When You Really Need a Lawyer (and When You Don't)
Small landlords handle most of their own paperwork. Here are the six situations where hiring counsel usually pays for itself several times over.
Most day-to-day landlording — leases, notices, deposit itemizations, rent increases — can be handled with a good template and a careful reading of your state's statute. But there is a short list of situations where a lawyer is not optional.
Hire a lawyer for
Contested evictions, fair housing complaints, injuries on the property, buying out a tenant, environmental issues (mold, lead, asbestos), and any letter from a government agency. In these situations the downside risk is far larger than the fee.
You can handle yourself
Standard month-to-month terminations, routine notices, deposit returns, and lease renewals — provided you follow the statute and document everything. That's what this site exists for.