Los Angeles

[multifamguy]

I own a 6-unit multifamily property. If one of my tenants deceased from terminal illness, would i have to notify other current tenants? When the unit is vacated, would i have to disclosure to prospective tenants? What if other units became vacant 3-6 months later, would i have to disclosure to prospective tenants regarding the death on another unit?

[911c2s]

From the California Tenant handbook:

death in the rental unit
if a prior occupant of the rental unit died in the unit within the last three years, the owner or the owner’s agent must disclose this fact to a prospective tenant when the tenant offers to rent or lease the unit. the owner or agent must disclose the manner of death, but is not required to disclose that the occupant was ill with, or died from, Aids. however, the owner or agent cannot intentionally misrepresent the cause of death in response to a direct question.

[MddlClassCrunch]

Hi

Well, as far as I know, you don't have to mention anything to your other tenants, or to any other future tenant for that matter.

On the other hand, you might have to mention it if the new tenant explicitiely asks if there was a death in the unit prior to him/her moving in.

I'm assuming your building is in California. Landlording laws vary from state to state. I know for instance that Maryland law protects landlords from having to make any disclosure regarding things such as death (natural, accidental or homicidal), criminal activities that took place in units, etc.

I live in an apt building in SoCal myself. An old man died 2 years ago in a nearby unit . The management company did not make any disclosure or statement about this sad event. I just found out by chatting with one of the maintenance guys. Otherwise, I would have never known.

For more legal info, you can read this source too:

Disclosure of Death in Apartment to Prospective Tenants

[section8special]

i'm sorry the guy before is misleading --- YES YOU HAVE TO DISCLOSE!!

Eventually when one of the older tenants tells the new guy that the person died in their unit its pretty certain you'll get sued.

DONT RISK IT!!

[Bruin99]

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911c2s wrote:

From the California Tenant handbook:

death in the rental unit
if a prior occupant of the rental unit died in the unit within the last three years, the owner or the owner’s agent must disclose this fact to a prospective tenant when the tenant offers to rent or lease the unit. the owner or agent must disclose the manner of death, but is not required to disclose that the occupant was ill with, or died from, Aids. however, the owner or agent cannot intentionally misrepresent the cause of death in response to a direct question.

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What (s)he said.

It's on page 24 of the handbook in the link below on the California Tenant Handbook:

http://www.dca.ca.gov/publications/landlordbook/catenant.pdf