If you have a dispute with your landlord or tenant in Hawaii, you have three options to settle it.
- Direct Negotiation – Stay calm, sit down with your landlord or tenant, and try to resolve your dispute on your own.
- Mediation – Settle your dispute with the assistance of a neutral mediator experienced in landlord tenants cases. Keep in mind that nowadays mediation can be conducted not only face-to-face in the mediator’s office, but also by email or phone/video conference.
- Litigation – File a case in District Court.
Needless to say, each option has different pros and cons, particularly in terms of time and money necessary to settle your dispute, and consequences on the future relationship with your landlord or tenant.
No matter which option you choose, however, it is helpful if you are fully aware of your legal rights and obligations. In order to get that information, you can:
- View the Handbook for the Hawaii Residential Landlord Tenant Code in a Nutshell – click here
- Read the entire Handbook for the Hawaii Residential Landlord-Tenant Code in pdf format – click here
