Explainer, News Story (NATIONAL)
Anna Bahney
CNN Business
September 25, 2020
READ THE FULL STORY HERE
Tags: COVID-19, Housing, Housing: Landlord-Tenant
Organizations mentioned/involved: Lone Star Legal Aid, Community Legal Services (CLS) of Philadelphia
DETAILS
“I think it is helpful for a tenant to know what the neighbors are paying,” said Dana Karni, managing attorney at Lone Star Legal Aid in Houston. “A lot of that is available online. It doesn’t take a lot of sleuth work to look at listings and find out how the landlord listed their most recent vacancies.”
With that data in hand, ask if your rent can be adjusted. Be prepared to demonstrate your strong track record with rent payments and give any examples of how you’re a reliable tenant worth working with.
“A tenant should walk in armed with as much information as possible and see what a landlord is willing to do,” said Kadeem Morris, a staff attorney in the housing unit at Community Legal Services in Philadelphia. “A lot of landlords have been willing to work with tenants during this time.”