When you and a tenant sign a rental agreement or lease, you both are bound to the terms of the contract. Most times, however, it will be the tenant who initiates the early termination of a lease, either intentionally or unintentionally. It is rare that a landlord or property owner breaks a lease. Of course, it does happen; it is just a very infrequent occurrence.

When you lease a rental property to a tenant, one of the many disclosures you must make is what is known as a “Title X” lead-based paint disclosure. In 1992, Congress passed the “Residential Lead-Based Paint Hazard Reduction Act” which became known as Title X.  The purpose of the act was to insure that landlords and property managers fully disclosed the fact that tenants may be exposing themselves to the hazards of lead-based paint, which can cause multiple health issues.

Prior to 1978, lead was commonly used in paint to act as a hardener for the paint. Lead-based paints actually performed better than non-lead based paints 40 years ago. Fortunately, this is no longer the case. However, it is a fact that lead-based paint, when it peels, chips, or gets sanded, can cause multiple health problems, especially in the youth and aged.