Can a Landlord increase rent of a house????

Question

This is our case: Were a family and are 4 adults 1 child living in a 2 story small house. When we moved in there wasn't lease because my mother's husband rented the house to us. We didn't pay a deposit but agreed to pay anything we damaged or broke. He asked for $1,200 a month and we pay all bills. Now our sister wants to live in the basement with her boyfriend and pay $300 which the landlord wants $200 of it. We will be uncomfortable a bit but willing to sacrifice to pay less rent and don't want to give over the extra $200. He says that he only gets enough to cover the mortgage and does not gain any money out of it. So he needs money to fix improvements which the house needs much. The garage door does not work (we did not break it), the door screen door etc. But we think that is his responsibility not ours. On top of that he keeps a truck in the garage so we can only use one side not that we do anyways since the door doesn't work. Then they complain we don't cut the grass. Is it fair?

The house is not in a great neighborhood and the house is not in great conditions. We don't think we should cut the grass and water the flowers and clean the property when we don't even dirty it, I thought it was his duty.

If we do maintenances on the yard then we waist time and money with all that the bill water would go up for us for the watering etc. We never agreed to keep the property clean and neat but we do not dirty it we do not even go out side we only have one child and she goes to a park.

Answer 1

The rent is whatever a willing rentor and a willing landlord agree it is, when it comes down to it. If you're not willing, you can try to negotiate, or you can start looking at other places. You can learn how to negotiate by reading the book, "Getting to Yes" to learn how to ask for what you want. "Fair" doesn't really have anything to do with it. Ask if he can make the same or more from other people, to understand if he has options or not, and ask if you can get a better place for the same or less money, to see what your options are.

Answer 2

Fairness can be debated, but it is all most likely legal. First of all, since you don't have a lease, you can't complain that he violated it. However, there is an implied agreement that your family would live in the house and that he would provide it in habitable condition. There is an implied agreement that you would keep it up (including mowing the lawn, if there was no agreement that he would do this). Assuming he had the truck in the garage when you moved in, and you didn't object then, you are stuck with it.

In moving additional people into the house, you are changing the agreement. He probably sees this as increasing the likelihood of damage to the house (more people=more damage) and wants more. What would stop you from moving another dozen people in?

Furthermore, when you don't sign a lease, you are living there on a month-to-month basis. He can raise the rent at any time (if you had an annual lease, he would have to wait a year to get his increase).

I know you think various things which broke aren't your fault, but if they broke while you lived there, you are probably responsible for fixing them, given that you said you would repair and replace things, unless these things were very old when you moved in and they would be considered to be at the end of their life cycle.

Sorry, but I would recommend two things. Next time, don't rely on family (there are always more personal feelings when something goes wrong) for basic things like home rental. And secondly, even if you know the person well, get a written lease so that the expectations of both parties are clear.

Answer 3

Yes, a landlord can increase the rent of a house. It is his responsibility to fix the major things that are broken like the garage door. As for the lawn and yard, unless it was specified in the agreement you signed that he would take care of the yard, it is your responsibility. More people living there puts more wear and tear on the house. I don't think it's right that he keeps a truck in the garage but you must have known this going in. Respect his property and take care of it while you are there. The deal he's offering sounds ok, you'd be helping your sister and getting an extra $100 from it. And, he's being lenient enough to allow extra people to live there.

Answer 4

First, get a lease. This protects you and the landlord. Agree to terms and sign it. He may be worried about extra wear and tear on the place, since more people will be living there. But without a lease, he can do whatever he wants, since he owns the place.

Answer 5

Yes, if you have someone move in with you, he can raise the rent.