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What Landlords Need to Know About the New RTC Ordinance

Effective Date: August 25, 2025

The City of Los Angeles has introduced the Right to Counsel Program (RTC), which provides qualifying tenants with free legal representation in eviction and administrative proceedings that could lead to the loss of their tenancy or rental housing subsidy.

What This Means for Landlords

Landlords must follow strict compliance requirements under the Right to Counsel (RTC) Ordinance. Failure to do so may allow a tenant to use noncompliance as a legal defense, potentially resulting in the dismissal of an eviction case and the landlord being held liable for court costs and attorney fees.

It is also important for landlords to understand which tenants may qualify for free legal assistance under this program. Eligible tenants are those who live within the City of Los Angeles, have a household income at or below 80% of the Area Median Income (AMI), and apply for assistance within 30 days of receiving an eviction notice or notice of rental subsidy termination. These factors increase the likelihood that tenants will have access to legal counsel, making landlord compliance with the ordinance even more critical.

Landlord Requirements

  1. Provide a Notice of Right to Counsel at the Start of Each Tenancy
    At the beginning of a rental agreement, landlords must ensure tenants receive the Notice of Right to Counsel in their primary language. This ensures tenants are fully informed of their rights from day one.

  2. Include the Notice with Any Eviction Documents
    When serving an eviction notice, landlords must attach the RTC notice. Omitting this step could result in legal challenges and case dismissal in court.

  3. Include the Notice with Subsidy Termination Notices
    If a landlord issues a notice to terminate a rental housing subsidy (e.g., Section 8), the RTC notice must be included. This also applies to administrative proceedings related to subsidy termination.

  4. Post the Notice in a Visible, Common Area
    A printed version of the Notice of Right to Counsel must be posted in a clear and easily accessible location on the property—commonly near mailboxes, entryways, or lobbies—so that all tenants have access to the information.

The City of Los Angeles provides the required notices in:
English, Spanish, Korean, Farsi, Armenian, Russian, Cantonese, Mandarin, and Tagalog.

Download the Official Notices Here

Why Compliance Matters

Failing to meet the requirements of the Right to Counsel (RTC) Ordinance can lead to serious legal and financial consequences for landlords.

First, courts may dismiss an eviction case entirely if the required notices are not properly provided to tenants. This means that even if a landlord has valid legal grounds for eviction, the case may not move forward simply because of a missing or improperly delivered notice.

Second, landlords may be held liable for the tenant’s legal costs and attorney fees. If a tenant successfully argues that the landlord failed to comply with the ordinance, the court could order the landlord to cover these additional expenses, adding to the overall financial burden.

 

Tenant Eligibility Overview

Tenants may qualify for free legal assistance if:

  • They live within the City of Los Angeles

  • Their household income is at or below 80% of Area Median Income (AMI)

  • They apply for assistance within 30 days of receiving an eviction or subsidy termination notice

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