Course Description
Review of the legal environment and parameters that affect the residential property management industry. Introduction to relevant topics in Landlord-Tenant Law, Fair Housing Law, The Americans with Disabilities Act, Employment Law, Collections Law, Environmental Law, Premises Liability, Zoning, Property Law, Agency Law, and Contract Law.
Additional Requirements for Graduate Students:
Students will be required to investigate specified research
topics within the subject matter of the course. This will entail
a thorough review of literature, analysis of major questions to
be answered, and identification of specific research topics
worthy of pursuit. This will be reported in a written research
paper. The results of this work will also be presented in class
and graded for content, analytical acuity, and presentation quality.
Athena Title
RES PROP MGMT LAW
Semester Course Offered
Offered fall
Grading System
A - F (Traditional)
Course Objectives
1. Understand the legal environment in which residential property management takes place and how it affects the professional management of residential property. 2. Gain familiarity with the policy goals and practical consequences of federal and state legislation changing common law landlord-tenant relations. 3. Learn how to make sound legal and ethical decisions in the face of ambiguity and conflicting information by developing skills in spotting issues, weighing benefits and risks, and constructing a persuasive case in support of a decision. 4. Understand the process of accessing and using legal information.
Topical Outline
Introduction to Legal Research Ownership & Representation Agency law Forms of ownership The owner-manager relationship Property Law Estates in land (freehold and non-freehold) Types of tenancies Lease agreements Landlord-Tenant Relations Duties and remedies Habitability and repairs Security deposits Collection, liens and bankruptcy Federal credit reporting laws Eviction Civil Rights Laws Fair Housing Americans with Disabilities Act Employment Law Employment discrimination Wage and child labor laws Worker’s compensation Licensing requirements and exemptions Facility-Related Legal Issues Premises liability and life safety issues Zoning Environmental regulations Risk Management Liability and insurance Risk management for natural and other disasters Ethical Issues in Residential Property Management Manager-resident relations Manager-owner relations Manager-supplier relations
Syllabus