Stay up to date on required filings, deadlines, and legal obligations for rental housing providers under local ordinances, California law, and federal regulations. This category includes Rent Board registration rules, annual fee notices, security deposit interest, new legislation, and compliance with laws like the ADA and Fair Housing Act.
Buying a Berkeley rental property with tenants already in place? Learn what to review before closing, including tenancy records, Rent Board files, security deposits, rental agreements, property status, required notices, and other obligations you may inherit. Continue Reading
Understand Berkeley’s utility billing rules for fully-covered units, including shared meters, RUBS, individually metered utilities, and how the rules differ based on when the tenancy began. Continue Reading
Berkeley’s just-cause rules can be complicated—especially when a tenant has a fixed-term lease. Learn how coverage, at-fault and no-fault evictions, lease terms, and state law work together before you serve a termination notice. Continue Reading
When bedrooms are rented separately, can management enter shared interior spaces without notice? Learn how California’s landlord-entry rules apply to room-by-room rentals and what housing providers should consider before scheduling showings. Continue Reading
Learn what to ask before hiring a property manager, from fees and maintenance practices to reporting, communication, Berkeley compliance, and who will actually be keeping an eye on your property. Continue Reading
Understand when an Owner Move-In eviction may be used in Berkeley, who qualifies, tenant protections, relocation requirements, required filings, and the owner's ongoing obligations after the tenant moves out. Continue Reading
When a tenant offers to pay for new flooring or another modification, don’t agree casually. First, determine whether it is a required repair or voluntary upgrade, then protect the property with an MOU covering contractors, permits, costs, relocation, and restoration. Continue Reading
Understanding repair disruptions, rent credits, Rent Board petitions, and Berkeley’s Relocation Ordinance Continue Reading
Smoking has been prohibited in Berkeley Multi-Unit Housing since 2014. Learn who must comply with the Smoke-Free Housing Ordinance, where smoking is prohibited, what signage and lease language are required, and download BPOA's ordinance-compliant smoke-free signs. Continue Reading
Holding title in a revocable living trust does not automatically affect your eligibility for a Berkeley owner-occupancy exemption. However, owners claiming an exemption through a revocable living trust must submit additional documentation to establish their eligibility. Continue Reading
Not every additional occupant supports a rent increase. Learn when Berkeley landlords may petition for a 10% upward adjustment of the lawful rent ceiling, which family members are exempt, and why occupancy changes matter. Continue Reading
Playback of attorney Clifford Fried's June 11, 2026, webinar on nuisance tenants. Learn about Notices to Cease, documentation practices, curable versus ongoing violations, evidentiary considerations, and when nuisance activity may justify termination of tenancy. Continue Reading
