Tenants' Rights Attorneys, Bracamontes & Vlasak, P.C.
Serving San Francisco, California, and the Bay Area
In California, you have a right to privacy in your home. The law allows a landlord to enter a rented residential property only in certain circumstances. Too often landlords ignore the law or do not understand it. If your landlord appears at your door unexpectedly, you do not have to let the landlord in (unless there is an emergency repair that needs to be performed).
If your landlord has entered your apartment without giving you 24 hours' written notice, or if you have been subjected to other forms of landlord harassment or tenants' rights violations, contact the law office of Bracamontes & Vlasak, P.C. at 415-835-6777. We can help you use the law to protect your privacy and rights.
Bracamontes & Vlasak, P.C. represents clients in San Francisco and surrounding communities. We provide legal services in a number of tenants' rights matters, including the following:
- Wrongful eviction: An affirmative action against your landlord can be filed before or after an unlawful detainer. In other words, you do not have to wait for your landlord to file an eviction lawsuit to enforce your rights. You may be able to file an affirmative lawsuit against your landlord in order to secure a safer, more sanitary, and peaceful tenancy.
- Rent ordinance violation: A tenant may be entitled to treble damages (triple the amount of actual damages), plus attorney's fees and costs, if the tenant can prove a rent ordinance violation in a matter involving a rent-controlled apartment. A landlord who continues to ask for a buyout after being refused may also be in violation of the San Francisco Rent Ordinance.
- Warranty of habitability: Every residential apartment is leased with an implied warranty of habitability. Breaches of the warranty of habitability include a lack of heat, hot water, electricity, operable windows, operable doors and locks, sanitary and safe common areas, and other necessities. Breaches also include leaking ceilings, toxic mold, carbon monoxide leaks, bed bugs, rodents, plumbing issues, etc. As a matter of law, landlords must provide these basic necessities to all residential units. Failure to do so may allow the tenant to withhold rent in certain circumstances. However, you should always consult an attorney prior to withholding rent because doing so could put your tenancy at risk.
- Decrease in services: Sometimes improperly used in lieu of a rent increase; for example, if a landlord takes away your parking or on-site laundry, you would be entitled to a corresponding decrease in rent.
- Excessive late charges: These are often improperly levied on rent payments.
- HIV/AIDS or sexual orientation discrimination in housing: Turning a prospective renter down or harassing a renter for HIV/AIDS or sexual orientation is unlawful in most cases.
Schedule a confidential discussion of your circumstances with an experienced tenants' rights lawyer at 415-835-6777. You can also contact us by e-mail.
We accept Visa, MasterCard and American Express.
Bracamontes & Vlasak, P.C.
220 Montgomery Street, Suite 870
San Francisco, CA 94104
Phone: 415-835-6777
Fax: 415-835-6780
Map and Directions
Bracamontes & Vlasak, P.C. serves San Francisco, San Rafael, Walnut Creek, Oakland, Berkeley, San Jose, Palo Alto and Mountain View. We also serve other communities in San Francisco County, Alameda County, Contra Costa County, Marin County, San Mateo County, Santa Clara County, Stanislaus County and San Joaquin County and San Francisco Bay, East Bay and South Bay of California.
