Landlord-tenant law covers a wide range of situations — lease drafting, security deposit disputes, repair obligations, evictions — and what kind of help actually makes sense varies a lot depending on which of these you're dealing with.
Lease drafting and review is preventive, not reactive
A properly drafted lease, built around your state and local law, is the single highest-leverage document in the landlord-tenant relationship — most disputes that end up needing a lawyer later trace back to a lease that was too generic or too vague on the point actually in dispute.
Security deposit disputes often resolve with the right letter
Because many states impose strict deadlines and penalties on landlords who mishandle deposits, a well-documented demand citing the specific statute often resolves these without needing a lawsuit or a lawyer's ongoing involvement.
Habitability and repair disputes can escalate quickly
A landlord who won't address a serious repair issue, or a tenant withholding rent over one, can escalate into a legal dispute with real consequences on both sides — this is a situation where getting advice before taking action (on either side) is worth it.
Matching the help to the specific issue
A lease drafted for your jurisdiction, a demand letter for a deposit dispute, or an eviction notice prepared to your state's requirements each solve a different, specific problem — starting with the right document for the actual situation is usually more useful than a general consultation.