Someone broke into my apartment and I moved. The landlord said it was okay and today a cop shows up at my house and he is suing me for 3 months rent! When he said it was fine for me to leave! What do I do?!
2007-11-02 07:36:19 · 10 answers · asked by Amy Dean 2 in Business & Finance ➔ Renting & Real Estate
A break in is a police matter, not a landlord matter. The landlord saying you can leave is not the same as saying that you are not bound by the contract you signed. It sounds like you agreed to pay for 3 months if you broke the lease. It was "fine" for him if you wanted to do that. He can not legally say you can't leave if he already agreed that you could with a 3 month rental penalty.
2007-11-02 08:28:32 · answer #1 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋
Go to court. I have never heard of someone getting out of a lease for that reason. He may have meant you were free to leave the apt, but that didn't mean he was giving you three months of free rent. And this will likely go to a you said-landlord said, but if he has the signed lease to back up the time frame for your rental then the judge would likely side with him. Sorry.
2007-11-02 09:15:01 · answer #2 · answered by VAgirl 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
He can't sue you for 3 months rent if he re rents it to someone else. The court won't let him take 3 months rent from you and another renter. I had this happen to me. I did have to pay for one month though. But that should be it. I would talk to the landlord and say to him your verbal agreement. If he denys it sorry the court will see the signed lease. You have to go to court or it is an automatic win for him of the rent money. It will appear on credit report.
2007-11-02 09:21:12 · answer #3 · answered by mbz 3 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Of course the landlord said it was ok. He can't force you to stay. He can however hold you liable for the remaining rent due on your lease. And unless it was the landlord who broke into your apartment, then no....a break in is not a valid reason to break your lease.
2007-11-02 08:39:49 · answer #4 · answered by LILL 7 · 2⤊ 0⤋
Your written lease is binding. When the landlord shows up in court, he will have the written lease and you will have a verbal claim which cannot be verified.
A court will not hold that a burglary is a valid reason to terminate a lease unless it can be solidly shown that the burglary occurred due to landlord negligence in providing reasonable security.
I'm afraid you're probably going to have to pay up.
2007-11-02 08:24:41 · answer #5 · answered by acermill 7 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Landlords are tricky. Did you get it in writing that the Landlord said it was alright to break the lease. Did he keep your deposit?
You do need to go to court though. Get an attorney as well. You might be out of luck on this one.
Check with your local Tenants Association and see what the regulations are and if this Landlord's lease was legit as well. He might just be out of luck himself. Good Luck!
2007-11-02 07:46:39 · answer #6 · answered by footballgirl 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Well, if the landlord was unable to find a replacement renter for 3 months, then you are on the hook.
2007-11-02 10:29:13 · answer #7 · answered by ? 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
read your lease contract, a verbal statement does not over ride a written contract
2007-11-02 07:44:43 · answer #8 · answered by Jan Luv 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Go to court and speak the truth. They cant eat you up and spit you out. Don't be afraid, just go face it. Usually these things are dropped before Court. They are scare tactics to try to get you to pay.
2007-11-02 07:40:06 · answer #9 · answered by New Nana 4 · 0⤊ 1⤋
You may also want to get legal advice....but only if the advice doesn't cost a whole lot (which it probably will unfortunately)...but yeah...also everything the first person said to do... :)
2007-11-02 07:45:20 · answer #10 · answered by PianoPianoPiano 5 · 0⤊ 1⤋