Through a real estate agent, I negotiated a price for monthly rental on a house. I signed a contract, drawn up by the agency, for that price. The owner then decided that the price was incorrect by $25. The agent changed the monthly rental fee on the contract that I had signed, addfixed her signature and sent me a copy.
Now, I find due to a work relocation, I must move, and the agent is claiming that I am responsible for the rent on the house until, and if, they are able to re-lease it.
My question is: is that contract with the rental price changed binding? Am I legally obligated to pay the rent even after I vacate the premises?
2007-07-02 02:46:50 · 6 answers · asked by beatriceorme 3 in Business & Finance ➔ Renting & Real Estate
Once you moved in, you accepted the terms of the modified contract. If you wanted the original terms, you would have had to object at that time. You cannot get out of the contract simply because the amount was changed. You can find a ready, willing and able tenant for the landlord and that would get you off the hook for the remainder of the lease. The other option is to offer the landlord a flat settlement amount. That would save you both trouble in the long run. If you have a security deposit, you may just agree to forfeit that in lieu of damages for the early termination.
2007-07-02 03:37:20 · answer #1 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
Well, as far as I can tell, you never signed a lease agreeing to pay the increased rent, but you did sign to pay the agreed rent. So you are probably obligated to pay the rent, minus the $25 they added, but not the full amount.
It is NOT acceptable for them to have altered the contract after you had signed it. They should have printed a new amended one, and had you sign that. As to whether the contract is legally binding at all now - I dont know!
2007-07-02 02:53:07 · answer #2 · answered by imicola 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Hard to tell, since you don't say if you moved in or not. If you didn't move in yet you may have the right to reject the deal, as the landlord's alteration could be considered as a rejection of your lease and a counter-offer of a lease at a higher rent, which you can reject. If you moved in, you could be deemed to have accepted the landlord's change and in that case you might be stuck.
All may not be lost, because some jurisdictions allow you to break a lease on 2 months' notice if you can show your job requires you to move out of the area. Do a web search for "landlord-tenant laws in (state)" and for the city or county in which you live.
2007-07-02 03:16:54 · answer #3 · answered by AnOrdinaryGuy 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Since you moved into the property, you accepted the modification to the contract. Therefore it is binding. However, many rental agreements have a clause regarding job changes. There also maybe local laws that you should check into. Best bet is to talk to the agency that drafted the contract. If that doesn't help, see a lawyer to find out if you can break the deal.
2007-07-02 02:55:16 · answer #4 · answered by WJVV 4 · 1⤊ 0⤋
If it is a monthly rental you should be able to give one month's notice and move out.
Changing the rental agreement after you signed wouldn't have been legally binding but if you moved in after you really agreed to the increase so are probably stuck for the extra $25.
2007-07-02 02:51:11 · answer #5 · answered by shipwreck 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
at a worse case, you are liable to pay the pre-increased rate, through the term of the lease, or until you or they can re-lease the house.
2007-07-02 02:51:08 · answer #6 · answered by teamlessbear 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋