Many years ago, relations between landlord and tenant were considered to be private matters to be governed by custom and the contract between the parties. The landlord's remedy for non-payment of rent was commonly "self help"-removing the tenant's property and changing the locks-while the tenant's remedies for all but the most serious problems were non-existent. Within the last thirty or forty years, however, that situation has changed dramatically, and in most states the relationship between landlords and tenants is highly regulated. Today, most states have laws governing many aspects of the relationship, including issues such as habitability, discrimination, security deposits, how and when a landlord may enter the rental unit, and how the tenancy may be terminated. In this legal climate, it is important that both landlord and tenant understand their legal rights and responsibilities.