Rental law questions

Every answer here is a direct link to the government guide or law that decides it, so what you read is the source itself. Bundesen Property Management doesn't interpret the law or give legal advice.

If a source is hard to read, or you cannot find what you need, call 707-762-7777 or email rentals@bundesen.com and we will point you to the right official source. We cannot interpret it or give legal advice.

Applying and signing a lease 15

Can a fee be charged for a rental application?
What happens when an application is turned down over a credit report?
Can an applicant be turned away for paying with a housing voucher?
What has to be disclosed before a lease is signed?
What's the difference between a fixed-term lease and a month-to-month agreement?
Can a screening fee be charged when no rental is available?
Does paying a screening fee come with a receipt or a copy of the report?
How do holding deposits work before a lease is signed?
Does information about flood risk come with a rental agreement?
Is renting a room inside someone's home the same as renting a whole house?
  • California's landlord and tenant guide: its opening chapter covers who counts as a landlord or a tenant, with a section on lodgers, hotel and motel stays, residential hotels, and transitional housing.
  • Civil Code §1946.5: the section covering a lodger who rents a room in a home the owner lives in.
How does a criminal record factor into a rental application?
What rules cover companies that charge a fee for rental listings?
What happens when a rental agreement is negotiated in a language other than English?
Does a rental agreement have to be in writing?
Can smoking be restricted in a rental home?
  • Civil Code §1947.5: the section on no-smoking policies in residential rentals and how they reach an existing tenancy.
  • Civil Code §827: the general law on changing the terms of a periodic tenancy.

Rent and payments 13

Is there a statewide limit on rent increases?
What notice comes before a rent increase?
Can a late fee be charged when rent is paid late?
Can rent be required in cash, or paid electronically?
  • Civil Code §1947.3: California's law on payment forms, third-party payments, and dishonored checks.
Which homes are exempt from the statewide rent-increase limit?
What happens when a rent check bounces?
  • Civil Code §1947.3: the payment-forms law, including its cash-payment rules after a dishonored check.
  • Civil Code §1719: the section on service charges for a check returned for insufficient funds.
Can on-time rent payments count toward a credit history?
What rent rules apply to mobilehome parks in Petaluma or Sonoma?
How does it work when water is billed separately from rent?
What happens when internet service is bundled into a rental?
  • Civil Code §1942.8: the section on third-party internet subscriptions offered in connection with a tenancy.
What happens when one utility meter serves more than one home?
What rules apply to rent increases after a declared emergency such as a wildfire?
What happens when only part of the rent is paid?

Security deposits 7

Is there a limit on the size of a security deposit?
When does a security deposit come back after moving out?
What can be deducted from a security deposit?
Can there be a walkthrough inspection before move-out?
Where do security-deposit disputes get decided?
What documentation comes with deposit deductions?
Is last month's rent treated the same as a security deposit?

Repairs, safety, and entry 19

What counts as a livable rental home under the law?
What can be done when needed repairs aren't happening?
When can a landlord enter an occupied home?
What happens when there is mold in a rental home?
Who takes care of smoke alarms and carbon monoxide alarms in a rental?
Does a rental home come with a refrigerator or other appliances?
  • Civil Code §1941.1: the state's habitability list, in the law's own words. Its stove and refrigerator paragraphs cover leases entered into, amended, or extended on or after January 1, 2026, along with their exceptions.
  • California's landlord and tenant guide: its repairs chapter discusses other appliances such as washing machines. It was written before the 2026 stove and refrigerator paragraphs above.
Who takes care of a broken appliance that came with the home?
  • Civil Code §1941.1: the state's habitability list. Its 2026 stove and refrigerator paragraphs describe keeping those appliances in good working order.
  • California's landlord and tenant guide: its section on responsibility for other kinds of repairs covers other appliances supplied with a rental.
What happens when an amenity like a washer or parking spot is taken away?
Can the home be shown to buyers or new renters while someone still lives there?
Can locks be changed or utilities shut off to force a move-out?
What protections exist after someone reports a problem or exercises a right?
What protections cover threats to report someone's immigration status?
Are balconies, decks, and stairways subject to required inspections?
What rules apply to renovations that might disturb lead paint?
What notice comes before a pest control treatment at a rental?
What rules apply to towing a vehicle from a rental property?
  • Vehicle Code §22658: the section on removing vehicles from private property, with provisions written for residential rentals.
Can a resident install an electric-vehicle charging station?
Do water-conservation standards apply to plumbing fixtures in a rental?
  • Civil Code §1101.5: the water-conserving fixture section for multifamily and commercial property.
  • Civil Code §1101.4: the single-family counterpart, tied to building alterations and improvements.
What happens when bed bugs turn up in a rental?

Fair housing and equal treatment 12

Which kinds of housing discrimination are against the law?
How is a housing-discrimination complaint filed?
What are the rules for service and support animals?
Can pet rent or a pet deposit be charged for an assistance animal?
How do disability-related accommodations or home modifications work?
What rules cover rental advertising and the questions applicants can be asked?
Are families with children protected in renting?
Can military orders end a lease early?
Can a survivor of domestic violence or abuse end a lease early?
What counts as sexual harassment in housing?
Can a licensed family child care home operate in a rental?
Can locks be changed after abuse, violence, or a restraining order?
  • Civil Code §1941.5: the section on lock changes for a tenant affected by abuse or violence.
  • Civil Code §1941.6: the companion section for when the restrained person lives in the same home.

Moving out, notices, and eviction 16

What happens after an eviction notice or court papers arrive?often time-sensitive
What notice ends a month-to-month tenancy?
When is a specific reason needed to end a tenancy?
What happens when a renter moves out before a fixed-term lease ends?
What happens to a lease and deposit when the property is sold?
Can an owner end a tenancy to move in themselves or to remodel?
When a tenancy ends through no fault of the tenant, does relocation assistance apply?
What happens to belongings left behind after a move-out?
Where are the official court forms for an eviction case?
What extra notices apply to rentals inside Petaluma city limits?
What happens to a lease when the rental home is destroyed by a fire or other disaster?
  • Civil Code §1933: the general law on how the hiring of property comes to an end, including destruction.
  • Civil Code §1932: the companion section on ending a hiring before the end of the agreed term.
What happens to a tenancy when the property goes through foreclosure?
Who can see the court file in an eviction case?
What happens to a rental agreement when the tenant dies?
What happens to renters when a building is converted to condominiums?
What notice do renters get when an owner applies to demolish a building?

Local rules and getting help 21

Do Petaluma's tenant protections cover a particular rental?
Where can someone get free or low-cost help with a housing problem?
Who runs the housing voucher program in Sonoma County?
Where are the rental rules for nearby cities and Sonoma County?
Do rentals in unincorporated Marin County have their own protections?
Is there a mediation program for larger rent increases in Marin?
Does Novato have its own tenant protections?
Where are San Rafael's rental rules?
Does Fairfax have its own rent limits or eviction rules?
Who runs the housing voucher program in Marin County?
Who runs the housing voucher program in Vacaville and Solano County?
Where are the rental rules and local help for Vacaville and Solano County?
Can a rented home be listed as a short-term or vacation rental?
How are Petaluma's rental rules enforced?
Do homes outside city limits have their own tenant protections?
Where does official evacuation and disaster-recovery information for Sonoma County come from?
Does managing a rental for an owner call for a real estate license?
Does renting out a home in Petaluma call for a business license?
Is there a way to settle a landlord-tenant disagreement without going to court?
Is there help with court fees for someone who can't afford them?
Can a renter invite someone in to talk about tenant rights?

About these links. Links checked August 12, 2026. This page locates published laws, government guides, forms, and agency contacts for common rental questions. Guide links are the publishing government's own explanation of the law, not ours; each is paired with the official text it explains. The page does not provide legal advice, summarize a legal rule, or evaluate a situation. Read the linked material for its published text. Consult a qualified California attorney for advice about a specific situation.

Back to top

Keeping up with all of this yourself? We manage rental homes across the North Bay, with full property management or tenant placement. See Owner Services.