A tenants association is a union of all. When tenants work together, they can apply the most pressure to make a landlord provide services, make repairs, and stop harassment - and get the best possible home for the rent they are paying. A strong tenant association can force a landlord to listen; as a group, tenants will have more leverage to negotiate, file complaints with city and state agencies, get help from elected officials, go to court, or – if push comes to shove – go on rent strike. There are no precise rules for starting a tenant association. Nevertheless, based upon the experience of thousands of associations, we can provide guidelines for forming an effective tenant association.