New Laws or Regulations

• Effective 5 February, 1998 every single family home, duplex, apartment building, townhouse or condominium in the City of Los Angeles that is sold, MUST within one (1) year of the close of escrow, or in connection with any alternation or addition valued at $10,000 or more for which a building permit for the work is first issued on or after 10 January, 1998, have installed a seismic gas shutoff valve for all the gas piping serving that building.

  The cost to do this is about $300.00 and can be done by the Gas company as well as independent contractors. Please contact me for further information.

• New Landlord-Tenant Laws for 2003.

  A. 60-Day Termination Notice

  Effective January 1, 2003 until January 1, 2006, a landlord must provide a month-to-month periodic tenant with an additional 30 days notice to terminate the tenancy if the tenant has lived in the dwelling for one year or more. Thus, the notice requirement is now a total of 60 days, instead of 30 days.

  B. Landlord's Entry to Premises

  Effective January 1, 2003, landlords must give written notice when entering for certain reasons. Under existing law, a landlord may enter the dwelling unit in the following situation:

  1. In case of emergency.

  2. To make necessary or agreed repairs, decorations, alterations, or                          improvements, supply necessary or agreed services, or exhibit the dwelling unit prospective or actual purchasers, mortgages, tenants, workmen, or contractors.

  C. Move-Out Inspection Rights

  Effective January 1, 2003, tenants have the right to request an inspection of the premises before they move out.

  D. New Definition for Security Deposit

  Effective January 1, 2003, there is a new definition for a "security deposit." A "security" used to be defined as any payment, fee, deposit or charge, including those imposed as an advance payment of rent. Under the new law, a security deposit also includes any charges imposed at the beginning of the tenancy to reimburse the landlord for costs associated with processing a new tenant, other than application screening fees.

  E. New Cleanliness Standard

  For all tenancies beginning after January 1, 2003, a landlord incurring cost to clean the premises after a tenant moves out, may only deduct from the security deposit the cleaning cost "necessary to return the unit to the same level of cleanliness it was at the inception of the tenancy." For tenancies that began January 1, 2003 or earlier, the cleaning standard is more generally stated; that is, the landlord can deduct from the security deposit "the cleaning of the premises upon termination of the tenancy."

  F. Bad Faith Claims of Security Deposits

  Under the previous law, a landlord who acted in bad faith in claiming or retaining a security deposit was subject to statutory damages up to $600, plus actual damages. Effective January 1, 2003,  this statutory penalty will be changed from $600 to twice the amount of the security deposit, plus actual damages.