Legal Question in Landlord & Tenant Law in Kentucky
I am an individual who is looking to create a website for landlords. This website would allow landlords to rate tenants and leave information such as late payments, property damage, and notes. The tenant will be identified by first and last name and birthday. Are there any laws in place that would prevent me from storing and sharing this type of information? What steps should I take to prevent any legal troubles? Thanks for your time and help.
1 Answer from Attorneys
You should go speak with an attorney who is well-versed in both electronic commerce law and defamation law. I tend to think that such a site would set you up for liability. Therefore, you should discuss with an attorney how best to use the information obtained, how to regulate the site, prevent misuse, and craft appropriate Terms of Service and Disclaimers. You also might run into trouble because you would be subject to litigation in any state where the site was used, and different states have slightly different standards of laws such as defamation. Also, I would recommend forming some sort of limited liability company, or incorporate, in order to protect yourself individually if you do get sued. Business liability insurance would be a good idea as well.