SEATTLE -- As many as 4 out of 10 foreclosed homes across the country are not owned by the people who live there. The homes are owned by landlords.

The renters often never know there's a problem until they get a knock on the door from the sheriff, ordering them to leave.

A little known new law gives renters a heads-up, and more time to find a new place to live.

Since the first of the year, more than 2 million homes have gone into foreclosure. According to the National Low Income Housing Coalition, in 40 percent of those cases the occupants are renters.

Local housing advocates are flooded with calls from renters whose landlords continue to collect rent, while defaulting on the mortgage -- keeping tenants in the dark.

"Many times the renter won't even know that the property's in foreclosure," said Jon Grant with Solid Ground. "Sometimes the property owner will remove the notice from the trustee that informs the renter that the property is in foreclosure."

Grant is spreading the word about a new federal law that keeps tenants from being blind-sided.

"It used to be that the law did not require any notice to the renter after the foreclosure sale for them to move out. They just had to be gone in 20 days," said Grant.

Under the new federal law, tenants must get written notice of the foreclosure.

Tenants who pay their rent on time can stay in the home for 90 days after the foreclosure.

In case of a lease agreement, the renter can stay until the end of the lease, unless the new owner plans to live in the home.

The longer notice requirement gives tenants more time to save money and look for other housing.

On the down side: The new law expires at the end of 2012.

"But for folks right now, it's an immense help and it's something that people don't know about because the law is so new," said Grant.

For More Information:

Protection Tenants of Foreclosure Act

Solid Ground Tenant Services

Low Income and Senior legal assistance