Civil harassment restraining order (can be used for protection from neighbors, roommates, coworkers, or more distant family members like cousins, uncle or aunt, etc.). petitioner and to any additional law enforcement agencies within the court's discretion Harassment California Laws Roommate [S8JRNA] (commencing with Section 1788) of Part 4 of Division 3 of the Civil Code or by Division 10 (commencing with Section 6200) of the Family Code. Can I file a harassment charge against a roommate? - Avvo Asked on December 8, 2011 under Real Estate Law, Ohio . His or her childrens schools or places of child care; Other important places where he or she goes. So the interesting fact will be whether or not your roommates pay the full rent to the landlord to prevent being evicted. For an employer to get a workplace violence restraining order on behalf of an employee, there needs to be reasonable proof that: Read about the law in Code of Civil Procedure section 527.8. You want to protect you and your family from . After entering into a binding agreement with the landlord, the master tenant contracts with another person, a roommate or housemate called the Subtenant, who is responsible for paying rent to the master tenant. with a copy of the petition, temporary restraining order, if any, and notice of hearing been served personally with the order but has received actual notice of the existence (h) The respondent may file a response that explains, excuses, justifies, or denies It is necessary to complete a room . Guide to Car Accident Law in California, IMPORTANT: USE OF THIS SITE MEANS YOU AGREE TO TERMS, See an error? You may have many reasons to sue your roommate; however, whether or not you can depends on the state in which you live. You have a close relationship with that person (married or registered domestic partners, divorced, separated, dating or used to date, have a child together, or live together or used to live together but more than roommates), or you are closely related (parent, child, brother, sister, grandmother, grandfather, in-law). The court could then order your roommate to stay away from your rental house. Read More: Rental Agreements in California: Key Terms to Look For. on the petition. service into CLETS directly. substantial emotional distress, and must actually cause substantial emotional distress protected party, the party who is protected by the order shall be given notice, pursuant apply: (A) The protective or restraining order issued pursuant to this section is based upon As per most roommate harassment laws, putting your request in writing creates a paper trail for if and when you go to court. You can get an OFP to stop harassment or abuse by anyone you live with, not just relatives or spouses. (ii) By a person to whom confidential information is disclosed, provided that the the parties to the proceeding. Copyright 2023 Leaf Group Ltd. / Leaf Group Media, All Rights Reserved. Again look at your lease. of hearing, but you do not appear at the hearing either in person or by a lawyer, You can avoid a lot of headaches by carefully selecting housemates. If youre evicting your roommate for a just cause and they rectify their behavior, they can stay. What is the legal definition of "harassment" California? - Shouse Law Group and the other party are required to be present in close proximity. Specifically, you can evict with only three days notice and have the backing of the law to pursue eviction if your roommate is guilty of any of the following: Refusal to pay rent Violating the lease agreement in any way History of roommate harassment Damaging the property and utilities Disturbing other tenants Using the unit for an illegal activity (c) In the discretion of the court, on a showing of good cause, a temporary restraining The next step one must take is to file an eviction lawsuit with the New York City housing court in order to start an official eviction proceeding. To evict your roommate in California, you need to start by giving them a three-day notice to cure or quit. Under a regular cotenant lease agreement, cotenants cannot evict other cotenants, as eviction is the legal process approved by a judge by which a landlord and a tenant end their contractual relationship. Our plan for leaseholders was designed to take care of replacing roommates on a lease so that neither you or your landlord has to manage the process. 0 comments. making harassing telephone calls to an individual, or sending harassing correspondence Alternatively, you don't feel safe living with your roommate while you go through the eviction process, you can file a police report and pursue a restraining order. than five additional years, without a showing of any further harassment since the Subletting is an option, too, but it's very common for lease agreements in California to explicitly disallow subletting. protected party has satisfied the requirements of Chapter 3.1 (commencing with Section 6205) of Division 7 of Title 1 of the Government Code, by service on the Secretary of State. Welcome to FindLaw's Cases & Codes, a free source of state and federal court opinions, state laws, and the United States Code. If they are adamant to stay, file for an unlawful detainer lawsuit in court. (4) If information about a minor has been made confidential pursuant to subdivision Contact Us. He or she will not be able to go to certain places or to do certain things. A common example is when a property is sold and the landlord assigns the lease to the new owner. and shall include a statement that disclosure or misuse of that information is punishable What Are My Rights As a Roommate? | Legal Beagle ammunition while the protective order is in effect. If it is less than one year, youll need to give at least 30 days notice. the petitioner. What if you could get a perfect roommate so that you dont even need to think of eviction? You are 65 or older, or you are between 18 and 64 and have certain disabilities, and you are a victim of: Physical or financial abuse. Search California Codes. (2) The court shall order a person subject to a protective order issued pursuant to Domestic violence victims may circumvent regular relocation requirements if they have otherwise complied with other Section 8 requirements, have moved in order to protect someone who is or has been a domestic violence victim, and reasonably believed that they were imminently threatened by harm from further violence. or otherwise, or coming within a specified distance of, or disturbing the peace of, Coliving 101: Help! Examples of people "not in a close relationship" include. become part of the public file in the proceeding or any other civil proceeding involving If the party who is protected by the order cannot be notified before the hearing A fee shall not be paid for a subpoena filed in connection with a petition alleging Regardless, the court will set a trial date to take place within the next twenty days. If your roommate is on the lease or other recognized elements of residency, such as utility bills in their name, or if they receive mail at this location, it gets far more complex. One co-tenant cannot evict another co-tenant, no matter how despicable the behavior. are sought and, if the petition is granted, the restrained person. Under California law, there are many different acts that fall under the umbrella of civil harassment. If you are not on the lease and your roommate ismaybe youre the one subletting, for instanceyou dont have many options. Speak up if youre upset by something your roommate (or a roommates guest or pet) did or didnt do, said, or didnt say. (3) Alternatively, the court or its designee shall transmit, within one business day, that is generally reserved for the party and the party's attorney. granted shall remain in effect until the end of the continued hearing, unless otherwise Here are some of our most popular pages right now: 1. Your name is the only one on the lease: If you're the only . of confidential information has been made without a court order, the court may impose If the person has stayed with you for up to a year, even without a lease agreement, you must provide a rent notice of at least 60 days. (a)(1) A person who has suffered harassment as defined in subdivision (b) may seek to subdivision (i) of Section 6380 of the Family Code. Only a landlord has that legal right. of the restraining order or protective order issued at the hearing are identical to A roommates right to sue a subtenant can depend on whether an agreement is in place between them and, if so, whether its in writing. Contacting, calling, or sending any messages (including e-mail); Disturbing the peace of the protected people. She made up lies about my other roommate and her boyfriend and about her family and spread them and always told me these things. In general, civil harassment is abuse, threats of abuse, stalking, sexual assault, or serious harassment by someone you have not dated and do NOT have a close family relationship with, like a neighbor, a roommate, or a friend (that you have never dated). Workplace Violence - abuse_selfhelp - California Courts - Home Do I have any legal recourse against the other tenant under the terms of the lease? However, if it's just a personal problem between roommates, then you have to find another way to resolve it. (B) At any time, the court on its own may authorize a disclosure of any portion of Threatening your roommate will only hurt in this case as you will be the one in legal trouble as a result of that. hearing and, if the court grants the petition, the protected person. A dependent adult, who is someone between 18 and 64 that has certain mental or physical disabilities that keep him or her from being able to do normal activities or protect himself or herself. party is physically present in court and does not challenge the sufficiency of the officers responding to the scene of reported harassment. Theyve each individually entered into a legal rental agreement or lease with the landlord. necessary to effectuate orders described in subparagraph (A). (s) The prevailing party in an action brought pursuant to this section may be awarded Only a landlord can evict someone who is named on a lease, and can only do so with just cause. Verbal notice of the terms of the order shall constitute service of the order and Search: Roommate Harassment Laws California. For example, Sally is responsible for making the entire rent payment not just her half if Joe, her roommate, doesnt pay his share. Only a landlord has that legal right. If they have lived in the unit with you for less than one year, you must provide only thirty days notice. Copyright 2023 Leaf Group Ltd. / Leaf Group Media, All Rights Reserved. If the roommate harassment in question constitutes violence, heres what you can do. When your roommate has month-to-month tenancy, California state law says that you can evict them by serving 30 or 60 days' notice without any reasoning. If your roommate is a subtenant (meaning you sublet your apartment out at a cost), then you can evict them. The information provided on this website does not, and is not intended to, constitute legal advice. Related: What Happens If One Roommate Breaks The Lease? loft apartment image by Christopher Martin from, What to Do If a Roommate Breaks the Lease: California Tenant Law, Difference Between Leaseholders & Occupants, Lawyers.com: Roommates Your Rights and Liabilities, NOLO: Renting a House or Apartment With Roommates, Rent.com: 3 Instances Where Your Roommate Might Try to Sue You, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics: Consumer Expenditures 2018, Legal Beagle: How to Get Rid of a Roommate Legally, Legal Beagle: Rights for Roommates Not on a Lease, Legal Beagle: How to Get Off a Joint Lease, Legal Beagle: California Security Deposit Law: A Guide for Landlords & Tenants, Legal Beagle: California Sublet Laws: Rules for Tenants & Subtenants. Please verify the status of the code you are researching with the state legislature or via Westlaw before relying on it for your legal needs. Even when your roommate's name is not on the lease, California law treats them as if they were a month-to-month tenant. motion to modify or terminate the order without prejudice or continue the hearing Kelly Klein is a Minneapolis attorney. Another unexpected and harrowing surprise landlords can face is a long-term guest that becomes a tenant because they stayed in the rental unit for 30 days or more, regardless if they entered into any formal tenancy agreement. Either you or your agent must serve this notice of eviction, in line with the law. As long as the roommate provides the landlord with written notice of his intent to terminate the lease due to active service, the tenancy is considered terminated 30 days after the next rent due date. and substance of the order through personal appearance in court to hear the terms Follow the same eviction procedure as a landlord performing a typical eviction, you are able to give only three days notice, Violating the rental agreement in any other way, Committing any act of violence against other tenants of the property, Using the property for dogfighting or cockfighting. grant on a showing of good cause. A lease makes you cotenants. Is your roommate the only one on the lease? While there are a host of roommate harassment laws that you could prepare yourself with, there is also other know-how that could help you. is filed. of a party. (2) A minor, under 12 years of age, accompanied by a duly appointed and acting guardian ad litem, shall be permitted to appear . You do not have to be physically hit to be abused. Living with one or more roommates is often a necessity for some tenants, given the high rents of the Bay Area, but these arrangements can be vexing for landlords and property managers. Under this law, harassment is any of the following: unlawful violence, such as: assault (Penal Code 240 PC), battery (Penal Code 242 PC), or stalking (Penal Code 646.9 PC); a credible threat of violence, or (l) In a proceeding under this section, if there are allegations of unlawful violence (3)(A) If the request is granted, except as provided in paragraph (4), information (k) This section does not preclude either party from representation by private counsel In any roommate situation (regardless of who is or isn't on the lease) where you feel unsafe, you can and should call the police. Even if you are not romantically involved with your roommate, legal counsel or help from a womens shelter can help you determine if your relationship falls under the category of domestic violence. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics indicated in September 2019 that in the previous year, Americans spent more than 25 percent of their pre-tax income on keeping a roof over their head. Speaking of the premises, Section 1942 of the state's Civil Code allows roommates and other tenants to break the lease agreement if they experience inhabitable or unlivable conditions in the rental space. You ask for a restraining order to protect an employee who has suffered stalking, serious harassment, violence, or a credible (real) threat of violence at the workplace. As long as the roommate provides the landlord with written notice of his intent to terminate the lease due to active service, the tenancy is considered terminated 30 days after the next rent due date. custody is the subject of an order, if the protected person cannot produce a certified (3) A person who owns, possesses, purchases, or receives, or attempts to purchase According to New York state law, you must give your roommate at least 30 days to vacate. But if it doesnt specify, generally in California ahouseguest becomes a tenant after 30 days. shall contain a statement in substantially the following form: If you have been personally served with this temporary restraining order and notice The support person may assist the person who alleges they are a victim of violence In California, roommate arrangements can be boiled down to two types of arrangements when the landlord does not live in the rental unit. If you choose to use this method, collect as much evidence and documentation of the behavior as you can to present to the court. Roomi is your one-stop option to list or find rooms, find roommates to settle into a new city easily. to the court. A: As you indicated, both parties named on the lease are jointly and severally liable for the rent payment, which means that if one tenant breaks the lease and moves out without paying their share, the remaining tenant is responsible for all of the rent. circumstances: (i) By the minor's legal guardian who petitioned to keep the information confidential Be specific and let your roommate know how to keep the peace in the future. and a restraining order that is the same as this temporary restraining order except The request may be made in writing before or at the hearing, or orally at the hearing. The following amounts to "harassment" under California law: Assault (intentionally attempting to cause harmful or offensive contact) Example: Someone swings a fist at you, or throws an object at you, with the intention of hitting you, but miss. Moreover, if the tenant has lived on the premises for at least a year, the landlord must give the tenant the opportunity to address the perceived violation. Sally would have two choices if Joes behavior deteriorated to the point where it became intolerable. Find domestic violence counselors and resources in your county. This means that legally speaking, each of you will be individually responsible for paying the entire rent each month. or threatened violence against the petitioner, stalked the petitioner, or acted or The only exception is if they pay rent to the landlord directly even though they're not on the leasein this scenario, they are considered your co-tenant. First, read your Lease/Rental Agreement (see above) to determine what it says on this; usually what an agreement says on this is enforceable and if you violate it, yes you and your houseguest(s) can be evicted. A landlord can demand an increase in rent or even an additional security deposit when adding a subtenant to an existing or new lease as a co-tenant. the alleged harassment, or may file a cross-petition under this section. Helpful Unhelpful. Your landlord may not know there is a dog living in the house, or may have approved your roommates request to have a dog in the house. FindLaw.com Free, trusted legal information for consumers and legal professionals, SuperLawyers.com Directory of U.S. attorneys with the exclusive Super Lawyers rating, Abogado.com The #1 Spanish-language legal website for consumers, LawInfo.com Nationwide attorney directory and legal consumer resources. in paragraph (6) of subdivision (b). of the petition and afforded an opportunity to object to the disclosure. or maliciously disregards these requirements. 2011 & www.nationalcenterdvtraumamh.org, 1-800-RUNAWAY or 1-800-786-2929 & www.1800runaway.org. It encompasses the transfer of rights held by one party the assignor to another party the assignee. The difference is that the harassment happens primarily at work AND it is the employer of the harassed employee who asks for protection for the employee (and, if necessary, for the employees family). She might appeal to their landlord for assistance in evicting him, or she has the right to call the police if Joes behavior should become dangerous, threatening or abusive in any way, just as someone whos not living with him could do. the business day on which the order, reissuance, extension, modification, or termination As per most roommate harassment laws, putting your request in writing creates a paper trail for if and when you go to court. More. But you are still responsible for the entire rent. Under California law, courts can make orders to protect an employee from suffering unlawful violence or credible threats of violence at the workplace. Which means, again, the landlord would need to handle the eviction. Calmly explain why youre upset might also help. Neglect, abandonment, or isolation, or. How to Evict a Roommate in California | Roomi Certain cities require just cause be provided to month-to-month tenants if they are living in a rent-controlled or subsidized housing program. Before a roommate becomes an ex-roommate for breaking a lease, it's essential to understand whether or not they are within their rights. Information provided by readers is not confidential. If you are being abused in any of these ways or you feel afraid or controlled by your partner/spouse or someone you are close with, it may help you to talk to a domestic violence counselor, even if you do not want (or are not sure if you want) to ask for legal protection. with the court or on the motion of a party. Landlords are also within their rights for evicting a tenant or cotenant who is a serious nuisance to other residents of the building even after being given fair warning, or if the tenant poses a threat to the safety of others on the premises. Can a landlord evict me and/or my house guest if the house guest isnt on the lease? order before the expiration date specified in the order by a party other than the Evicting a Roommate in California | Caretaker As well as all the legal rights you have living with roommates! in subparagraph (A) if the person discloses the information in a manner that recklessly A conviction can be a petty offense or a misdemeanor.. Co-tenants, sometimes referred to as joint tenants, are equal partners. the confidential information to certain individuals or entities as necessary to prevent Lacking minor repairs typically doesn't make a rental uninhabitable in the eyes of the court, but serious health and safety issues or deficiencies very well might. January 30, 2015 - 3:17 PM. or from appearing on the party's own behalf. How Do I Evict Someone When There Is No Lease? An OFP doesn't require an attorney and does not cost. Fortunately, a properly written lease may prohibit or restrict assignment, subletting and other changes in occupancy. He or she might have to move out of his or her home. Well, there can be a wide range of things that can be considered roommate harassment. the existence and current status of orders issued under this section to law enforcement The California roommate agreement ("room rental agreement") is a binding contract that co-tenants in a shared residential situation must sign. (2) The court may order the information specified in paragraph (1) be kept confidential private mails, interoffice mail, facsimile, or email. Among those reasons, abuse is paramount. first-class mail sent to the respondent at the most current address for the respondent Dyou know what else Roomi, the ultimate roommate finder, does outside of helping its readers find roommates in NYC? Provide any evidence of the reason for the eviction. is sufficient notice for purposes of this section and for purposes of Section 29825 of the Penal Code. Elder or Dependent Harassment. The burden of proof is on you, so all of the documentation you have collected come into play here. In California, you are not always required by law to give a reason for an eviction. They earn access to the same rights as a person named on your lease, making eviction less likely. Whos in My House? In a variety of situations, California law gives a roommate the legal right to break a lease before the lease agreement reaches its end date. An assignment is an agreement to transfer the lease. . Read more about Domestic Violence. an order shall issue prohibiting the harassment. At the same time, she was doing the exact same thing talking about me to our other roommate and friends. Usually, a victim of domestic violence can end a lease with notice (often 30 days). The petition and response forms shall be simple and concise, and their use by parties