenities (such as pool or gym fees for an apartment complex). Sometimes, water, sewer, and/or trash services will be billed to your tenants separately by the provider. Additionally, electricity, natural gas, internet, and cable TV services are not included in rent and will be billed to your tenants separately by the provider. 

Rent also does not usually include renter’s insurance or furnishings (unless your Long Beach rental is a furnished apartment).

That being said, all these factors are specific to your property and, as such, you will need to provide a complete and thorough outline of what is included in your rent. 

“What happens if I can’t pay my rent?”
In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, California Governor Gavin Newsom signed an eviction moratorium currently in effect until September 30, 2021. Therefore, California law protects tenants from eviction until the aforementioned date, if they provide their landlord with a signed declaration within fifteen days of receiving a rental notice and pay 25% of all rent due from September 2020 through September 2021 by September 30, 2021. 

Once that day rolls around, landlords can sue tenants who owe any unpaid rent. To combat this, tenants can apply to the CA COVID-19 Rent Relief, which may cover 100% of past-due rent. This protection lasts until March 31, 2022. Landlords cannot evict tenants who have applied to the CA COVID-19 Rent Relief and are awaiting a response. 

For more information surrounding California eviction protections regarding the COVID-19 pandemic, we invite you to check out the California COVID-19 resource website. 

Prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, landlords needed to provide tenants with a three-day notice to pay rent. If tenants did not pay rent within those three days, then landlords could file an eviction lawsuit. 

Following eviction, the tenant’s security deposit could cover unpaid rent. 

“How long is the lease term?”
In California, standard lease terms cannot be longer than one year and can be as short as six months or even thirty days. The terms of the lease should be outlined in writing to remove any chance of he said, she said disputes. 

Lease terms can be longer than one year if tenants and landlords reach an agreement in writing. 

“Should I give notice if I am going on vacation?”
For any vacation, tenants should alert their landlord of an impending absence. That way, the landlord is aware that their property is vacant and they can periodically check on it. 

Depending on the details of the lease, landlords may require their tenants to pay their rent early for a vacation that spans a month or longer.

“Is a pet deposit required?” 
Pet deposits are a legal additional security deposit in California that can protect your Long Beach rental from any damages caused specifically by tenants’ pets. 

The price of pet deposits can vary based on the tenants’ amount of pets, their breeds, their sizes, etc. Prices may be higher for certain breeds that are more active or prone to destructive behavior. 

Similar to security deposits, pet deposits are refundable and can be returned to tenants in the same way as security deposits. 
 
These are just some of the many questions tenants may ask when moving into your Long Beach rental. If you would like to discuss further questions tenants may ask and the best ways to approach them, we invite you to call us today at (562) 888-0247, or you can fill out our Owner Application online. 

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By Dustin Edwards • January 17, 2025
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Best 3 Things To Do During Tenant Communication

By Dustin Edwards • January 10, 2025
Having clear communication with your tenant is essential for maintaining a healthy landlord-tenant relationship. By being transparent in all relevant interactions, landlords can prevent misunderstandings while resolving repairs and disputes efficiently while improving tenant satisfaction. Having good communication with your tenant is beneficial for landlords too. Effective communication also protects your investment property. Remember that while your tenant is living in the property, landlords need to take care of the repairs. Below are the three best things to do during tenant communications. Prompt Responses Addressing tenant concerns quickly is essential for building trust and maintaining a positive relationship. Tenants feel valued when landlords respond quickly, knowing that their needs are being prioritized. Building this trust not only enhances your tenant’s satisfaction it lowers the possibility of conflicts or misunderstandings to arise. This ultimately creates a healthy and successful rental experience for you and your tenant. Some of the most common inquiries will oftentimes include repair requests, among others. As an example; if your tenant reports a leak under their faucet and the repair is delayed, this can be damaging to your landlord-tenant relationship, as well as your property. If left ignored, that leak can result in hundreds of dollars in water damage and a vacancy . Which can further affect our bottom line negatively. For landlords with multiple properties, this can become difficult to keep track of. A property manager can help with scheduling repairs and communicating with your tenant on your behalf. Document Everything Keeping a detailed record of all interactions with your tenant is an important element when managing a property. There are many choices for documentation including email, text, or written notices. Although many property management companies and landlords have opted to use apps or dedicated tenant portals to log communications. A great example, for instance, a tenant may claim they’d reported a repair issue that was never addressed, if everything is to be documented, both you and the tenant would have a copy of the request. Maintaining transparency with tenants. Having thorough documentation ensures agreements and requests between all parties are clearly tracked. Documenting communications with your tenant provides landlords with a foundation for addressing misunderstandings, or disputes if and when they arise. Provide Regular Updates Regular updates show tenants that their landlord is organized and has an attentive approach to managing their property. Giving tenants ample time for maintenance, inspections or policy changes is a simple way to build trust with your tenants while showing your professionalism. Giving tenants advanced notices reassures them that you’re aware of how changes can affect them and you understand that time might be needed in order to adjust. Surprises are best kept for birthday parties. Proactively notifying tenants of changes helps clear the communication channels and minimizes disruptions which helps tenants feel valued and satisfied. These small yet consistent efforts can contribute to a positive tenant stay, which can encourage lease renewals and long-term tenancy. Additionally, having a good relationship with your tenants can give you a great reputation which can provide you with leads when looking to fill a vacancy . It cannot be understated the importance of communication for a healthy landlord-tenant relationship. Even if your tenant may not agree with some of the decisions a landlord needs to make, by giving your tenants ample time to process the change tenants generally are more accepting of said change. If you’re having trouble communicating with your tenants or if you need help managing Beach City rental property, we invite you to call us today at (562) 888-0247 or complete our Owner Application online .

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