"I am convinced that teaching people the basics of our legal system will lead to more community involvement, which will in turn benefit not just the students, but their children and their entire community."
--Amanda DuBois
Civil Survival E-Learning
Types of Tenancy
Remember that the laws about landlords and tenants are often different from one state to the next. This activity asks you to look around at states and cities and see what some of the differences are.
Because the laws are often different, and because the Web sites you choose are also different, you may not be able to answer all of these questions. That’s okay! You’ll probably find some answers to questions we hadn’t even thought of. That’s good, because then you can tell another person what’s new to you, and find out something new from that person. Sample Web sites for different states include:
• www.safe.montana.edu. The first letters in this Web site stand for Students Advocates for Financial Education. Posted on the site is a sample rental agreement, or lease.
Maybe you want to learn about rental rules for Tennessee or Idaho. Be sure to choose your source for information carefully. The endings to the basic part of the four Web sites listed above tell us that they are education (.edu), government (.gov), state (.ny.us), or nonprofit organization (.org) sites. The information on these sites is more likely to be nonbiased and accurate.
Explore, Dig Deeper, Debate 1. List several landlord responsibilities that should be clearly written down in a rental lease agreement.
2. What are some things you should get in writing even before you sign a lease?
3. Does your state require a written lease?
4. Does your state have additional rules about discrimination?
5. What does your state say about whether a landlord can change any part of the rules for his or her area?
6. What is the most common form of tenancy in your state?
7. Does your state require a notarized signature (witnessed by an authorized person) for some rental situations?
8. Compare what rules govern types of tenancy in your state with what another person in your group has learned. If you are working alone, talk with a friend or family member.
9. Decide where you would prefer to live and explain why.
10. Do you think one state has rules that are better for tenants? What reasons do you have for that opinion?
