Home Management & Maintenance

Management & Maintenance

This department of Rental Housing Journal is your source for property management and maintenance information. Whether you’re an independent landlord, portfolio manager, on-site community manager, leasing agent or apartment maintenance professional, the site is dedicated to bringing tips, best practices and information to help make your job easier and keep you up to date and educated.

Trends and data in the 2026 state of pet rentals report shows pet ownership and rental cooperation are rising but challenges exist.

Trends and Data Illustrate 2026 State Of Pets in Rentals

Trends and data in the 2026 state of pet rentals report shows pet ownership and rental cooperation are rising but challenges exist. A new survey released by PetScreening reports that 81% of rental housing operators...
Oregon's 2026 tenant confidentiality bill restricts landlords from disclosing tenant information such as SSNs, immigration status, or medical

Oregon Tenant Confidentiality Bill Goes To Governor For Signature

Oregon's 2026 tenant confidentiality bill (HB 4123) restricts landlords from disclosing sensitive tenant information—such as SSNs, immigration status, or medical records—without written consent. It now goes to the governor for signature and It imposes penalties...
Washington lawmakers approved legislation requiring rental flood risk disclosure by landlords and to inform tenants about insurance

Washington Passes Rental Housing Flood-Risk Disclosure Law

Landlords must inform tenants about the Washington State law requiring flood-risk disclosure and to inform tenants most rental insurance policies do not cover floods. By Aaron Kirk Douglas Washington lawmakers approved legislation requiring landlords to disclose...
A Tennessee bill would prevent landlords from banning guns and prohibit adding a clause to a lease to ban firearms in rentals

Tennessee Trying To Stop Landlords From Banning Guns

A Tennessee bill, HB 496, would prevent landlords from banning guns and prohibit adding a clause to a lease that would ban tenants from "lawfully possessing, carrying, transporting, or storing a firearm, firearm components,...
Raise the woof- the 2026 pets and housing awards are open for the fifth year for nominations from the Pet-Inclusive Housing Initiative.

2026 Pets and Housing Awards Are Open For Nominations

Raise the woof- the 2026 pets and housing awards are open for the fifth year for nominations from the Pet-Inclusive Housing Initiative. The connections between people and their pets have never been stronger, and the...
Oregon landlords who leak confidential information about tenants such as immigration status or medical records could face financial penalties.

Oregon Landlords Could Face Financial Penalty If Leaking Tenant Immigration Status

Oregon landlords who leak confidential information about tenants such as their immigration status or medical records could soon face financial penalties. Under House Bill 4123, passed by the Oregon Senate on Monday by a 24-3 vote,...
An Oregon Senate Bill would require landlords to offer tenants options to use a paper application, pay by check or other non-digital methods

Bill To Allow Tenants To Use Paper Rental Applications, Checks

An Oregon Senate Bill would require landlords to accommodate renters by offering the option to use a paper application, pay by check or other non-digital methods and have non-digital keys to access rental spaces. Sponsors...
Most legal complaints about reasonable accommodations start because a resident felt ignored or disrespected by management.

Mission: Mastering Reasonable Accommodations

Most legal complaints don't start because a property manager missed something involving reasonable accommodations, they start because a resident felt ignored or disrespected. By The Fair Housing Institute The natural instinct for any good property manager...
Dog-friendly apartments nationwide are competing with single-family homes, not other apartments-embracing pets improves financial performance

Sniffing Out Top Dog-Friendly Apartments Nationwide

Top dog-friendly apartments nationwide understand they're competing with single-family homes, not just other apartments, and communities that embrace pets see stronger financial performance and help the pet housing crisis. By Christin Tenpenny With National Walk the...
A proposed Utah bill would require rental fee disclosure before a prospective tenant sees an agreement and be disclosed in advertising

Proposed Utah Bill Takes Aim at Hidden Rental Fees

A proposed Utah bill would require rental fee disclosure well before a prospective tenant sees an agreement, and the information must happen in the rental advertising. The bill’s sponsor is state Rep. Tyler Clancy, R-Provo....