Ordinarily a gas water heater not lighting or firing consistently means it needs a new gas valve. Due to recent environmental regulations, now it means you need to replace your water heater! No longer can a plumber install a new gas valve if the water heater isn't low nox! Just this morning we have to replace a 2003 model due to the gas valve failing.

In short, January 1 is expected to bring with it some environmental requirements that will affect owners installing water heaters, air conditioning, and new roofs. The refrigerant requirements change for cooling systems, so the cost to install new or recharge old will increase significantly. The low knox requirement of gas heaters has raised materials cost there also.

Rumored building code changes for new roof installations may or may not go in to effect. I've not received a confirmation this is going into effect January 1, but it's anticiapted. Per local company, Affordable Roofing:

Iif the roof system is changed next year, they will have to get reflective, Title 24-compliant shingle roofing and/or attic installation upgraded to meet new building codes. The Title-24 compliant shingle will add about $1,000.00 to the overall cost of the roof while upgrading the insulation could be as much as $2,500 or so. This assumes that Title 24 compliance won't be pushed back another year due to economic hardship in the state's economy, of course.

This law is currently in existence, though the timeframe is being extended. The 60-Day notice to terminate tenants, under most situations, requires a 60-day notice to terminate a month-to-month tenant if they've resided at the home/apartment for more than one year. This law was to expire January 1, 2010, and has been extended indefinitely.

A 30-day notice to terminate is still sufficient if the tenant has lived in the property for less than one year. There are also some exemptions to the 60-day period in the case where the landlord has sold the property.

If you own rental property and manage it yourself, a membership or general review of CAA (California Apartment Association) website will keep you up-to-date with new laws and current litigation that may affect your tenants. On more general matters, our property management website is a source for general maintenance and lease questions that are commonly asked by our tenants.

In wake of the many fires in California, it brings to mind the value of renter's insurance. If you rent a property, are you aware that if the house burns down, the owner's insurance does NOT cover your belongings? The property owner's insurance covers the structure, but contents that are not the owner's possessions are not covered under most circumstances.

Renter's insurance is very economical, and very worthwhile! We always recommend that renters investigate and secure an insurance policy to protect their personal property.

Our attorney advises us that the fair housing law indicates that there are guidelines for the number of people who can live in a property. Fair housing laws allow for two people per bedroom, and one person for a living area. Therefore, if your duplex is a two bedroom, theoretically up to five people could reside in the unit.

When you have a number of adults living at a property, take into consideration the number of vehicles that will be parked at the address. One thing often not considered is if four adults rent a two-bedroom duplex, they will likely have four or more vehicles. As a property owner, clarifying in your lease agreement where vehicles can be parked will help avoid disagreements with neighbors.