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tenant and babysitting business in apt

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Sammson

Junior Member
What is the name of your state?What is the name of your state? CA
I suspect one of my tenants is operating a babysitting business in her apt.
Is this legal? What about the liability issue if one on the children is injured on on the premises while she is babysitting. I doubt that she has any type of license for child care other than being a mother herself. What are my options as the landlord? Thanks!
 


FarmerJ

Senior Member
call your city or county govt center to ask when a day care lic is needed. (body count) then once you have that info you will know better how to proceed. Then have a atty review your lease to advise you of how you might be able to put a stop to this.
 

south

Senior Member
Its rented as a residential home not for commercial business use, send a warning letter that the home is for residential occupancy only and not for running a business from.

Part of obtaining a business lic for a home based business is on the understanding you have permission from the owner to run a business there.




Sammson said:
What is the name of your state?What is the name of your state? CA
I suspect one of my tenants is operating a babysitting business in her apt.
Is this legal? What about the liability issue if one on the children is injured on on the premises while she is babysitting. I doubt that she has any type of license for child care other than being a mother herself. What are my options as the landlord? Thanks!
 

Who's Liable?

Senior Member
And for the next renter, put a clause in your lease that no type of business is to be run from the unit and is ground for termination and eviction...
 

SDlandlord

Junior Member
California rules apply here

Pursuant to H&S1597.40 tenants may not be restricted from using the rental as a licensed family day care home. If the tenant gets the state license it trumps the lease or rental agreement.

Tenants in apartments (even upstairs units) can operate a "Small Family Day Care" for 8 or fewer children. They are not subject to state fire and life safety regulations as are larger day care operations.

You can require the tenant to provide a 30 day notice prior to startup, after first obtaining the state license.

You can require a higher security deposit, but not exceeding state maximums.

Check your insurance policy.
 

south

Senior Member
Tell me where below it states RENTAL tenants may not be restricted/denied use of a day care center BY THE OWNER of a rental property......


1597.40. (a) It is the intent of the Legislature that family day care homes for children should be situated in normal residential surroundings so as to give children the home environment which is conducive to healthy and safe development. It is the public policy of this state to provide children in a family day care home the same home environment as provided in a traditional home setting.

The Legislature declares this policy to be of statewide concern with the purpose of occupying the field to the exclusion of municipal zoning, building and fire codes and regulations governing the use of occupancy of family day care homes for children, except as specifically provided for in this chapter, and to prohibit any restrictions relating to the use of single-family residences for family day care homes for children except as provided by this chapter.

(b) Every provision in a written instrument entered into relating to real property which purports to forbid or restrict the conveyance, encumbrance, leasing, or mortgaging of the real property for use or occupancy as a family day care home for children, is void and every restriction or prohibition in any such written instrument as to the use or occupancy of the property as a family day care home for children is void.

(c) Except as provided in subdivision (d), every restriction or prohibition entered into, whether by way of covenant, condition upon use or occupancy, or upon transfer of title to real property, which restricts or prohibits directly, or indirectly limits, the acquisition, use, or occupancy of such property for a family day care home for children is void.

(d)(1) A prospective family day care home provider, who resides in a rental property, shall provide 30 days' written notice to the landlord or owner of the rental property prior to the commencement of operation of the family day care home.

(2) For family day care home providers who have relocated an existing licensed family day care home program to a rental property on or after January 1, 1997, less than 30 days' written notice may be provided in cases where the department approves the operation of the new location of the family day care home in less than 30 days, or the home is licensed in less than 30 days, in order that service to the children served in the former location not be interrupted.

(3) A family day care home provider in operation on rental or leased property as of January 1, 1997, shall notify the landlord or property owner in writing at the time of the annual license fee renewal, or by March 31, 1997, whichever occurs later.

(4) Notwithstanding any other provision of law, upon commencement of, or knowledge of, the operation of a family day care home on his or her property, the landlord or property owner may require the family day care home provider to pay an increased security deposit for operation of the family day care home. The increase in deposit may be required notwithstanding that a lesser amount is required of tenants who do not operate family day care homes. In no event, however, shall the total security deposit charged exceed the maximum allowable under existing law.

(5) Section 1596.890 shall not apply to this subdivision.

(Renumbered-formerly 1597.501-and Amended by Stats. 1983, Ch. 1233; Amended by Stats. 1996, Ch. 449.)
 
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SDlandlord

Junior Member
That's my understanding

Seems pretty clear a prohibition in a rental agreement is going to be of no effect, when:

"The Legislature declares this policy to be of statewide concern with the purpose of occupying the field to the exclusion of municipal zoning, building and fire codes..."

The California Apartment Association seems also to agree to the import of this section as indicated by the following from their website:

(Q): "If a resident informs the rental property owner that she plans to operate a child family day care home in the rental unit, can the owner deny this business?"

(A): "No. As long as the resident is operating the child day care home in compliance with all applicable laws, the owner cannot deny the resident the ability to operate the child day care business."

The original poster would be well advised to seek competent counsel with experience in the actual practice of California rental law before attempting to shut down the babysitting/day care he suspects is operating in his apartment.

In the meantime, a written request to the tenant for documentation of the required licensing would be in order.
 

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