Pass it on . . . Doing Something Good for Newtown

Yesterday, I noticed on my Facebook friend hat Dan Schwartz, a long time lawyer friend in Connecticut had put up a post about collecting some gift cards.  His law firm has employees that live in Newtown, CT and while none were directly affected, clearly all know people who were.  I shared the post on my personal page and put up a little something on the Tanowitz Law Office, P.C. facebook page. 

This morning, Dan posted this on his blog and I thought it worthwhile to post one more thing about this project.  So check it out and pass it on, if you'd like.

Commercial Landlord's Repair Obligations

     Here is an interesting blog post, by my Attorney Joel Sowalsky about commercial landlords and their obligation to repair. Commercial landlords are different than those of residential landlords.  If you are a residential landlord, your tenants cannot waive your obligation to repair and requiring them to do so, violates the consumer protection act.. 

Welcome to Kim Alley, our newest addition to Tanowitz Law!

  This post and announcement is well overdue.  I am pleased to announce that Kimberly Alley joined Tanowitz Law Office, P.C. in August as of counsel.  Kim has been practicing for nearly two decades.  In addition to handling commercial, civil litigation cases, Kim also handles employment matters, both counseling and disputes, personal injury cases and criminal matters.  You can see her full biography on our website.

    

Hurricane Sandy and Repairs

     Massachusetts came through Hurricane Sandy relatively unscathed in comparison to New York and New Jersey.  However, many people have sustained damage and need repairs.  Contractors in Massachusetts who are performing renovations on one to four family homes must be registered with the Office of Consumer Affairs under Mass.Gen.L. ch. 142A  In a post I wrote earlier this year, I discussed how to select a contractor.  As I detailed there, you should check references, check the Office of Consumer Affairs website and the Department of Public Safety for the contractor's licenses.  The law requires that contractors follow a number of rules regarding payment, requirements in your contract and that the work must be performed according to the Massachusetts Building Code.

    Once you find a contractor you want to hire, make sure that your contract clearly states the work to be performed, the materials to be used, the payment schedule and provisions for termination.  You should seriously consider having a lawyer take a look at the contract.  While it will cost you money up front, the cost of a few hours of a lawyer's time to review the contract up front is very small in comparison to what you will spend if you have to litigate the matter.

   

How to Be a Good Renter

Boston.com posted another interesting article last week about what landlords should look for in a tenant and how to be a good renter.  The article, posted by Rona Fischman, gives an insider's perspective on what landlords like and how renters, in a very competitive market, can differentiate themselves from competitors.

What landlords should look for in a tenant and how to be a good renter - Boston.com

Our firm is hosting a free seminar on Wednesday, July 25th at 7:00 p.m. to discuss these and other tips and tricks for the landlord.  Please join us!  The link to our event site is below.  We hope to see you there.

Tanowitz Law Seminar: Landlord Missteps That Will Cost You Money

Can a Landlord charge an Application Fee?

We had a full house for our seminar for residential landlords last night. One of the people attending asked me if she could charge an application fee. My instinct said no, but I promised her I'd look into it. And so I did and I stand by my initial statement. A landlord cannot collect a fee for an application or a credit check. Section 15B of Chapter 186 provides that a landlord can only collect the first and last months' rent, a security deposit and a fee to change the lock. No other fees are permissible. You cannot disguise the fee by calling it a credit fee or anything else. When you need to rent a unit, make sure you factor in the cost to find tenants as you set the rent.

Residential Landlord Seminar Tonight

Do not forget we are offering a FREE seminar on how to navigate the perils of the landlord/tenant relationship in Massachusetts tonight at 7:00 p.m.  We still have a few spots left, so please sign up and join us!

Be A Smart Residential Landlord: How to Make Money and Avoid Legal Trouble