This Thing They Call the RLTO

So, what you may ask, is the RLTO? Well the RLTO is short for Residential Landlord and Tenant Ordinance. According to the ordinance it's purpose is to "to establish the rights and obligations of the landlord and the tenant in the rental of dwelling units, and to encourage the landlord and the tenant to maintain and improve the quality of housing" (section 5-12-010 of the RLTO).

For the landlord, the RLTO ensures that they cannot be denied access to the premises to make necessary/agreed upon repairs, decorations, alterations or improvements, to conduct inspections authorized/required by any government agency, to exhibit the dwelling unit to prospective/actual purchasers, mortgagees, workmen or contractors, for practical necessity where repairs/maintenance elsewhere in the building unexpectedly require such access, to determine a tenant's compliance with provisions in the rental agreement, and in case of emergency.

For the tenant, the RLTO ensures that the tenant receives his or her security deposit after they move out, that they are paid interest on their security deposits, that they are notified if their building has been sold, that there is no retaliation should they report their landlord for code violations as well as other ways it protects a tenant's rights.

I will focus on the different sections of the RLTO and the consequences of violating the provisions of the RLTO in future posts

Hope all had a great weekend!