Member Legal Services has posted a new legal article, Property Managers and the Contractor’s Licensing Law (August 9, 2013). It is available on Legal’s What’s New page, the Legal Articles pages, and the 2013 Q&As page on C.A.R. Online.
Property managers of both residential and commercial rentals, acting in their capacity as agents for the owners, will typically contractually assume responsibility to help maintain those rental properties, identify problems with the pro and help arrange for the repair or improvement of the properties. When undertaking those duties, property managers need to be careful not to perform actions that are only to be performed by licensed contractors. California law has an exemption from the contractor’s licensing law for real estate licensees, but it is limited. This article will review the contractor’s licensing and real estate laws applicable to a property manager’s duties.