Landlord education courses abundant in California

A tenant screening seminar was recently held at the Hemet, California, Public Library by a local city liaison to discuss how landlords can keep their buildings crime-free, the Valley Chronicle reports. Brent Cain, who coordinates presentations for the city, held the meeting primarily for new landlords who may not be aware of the rights and responsibilities associated with their position. The seminar - which covered topics such as effective tenant background screening, working with the police, the eviction process and fair housing issues - has proven to be effective. According to Cain, calls to the police by landlords who attended his seminar have dropped by 60 percent, largely because of specific lease provisions he recommended. "Landlords have a lot of power to say who will live in the community,” Cain explained to the media outlet. His goal is also to eradicate "out-of-town" owners who don't care for their property or tenants. These rogue landlords can come from "as far away as Long Beach" and do very little tenant background screening prior to leasing. According to Redlands Daily Facts, a similar class will be held by the Redlands Police Department later this month. The eight-hour training course is aimed at educating landlords on how to reduce crime in their apartment complexes.