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When it comes to your Massachusetts rental property, trust the best. Traditional homeowners insurance won't cover a rental, so you'll need landlord insurance to protect you. That's where Obie comes in. Obie is reinventing the insurance process for new landlords to seasoned investors. Request a quote with Obie and get simple, affordable, and transparent insurance for your duplex.
Our simple quote request process will match you with the perfect insurance for your rental. It couldn’t be easier, or faster.
We’ll make sure you have the right coverage at the best price to protect your investment.
Our whole process is online and straightforward. Just answer a few property questions and we’ll get you covered.
Obie streamlines landlord insurance, offering instant quotes in all 50 states. Getting a quote and purchasing a policy online is faster than ever before, making it easy to get covered and protect your investment.
Every rental property is different so we built Obie to be customizable. We’ll make sure that you’re covered and your investment is protected.
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If a tenant violates the terms of the lease, they have 30 days to move out after receiving an eviction notice. However, if a tenant engages in harmful or dangerous behavior, only a 24-hour notice to move out is required.
Property owners in Pennsylvania must give reasonable notice before entering a rented unit, typically 24 hours. However, if emergency repairs are necessary, landlords can enter the rental property to stop the damage that is occurring or repair damage that impacts structural safety.
The law gives landlords a reasonable amount of time to make repairs, which is dependent on the seriousness of the defect. For example, if a tenant is without heat during the winter, it is reasonable to expect heat to be provided within 24 hours. However, a landlord might have more time to repair a furnace during the summer months.
If a landlord fails to make repairs in a reasonable amount of time after a request has been submitted by the tenant, the implied warranty of habitability allows tenants to repair the issue themselves and deduct the cost from future rental payments.
In Pennsylvania, there is an “implied warranty of habitability” included in every lease to ensure that tenants have safe and decent housing. The right to a livable home cannot be waived in the lease. As such, owners and property managers are required to make necessary repairs and updates to keep each rental property in safe, sanitary, and livable condition.
The implied warranty of habitability does not require landlords to make cosmetic repairs, such as fresh paint or new carpeting. However, the following defects must be remedied, because they affect the safety or ability to live in the rental property:
One way to ensure your property remains habitable is by performing regular inspections and making repairs proactively.
Landlords must disclose information regarding:
While there are no additional laws or restrictions regarding criminal background checks in Pennsylvania, real estate investors must adhere to federal laws around tenant screening, including obtaining written permission from prospective tenants to run a background check.
For new rentals, property owners in Pennsylvania can charge up to two months’ rent as a security deposit. After the first year, property owners can charge one month’s rent as a security deposit for lease renewals. It’s important to note that these maximums do include any amount charged as a pet fee or pet deposit. The total deposit across security, pets, and any other deposit amount may not exceed the maximum laid out in by the law.
Any security deposit over $100 must be deposited into an interest-bearing escrow account. If the tenant lives in a rental property for two or more years, they are entitled to receive the interest. In addition, any portion of the security deposit that isn’t used to cover damages must be returned within 30 of the lease ending and the tenant moving out.
If a landlord fails to comply with these statutes, the tenant is entitled to double the security deposit and any interest earned. However, the tenant must provide the landlord with their new address in writing or the landlord is free from liability.
There are no laws that limit how much a landlord can raise rent each year in Pennsylvania. However, if a landlord is planning to increase rent at the start of a new lease, the tenant must receive a 30-day notice prior to the increase going into effect.
In Pennsylvania, there is no rent control or limit to how much a property owner can charge for rent.
On average, the cost of rental property insurance in Pennsylvania is about $1,000 per year. However, insurance costs vary based on several factors, including property type, property location, and specific coverages.
New Mexico landlord-tenant laws allow landlords to evict tenants for the following three reasons:
Repairs that affect the habitability of a unit or the health and safety of occupants must be made within seven days of being notified of an issue by a tenant. If a landlord fails to complete repairs in this window of time, tenants may legally withhold rent until repairs are completed.
Landlords must provide a 24-hour notice to tenants before entering a rental property, unless it’s an emergency.
Rental property owners can charge up to a 10% late fee on any rent due. However, all late fees must be disclosed in the lease agreement.
For leases one year or less, landlords can charge up to one month of rent as a security deposit. For longer-term leases, there is no limit to the security deposit amount as long as it’s “reasonable.” Under 47-8-18 (A) (1), if a landlord requires a security deposit greater than one months’ rent, the owner has to pay the tenant interest on the deposit each year. Security deposits must be returned within 30 days after a tenant’s move-out date.
Since New Mexico prohibits rent control on both state and local levels, landlords are able to charge whatever they deem reasonable for rent. In 2023, the median rent for 2 bedroom properties in New Mexico is $1,313. While there are no limits for raising rent, landlords must notify month-to-month and other fixed-term tenants at least 30 days in advance of a rent increase taking effect. Week-to-week tenants require a seven-day notice.
Real estate investors in New Mexico, and every other state, must abide by federal Fair Housing Laws. In addition to federally protected classes, New Mexico adds protection against ancestry discrimination, which occurs when an applicant is treated unfairly because of the country, nation, tribe, or other identifiable group of people from which they descend.
Landlords can utilize criminal background checks during the application and tenant screening process. However, they can only look back seven years.
In New Mexico, a written rental agreement is required for leases one year or longer. For leases shorter than one year, the lease may be oral, although it is generally recommended to use written agreements regardless of lease duration.
In general, lease agreements in New Mexico must include:
On average, the cost of rental property insurance in New Mexico is about $1,250 per year. However, insurance costs vary based on several factors, including property type, property location, and specific coverages.
In general, the eviction process typically takes four to eight weeks in New Jersey. The required notice period for eviction depends on the specific reason for eviction and the county's population.
When a tenant breaches the terms of their lease or legal obligations, the landlord has the option to issue a 30-day notice to comply or vacate. This notice provides the tenant with a 30-calendar-day period to address and rectify the violation or vacate the premises.
In cases where a tenant engages in illegal activities on the property, the landlord can issue a three-day notice to vacate, (excluding weekends or legal holidays).
Rental property owners in New Jersey are required to provide reasonable notice (24 hours) to tenants before entering a rental property. However, in emergencies posing an immediate risk to the property or occupants' safety, property owners and managers may enter without notice to address issues such as fire, gas leaks, or other urgent matters.
With notice, landlords are also permitted to enter a rental unit for reasons like making necessary repairs, conducting inspections, and showing the property to prospective tenants or buyers.
If a tenant unreasonably denies access, property owners and managers have the option to seek a court order to gain entry.
The timeframe for making repairs in New Jersey is not explicitly defined in state law, but the obligation is typically framed in terms of reasonableness. Landlords and property managers are expected to address necessary repairs within a "reasonable time."
The determination of what constitutes a reasonable time can depend on the nature and urgency of the repair. For essential services and issues that impact habitability like heat, electricity, or water, landlords are generally expected to act more urgently.
In New Jersey, there are no statewide rent control laws; however, local governments have the authority to implement their own rent control regulations. Newark, for instance, bases rent control on the previous 15 months of the Consumer Price Index (CPI).
According to state law, owners and property managers must provide a 30-day notice before implementing a rent increase unless the lease specifies a longer period.
Landlords overseeing 10 or more units are required to invest or deposit security funds in a secure financial arrangement, like an insured money market fund or an interest-bearing account at a federally insured bank in the state. The deposits must be handled per the Security Deposit Law, ensuring they are not mixed with the landlord's personal funds.
Conversely, owners with fewer than 10 units must deposit funds in a federally insured bank in New Jersey offering interest on-time or savings deposits.
New Jersey landlords must provide tenants with a written statement within 30 days of receiving a security deposit that includes details about where the deposit is held.
Like all states, New Jersey abides by the Fair Housing Act which prohibits discrimination in housing on the basis of race, color, national origin, religion, familial status, sex, or disability.
In New Jersey, state law goes even further to provide additional protections for tenants based on ancestry, marital status, domestic abuse victim status, gender identity, sexual orientation, source of lawful income or rental payments, and HIV/AIDS status.
Additionally, the Fair Chance in Housing Act (FCHA), enacted in June 2021, prohibits landlords from inquiring about a prospective tenant's criminal history on rental application materials, during interviews, or through any other means before extending a rental offer.
There are no specified limitations set by the state of New Jersey on the application fees landlords can charge.
The New Jersey Landlord-Tenant Law is legislation that governs the rights and obligations of both landlords and tenants in the state. Key provisions include:
Hurricanes and Coastal Storms: Because New Jersey is situated along the Atlantic Coast, heavy rainfall, high tides, and storm surges during these events can impact both the exterior and interior of rental properties.
Winter Storms: Accumulated snow on roofs and walkways demands diligent removal to prevent overloading and hazards.
Evicting a tenant in Maryland can take anywhere from three weeks to five months, depending on the grounds for eviction and any potential legal proceedings. If tenants request a continuance or file an appeal, the process may extend further.
In Maryland, property owners cannot legally evict a tenant without cause. Legal grounds for eviction include non-payment of rent, violation of lease or responsibilities, posing an imminent threat or serious harm, and refusal to leave property after a lease has ended.
If the tenant does not remedy the situation or move out by the end of the notice period, property owners can initiate an eviction lawsuit. The timeframe for filing and completing the lawsuit contributes to the overall eviction process duration.
Maryland does not have statewide rent control laws, however, individual cities and counties have the authority to establish their rent control mandates.
Statewide, property owners in Maryland have the freedom to raise rent by any amount they wish, as long as they give tenants proper notice. This notice varies depending on the length of the lease.
Rent cannot be increased in the middle of a lease unless specified in the lease agreement. Property owners must also avoid discriminatory or retaliatory reasons for raising rent.
Property owners may enter without permission in emergencies, but otherwise, tenants have the right to quiet enjoyment, unless the lease states otherwise. Generally, property owners can enter a rental property for inspections, to conduct maintenance and repairs, and to show the property to other potential tenants. While Maryland property owners have no specific advance notice requirement, a minimum of 24 hours is considered reasonable.
Property owners can legally enter a rental property without the tenant present, but cannot do so to show an occupied house unless agreed upon in the lease. There's no specific limit on the frequency of inspections, but entry must not be unreasonably often. What constitutes “reasonable” is determined case by case.
Tenants in Maryland have the legal right to prompt repairs for issues violating state health and safety standards. After receiving notice of an issue from tenants, property owners and managers have a "reasonable time" to make repairs, generally considered within 30 days.
Maryland property owners are obligated to maintain the following in good working condition:
Owners of investment properties may charge a maximum of two months' rent as a security deposit for each unit. Charging more could lead to the tenant being eligible for up to three times the excess amount, plus reasonable attorney's fees. Tenants have the right to sue for this refund at any time during the rental period or within two years after its conclusion.
To comply with regulations, owners must:
Note that property owners owe interest on security deposits, except for amounts less than $50 or deposits held for less than six months.
Maryland follows the Fair Housing Act, which prohibits discrimination based on various factors such as race, color, religion, sex, and familial status.
In addition to federal protections, state law provides additional safeguards for tenants based on characteristics such as ancestry, marital status, domestic abuse victim status, gender identity, sexual orientation, source of lawful income, and HIV/AIDS status.
Moreover, the Fair Chance in Housing Act (FCHA), enacted in June 2021, prohibits property owners from inquiring about a prospective tenant's criminal history until extending a rental offer.
Coastal Flooding and Storms: Maryland's proximity to the Atlantic Coast makes properties susceptible to coastal flooding and storms, especially during hurricane season. Heavy rainfall, storm surges, and high tides can impact both the exterior and interior of rental properties. Property owners should consider the potential for compromised building integrity, roof and window damage, and conditions favorable for mold growth.
Winter Weather Hazards: Cold winters in Maryland can pose challenges to residences. Accumulated snow on roofs and walkways requires diligent removal to prevent hazards and property damage. Freezing rain can lead to the formation of ice, necessitating precautions. Subfreezing temperatures also increase the risk of frozen pipes, potentially resulting in bursts.
Temperature Extremes: Maryland experiences both hot summers and cold winters. Property owners and managers should be aware of the strain these extremes can put on HVAC systems. Regular maintenance, clear guidelines for tenants on system usage, and service contracts can help minimize the risk of expensive HVAC repairs.
Evicting a tenant in Michigan can take anywhere from two weeks to two months, depending on the violation. Landlords in Michigan can evict a tenant for the following reasons:
While Michigan law doesn’t state how much notice is required before a landlord can enter a rental unit or dwelling, a reasonable notice period—such as 24 hours—should be agreed upon in writing between the landlord and tenant. Notice can be forfeited in an emergency, such as an urgent leak or a condition that’s hazardous to neighbors.
If their landlord fails to make necessary repairs within a reasonable amount of time after receiving proper notice, tenants can pay for the repairs themselves and deduct the cost from their rent payment(s).
Michigan laws don’t limit the amount of rent landlords can charge, or require specific reasoning to be given for rent increases—although it can’t be raised for discriminatory reasons, such as race, age, gender, or religion. Therefore, landlords in Michigan can increase rent by any amount.
Since Michigan doesn’t have rent control laws, there is no limit to how much rent a landlord can charge.
For leases lasting less than 12 months, oral agreements are acceptable. For leases lasting 12 months or longer, written lease agreements are required in Michigan.
Michigan rental property owners can only charge a pet deposit for animals that are not service or emotional support animals. However, all deposits combined cannot exceed one and a half months’ rent.
Rental property owners can use the security deposit to cover actual damages to the rental unit, rent owed, and the tenant’s unpaid utility bills.
Security deposits must be returned within 30 days of a tenant moving out, minus any portion of the deposit that has been used to repair damages or cover unpaid rent or utilities.
Security deposits in Michigan can’t exceed the amount of one and a half months’ rent.
Background checks—including credit checks, criminal history, and eviction history—are allowed during the tenant screening process, but only if the applicant has given signed consent.
Owners and property managers in Michigan can charge a rental application fee, but it cannot exceed the actual screening costs. In addition, the fee must be disclosed in writing and applicants must be provided with an itemized list of the screening costs upon request.
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