Legal Question in Real Estate Law in California
As a landlord, do I have the right of:
1)Not renting my house due to poor credit history of the applicants, debts, collections, and defaults?
2) Not to rent it to any tenants until I find tenants who have sufficient income, good credit, stable employment, and decent rental history?
Out of inheritance money, I just bought a small single family home for my retirement which will happen in a year or so. I don't carry a mortgage. I plan to rent my house to a decent family until I retire.
2 Answers from Attorneys
You have the right to select whomever you wish as tenant(s), whenever you wish, provided your selection is not based upon actual or legally-inferrable prejudice against any protected class; e.g., based on race, ethnicity, sex, age, religion. If, however, by "decent family" you are ruling out families that are black, non-Christian, Asian, homosexual, etc., you are outside of your rights.
I agree with Mr. Whipple.