Many tenants have to deal with roommates who don't pull their weight, neighbors who routinely engage in illegal activities, landlords who don't know -- or wonât follow -- national or state laws and local rent ordinances. Use this book to give you the information and tips you need to protect and assert your rights as a renter in California. Find out how to: understand and negotiate a lease inspect a rental before moving in fight discrimination get needed repairs and maintenance deal with a nosy landlord break a lease with minimum fall-out get your security deposit back figure out rules for rent increases fight an eviction.