Landlord

A landlord is a person or company that owns a rental property and leases it to tenants in exchange for regular rent payments.

Landlords are responsible for maintaining the property, collecting rent, and following housing laws that protect both parties in the rental agreement. Tenants typically interact with a landlord directly, or sometimes through a property manager who acts on the landlord’s behalf. The rights and responsibilities of landlords vary by state and local law, so the rules in one city or state may look quite different from those in another.

For example, if a renter pays $1,500 per month to live in an apartment, the landlord receives that payment and is generally expected to keep the unit safe, habitable, and in working order. If the heat stops working in winter, the landlord is typically required to fix it within a set timeframe depending on local law.

Landlords may be individual homeowners renting out a single unit, or large companies managing hundreds of apartments. According to the Census American Community Survey, a significant share of rental units in the United States are owned by individual private landlords rather than large corporations, though this varies widely by market.

Understanding who your landlord is and how to contact them matters because they are your first point of contact for repairs, lease questions, and issues like security deposits. If you believe your landlord is not meeting their legal obligations, consult a local tenant rights organization or attorney for guidance specific to your area.