questions & answers

Question: I was homeless w/ a puppy & offered home in exchange for cleaning and lawn svcs. he bills owners for. Owner would text, call, & pop in daily. I got a p/t job to earn cash. When I wasn’t there he gave me one day to get out due to lack of communication. I painted patio, garage, shelves, trimmed trees and shrubs, planted flowers, cleaned all units regularly, & complied. I did good work because his clients sent me reviews & he got paid! Can he do that or can I stay until I find a place?

Answer: It is unclear from your description whether a rental agreement exists between you and the owner and therefore whether the protections of the Arizona Residential Landlord and Tenant Act apply. A legal advocate may be able to help you figure out what your rights and responsibilities are. You may wish to contact your local free civil legal aid organization directly. Depending on where you are living, it is either Community Legal Services (http://clsaz.org), Southern Arizona Legal Aid, Inc. (https://www.sazlegalaid.org), or DNA-People’s Legal Services (https://dnalegalservices.org).