Many tenants in Los Angeles are living in unregistered units and do not even realize it. If you are living in a converted garage, a dwelling where one unit was turned into two, or some other ?unusual? property conversion, you are most likely living in an unregistered unit. Landlords are required to register EACH unit with the Los Angeles Housing Department. Thus, if a complex has 5 units, all 5 have to be registered for the landlord to be in compliance with the law.
- How To Determine If Your Unit Is Registered
Contact the Los Angeles Housing Department at 1-866-557-RENT.
If you discover that your unit is unregistered, then as a tenant, you do not have to pay rent! Under Los Angeles Municipal Code section 151 et seq., a Los Angeles landlord is not allowed to collect any rent from a tenant living in an unregistered unit. Additionally, you may be entitled to sue the landlord to get back any rent you may have paid while the unit was unregistered. Moreover, if you are evicted for nonpayment of rent–and it turns out that your unit was unregistered while you were living there–you may have a defense to eviction and the landlord may not be able to complete the unlawful detainer process.
- What To Do
If you discover that you have been living in an unregistered unit in the City of Los Angeles and/or to determine your eligibility for back rent, contact a tenants? rights attorney at Beverly Hills Law Corp., PC for a FREE consultation. Do it today.
Back To All News