Tenants and Landlords in Delaware

Delaware is typically thought of as an agricultural state with approximately one third of its land mass devoted to farming. The state does have urban areas with people who rent their living space. The rural charm of the Blue Hen State offers a great deal of pleasant ambiance, but it cannot hide areas of dispute that can unsettle relations between tenants and landlords.

Changes in rental situations

The recent downturn in the housing industry has generated a need for a lot of very unique rental situations. These include rent to buy, where part of the rent goes to the down payment on a house, sub leasing, and month to month arrangements. Some of these are quite different from traditional rental agreements, and the statutes governing landlord tenant relationships can be very complex. Someone who isn’t too familiar with real estate law can quickly get tangled in a spider’s web of stipulations Delaware has a Residential Landlord-Tenant Code which specifies the rules and obligations of both sides of the rental agreement. These include various remedies for infractions such as failure to pay rent or when a landlord does not provide essential services. These can be fairly easy to understand in traditional rental situations, but the more complex contracts may require more than just a passing knowledge of Delaware’s real estate statutes. It can be very frustrating for any person to have to wade through the Code to find solutions. This is not something a company can ignore. If an employee has been relocated to Delaware on behalf of the company, that person may be caught in a squabble with a landlord and need help. Companies can come to the aid of relocated employees by offering group legal plans that are voluntary benefits.

The Rental Remedy

Any employee and not just those that have been relocated can have landlord-tenant issues. Countrywide Pre-Paid Legal Services has developed group legal plans that have helped people get out of such domestic snarls. These prepaid voluntary benefits which are designed by Countrywide are tailored to the needs of the employer to best help the employees. A network of lawyers with expertise in tenant landlord relations can help advise on any rental agreement prior to signing, making certain that the landlord responsibilities spelled out carefully. The power of the presence of an attorney is considerable. An unscrupulous landlord will hesitate and the rental document is more evenhanded because it is being reviewed by an attorney. The group legal plans make the attorney fees more affordable, and allows people to make use of solid experience when dealing with a landlord.

The Countrywide Personal Legal Protector Plan has particular appeal as part of an overall employee relocation package. Moving to a new location can be highly stressful and any help provided by the employer makes things a lot easier. A group legal plan can be offered as a viable option for relocating employees who rent or buy property. This possibility is in addition to all of the other advantages such voluntary benefits can offer for plan members.