This post is coauthored by Barbara Bavis and Robert Brammer, legal reference specialists.
It is no wonder that we get a large number of questions about landlord-tenant law at the Law Library of Congress, in light of the fact that residential leasing, and the rights and obligations that stem from such agreements, is a pressing legal issue for many of our patrons. Much of landlord-tenant law is state-specific, and as such, those wanting to do detailed legal research in this area might want to visit their local public law library. However, we have collected some information below regarding books, websites, and other resources, that might help a researcher just beginning their landlord-tenant research.
Books
General
- Landlord and Tenant Law in a Nutshell, by David S. Hill & Carol Necole Brown
- Friedman on Leases, by Milton R. Friedman
- Real Estate Leasing Practice Manual
- Landlord Tenant Law Bulletin
- Leases & Rental Agreements
- American Law of Landlord and Tenant, by Robert S. Schoshinski
- Real Property Leases: A Complete Forms & Drafting Guide
- Single-Family Lease Options: Opportunities and Hazards, by John T. Reed
- The Complete Book of Real Estate Leases, by Mark Warda
Tenant-Specific
- Renters’ Rights: The Basics, by Janet Portman & Marcia Stewart
- Every Tenant’s Legal Guide, by Janet Portman & Marcia Stewart
- American Tenant: Everything U Need to Know About Your Rights as a Renter, by Trevor Rhodes
- Your Rights as a Tenant, by Margaret C. Jasper
Landlord-Specific
- Every Landlord’s Legal Guide, by Marcia Stewart, Ralph Warner & Janet Portman
- The Complete Landlord & Property Manager’s: Legal Survival Kit, by Diana Brodman Summers
- Secrets to a Successful Eviction for Landlords and Rental Property Managers: The Complete Guide to Evicting Tenants Legally and Quickly, by Carolyn Gibson
- Landlord Legal Forms Simplified, by Daniel Sitarz
- The Weekend Landlord: From Credit Checks to Evictions and Everything in Between, by James A. Landon
- The Landlord’s Book of Forms and Agreements, by Cliff Roberson
- Real Estate Law, by Robert J. Aalberts & George J. Siedel
Subject Headings
As mentioned above, many of the laws in the area of rental leasing are state-specific. Thus, to find more resources regarding this topic, you might want to search the WorldCat catalog, or your local law library’s catalog, to find more resources specific to your area. We suggest the following subject headings:
- Landlord and tenant–[State Name]
- Landlord and tenant–United States
- Landlord and tenant–United States–Forms
- Leases–[State Name]
- Leases–United States
- Leases–United States–Forms
- Rental housing–United States–Management
- Landlords–United States–Handbooks, manuals, etc.
To locate additional resources using these subject headings in the Library of Congress catalog, please click here to use our catalog and browse subject headings. Click “browse” and use the drop-down to select “SUBJECTS beginning with” or “SUBJECTS containing,” and then input a subject heading using one of the examples shown above. Finally, click on a result and you can browse the materials classified under that subject heading.
Websites
Luckily, there are also many free websites that offer helpful information about landlord-tenant law, including:
- Landlord-Tenant Law, Cornell Legal Information Institute – Wex Legal Encyclopedia
- Tenant Rights, U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development
- Overview of Landlord-Tenant Laws In Your State, Nolo
- Landlord and Tenant, Justia
- Landlord Tenant Law, FindLaw
- LawHelp provides a directory of legal aid organizations, many of which handle landlord-tenant issues
In addition, we urge researchers to use the internet search engine of their choice to search for landlord-tenant law for their area. Many state and local governments have produced landlord-tenant handbooks, guides, and other similar resources, that clearly explain the landlord-tenant laws in their jurisdiction.
We wish you the best of luck with your research regarding landlord-tenant law. If you have any questions regarding your legal research, please contact the Law Library of Congress. Also, if there are any other landlord-tenant law resources you have found to be helpful, let us know by making a comment below!
Comments
Check out Minnesota State Law Library’s Landlord and Tenant Guide: http://mncourts.libguides.com/aecontent.php?pid=570103