The City of Inglewood Tenant Anti-Harassment Ordinance protects all Inglewood tenant from harassment perpetrated by unscrupulous landlords, property managers, or other representatives in bad faith.  By protecting all tenancies in Inglewood, and empowering tenants with a private right of action, the Inglewood Tenant Anti-Harassment Ordinance is a powerful law protecting tenants throughout the City of Inglewood.

Is My Rental Unit Covered Under the Inglewood Tenant Anti-Harassment Ordinance?

The Inglewood Tenant Anti-Harassment Ordinance covers nearly every Inglewood tenant.   Inglewood Municipal Code §§ 8-125, 8-133.

Does the Inglewood Tenant Anti-Harassment Ordinance Protect Subtenants?

Yes, the Inglewood Tenant Anti-Harassment Ordinance protects subtenants. Inglewood Municipal Code § 8-125(m).  The Inglewood Tenant Anti-Harassment Ordinance protects any tenant entitled, “to the use or occupancy of a rental unit,” which includes subtenants.  Id.

What Types of Harassment Does the Inglewood Tenant Anti-Harassment Ordinance Prohibit?

Under the Inglewood Tenant Anti-Harassment Ordinance, the following actions constitute unlawful landlord harassment, which Inglewood landlords must refrain from perpetrating on Inglewood tenants:

  1. Interrupting, terminating, or failing to provide housing services required by the lease or by law;
  2. Failing to perform repairs and maintenance required by the lease or by law;
  3. Failing to exercise due diligence in completing repairs and maintenance undertaken;
  4. Abusing the landlord’s right of access under California Civil Code section 1954, including entries for “inspections” not related to necessary repairs or services, excessive number of entries, entries that improperly target certain tenants or are used to collect evidence against the occupant, or otherwise not lawful;
  5. Abusing the tenant with offensive words inherently likely to provoke an immediate violent reaction;
  6. Influencing or attempting to influence a tenant to vacate their home through fraud, intimidation, or coercion;
  7. Threatening the tenant, by word or gesture, with physical harm;
  8. Violating any law prohibiting discrimination based on race, gender, sexual preference, sexual orientation, ethnic background, nationality, religion, age, parenthood, marriage, pregnancy, disability, AIDS, occupancy by a minor child, or any other legally protected class;
  9. Taking action to terminate any tenancy including service of any notice to quit or other eviction notice or bringing any action to recover possession of the home based upon facts which the landlord has no reasonable cause to believe to be true or upon a legal theory which is untenable based on the landlord’s knowledge, provided the Inglewood tenant obtains a favorable termination of the eviction action. Please note that this section of the Inglewood Tenant Anti-Harassment Ordinance does not apply to an attorney representing a landlord in an eviction action where the attorney acts in good faith;
  10. Interfering with the Inglewood tenant’s right to quiet use and enjoyment of their home under California law;
  11. Refusing to acknowledge receipt of the Inglewood tenant’s lawful rent payment; and,
  12. Interfering with a tenant’s right to privacy, including, entering or photographing portions of a rental housing unit that are beyond the scope of a lawful entry or inspection. Inglewood Municipal Code § 8-133.

How Can a Landlord Abuse the Right to Access a Inglewood Rental Unit?

As stated above, a landlord’s abusing their right to access a rental unit, as permitted under California Civil Code section 1954, is a form of harassment protected by the Inglewood Tenant Anti-Harassment Ordinance. Inglewood Municipal Code § 8-133.  Examples of prohibited landlord entry and related harassing conduct include, but are not limited to:

  • Landlord entry for pretextual inspections not truly related to necessary repairs or services of the Inglewood tenant’s home;
  • Instances where the Inglewood tenant is forced to contend with an excessive number of notices to enter;
  • Circumstances where the landlord serves notices to enter only certain units at the Inglewood property. For example, a landlord serving a notice to enter pertaining to a smoke alarm inspection of only a single tenant’s home in a multi-unit building likely suggests bad faith and violates the Inglewood Tenant Anti-Harassment Ordinance;
  • Landlord entry weaponized to collect evidence against a Inglewood tenant for bad faith use, including supporting a subsequent eviction lawsuit;
  • Landlord entry that interferes with the Inglewood tenant’s right to privacy, including photographing portions of the unit without reason; or,
  • Landlord entry beyond the scope of an otherwise lawful entry. For example, a landlord entering a Inglewood tenant’s rental unit to repair a broken stove in the kitchen has no right to enter the tenant’s bedroom during the visit.  A landlord that attempts to enter the bedroom violates the Inglewood Tenant Anti-Harassment Ordinance.

How May Inglewood Tenants Curtail Landlord Violations of the Inglewood Tenant Anti-Harassment Ordinance?

Inglewood tenants have numerous options at their disposal when faced with persistent landlord harassment.  These range from simply demanding that the landlord cease the harassing conduct to taking the drastic act of filing a lawsuit against a serial harasser.  Regardless of the method utilized, Inglewood tenants equipped with sufficient evidence will likely prevail against their landlord’s harassment.

First, the Inglewood tenant can demand the landlord stop the unlawful harassing conduct, preferably in writing.  Inglewood tenants electing to send a physical letter should consider sending the mail with tracking and also retain a copy of the letter.  If the landlord does not cease harassing the Inglewood tenant after receipt of the letter, the Inglewood tenant should consider another option.

The Inglewood tenant may also maintain a detailed log recounting every instance of landlord harassment.  Although no set template exists, Inglewood tenants can, in addition to a concise description of the harassment, include the date, time, and location of the harassment.  It is also helpful to include the name of all witnesses present that observed each instance of the landlord’s harassment.

Thirdly, Inglewood tenants may also file a complaint with the City of Inglewood.  When filing a complaint to the City of Inglewood, the City requests copies of any supporting documentation.  The City of Inglewood initiate in investigation into the matter.  Complaints may be filed via email by clicking here or calling the Inglewood City Attorney’s Office at (310) 412-5372.  Please be advised that the City of Inglewood City Attorney’s does not represent tenants.  Instead, the City Attorney acts as a neutral enforcer of the law that may investigate complaints involving the Inglewood Tenant Anti-Harassment Ordinance.

Under the Inglewood Tenant Anti-Harassment Ordinance, Inglewood Tenants Can Sue Harassing Landlords for Money Damages

Inglewood tenants facing pervasive landlord harassment substantially interfering with or disturbing their tenancy have the right to bring a landlord harassment claim in court.  The Inglewood Tenant Anti-Harassment Ordinance contains a private right of action empowering Inglewood tenants facing landlord harassment to file a lawsuit in the California Superior Court. Inglewood Municipal Code § 8-132.  Under the Inglewood Tenant Anti-Harassment Ordinance, a prevailing tenant facing landlord harassment may recover actual and punitive damages, and attorney fees.  Id.  Additionally, Where the landlord acts willfully or with oppression, fraud, or malice, the tenant obtains treble damages.  Id.

To discuss the Inglewood Tenant Anti-Harassment Ordinance, the Inglewood Rent Ordinance, Inglewood Ellis Act Evictions, Inglewood Owner Move-In Evictions, Inglewood wrongful evictions, the Inglewood Buyout Ordinance, Inglewood Rent Control, or California Rent Control (AB 1482) with a tenant attorney, contact Astanehe Law.