The lenders I have historically worked with have not punished my rates/fees for new construction, cash outs, etc.

The best thing to do would be to consult an attorney, but likely, that is not an option for everyone starting out.I'm not an attorney, and this is not legal advice, but some of the information that we include in our contracts is:- A clear scope of work - Payment schedule / Milestones- Change order approval process- Allowances for finished materials- Reasons to terminate the contract- Expectations for start date (X amount of time after final plans /permits are received or X amount of time after the contract is executed)- General schedule and timeline (This is where you could specify an end date - however it may be better use incentives rather than liquidated damage if your general contractor is late - we've done both, but found General Contractors respond better to getting something if they get done early instead of being punished for being late. 

“It just shows a perfect example of how tenants without strong rent-controlled protections are vulnerable to displacement and injustices.”I would not have given a vacate notice to ANYONE who paid my mortgage for the last 30 years and kept the place nice (I would have just found another deal and housed my daughter there or worked with the family in an effort to coordinate a plan for housing the tenant to soften the blow), but landlords should not be punished and criticized in general when following the current laws that were put in place.

@Carol,I agree with the other posters that you should publish the name of the company so the marketplace can punish them for their ineptness by not doing business with them.What you are describing has a foundation in actual compliance, but sounds quite out of line, and their unwillingness to work closely with you to resolve the problem is entirely unacceptable.A pension rollover should not require a statement.  

another thing to look out for, especially in that area, is if they count the basement as a bedroom or not. that can totally screw up the numbers either way. some agents count it, some don't. there's not much punishment on those who count it when it shouldn't be legally considered a bedroom. just a thought for when you're looking at your numbers

From there, it's already too late for the urgent stuff, and you'll need to chalk that up to a hard lesson learned about due diligence up front; trying to sell a property with urgent deferred maintenance is most likely going to punish you. 

But creditors have no authority to collect on that judgement in the country of the foreign individual.Orchestration of the sell of real estate isnt punishable by any courts, regardless of license status.

Permits are not a punishment. 

Making a false affidavit is punishable as perjury in Texas.

I won't try an refute that the DoD doesn't like people who don't pay their bills, but he's at 14 yrs so probably can't be NJP'ed and none of the punishments that would befall him make the seller whole again.