My landlord just informed me that they have been watching me and noticed a car parked over my house over night and that I am not allowed to have over night guest because of security reasons. It is not stated in the lease that I cant have over night guest. They just ask me if I was single, is it right to descriminate against someone because they are dating and have someone stay over night. Can I tell them that they can't determine who stays over night because I pay them rent and utilities. I dont party, or drink or have a lot of people over. What should I do?
2007-12-21 00:42:31 · 11 answers · asked by allthingznew 2 in Politics & Government ➔ Law & Ethics
They werent over long just for two days.
2007-12-21 00:52:12 · update #1
Ask them for a formal notice citing by what authority you are not allowed to have such a guest for you to submit to your atty for review and possible action.
Game over.
2007-12-21 00:45:36 · answer #1 · answered by wizjp 7 · 3⤊ 1⤋
If it doesn't specify it in your lease, then no they can't tell you that you can't have an overnight guest.
Some leases will specify that you can't have guests stay over certain amount of time (for example, 2 or 3 week limit on guests). Otherwise they would be considered living there and not visiting--in which case they would need to have their name on the lease.
Landlords are allowed to make any kind of rules for their places as long as they have them in writing when you sign the lease and they don't violate the fair housing act.
edit: if you are renting a part of their house--as in you have a room, rather than an entire apartment, I can understand why they may be uncomfortable with a stranger staying the night, but again, they should have spelled that out in your lease. Request in writing the rules of the home, they can't just throw rules at you as they come to them.
2007-12-21 00:57:01 · answer #2 · answered by Invisigoth 7 · 1⤊ 1⤋
You are too vague in this question for a definitive answer. What state are you renting in? Is this a house, where you rent a room and they reside in the rest, under the same roof, as it were, or are we talking about a seperate apartment on a seperate lot? I'm leaning towards a sharing the house kind of arrangement, as their concern was for safety: They rented to YOU, not to a bunch of people they've neither seen nor approved of beforehand.
When you say you "pay utilities", do you pay a portion of THEIR utility bill, or do you receive your OWN bill each month from the utility companies? If you pay your landlord for a portion of total cost of utilities, they are suddenly having to pay for 2 or 3 times the hot water used, 2 or 3 times the traffic in their home, etc. The "utilities" you pay were calculated on what YOU (and you alone) would reasonably use and require, not what all your friends crashing there, are going to use. To expect your landlords to absorb the extra cost for this is unreasonable and they would be well within their rights to not only kick your boyfriend out, but you as well.
What should you do? Get out of their house and get an apartment, if this is the situation. It is THEIR house and they have the right to restrict who comes into that house, regardless of whether you agree or not, and regardless of what you pay in rent. Failing this, sit down CALMLY with your landlord and work out something that would be mutually beneficial to both sides, but take a moment and try to understand why they don't want a bunch of strangers in their house. They took YOU in, based on liking and trusting that you would respect their privacy and wishes, they agreed to let YOU live there, based on speaking to you and getting to know you. Ask them, don't TELL them that its not in the lease agreement I'll have the Mormon Tabernacle Choir over using the shower if I want, is a good way to find yourself living in your car just before Christmas.
2007-12-21 01:07:12 · answer #3 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 2⤋
I am a landlord and yes, in the lease for our houses, we have a clause that there can be no overnight guests (consecutively) for more than 14 days. Otherwise, that 'guest' becomes a tenant and needs to be added as an occupant to the lease. If the tenant doesn't qualify with a credit/security check by the landlord or if they do not want an additional occupant, then you can BOTH be asked to leave for breach of contract. Them's the rules.
2007-12-21 00:49:57 · answer #4 · answered by Beach Girl 5 · 3⤊ 3⤋
your landlord has no rights here whatsoever if you want to have someone over for fun and breakfast you live there you pay the rent and as it wasn't in the lease your landlord can go get screwed. Do as the first answerer said said ask for it it in writing so your lawyer can see it and check the legality . It sounds like your landlord is jealous of your horizontal fun !
2007-12-21 00:53:10 · answer #5 · answered by bl_fkt 5 · 2⤊ 3⤋
since its not in the lease, i think ur right...u might not be able to have a guest for a certain prolonged period of time since ull have to pay extra in rent, but ive never heard anything where guests were banned
2007-12-21 00:47:01 · answer #6 · answered by Anastasia F 3 · 2⤊ 1⤋
most landlords have that written in the lease.I wouldn't call it discrimination either. No need to be a wise A**. You should be happy that he is concerned about safety and security,alot of landlords don't care about the tenants,they just want the rent and that's it.good luck!
2007-12-21 00:56:21 · answer #7 · answered by A.F.1 4 · 0⤊ 4⤋
I would also ask for something formal as this wasn't disclosed to you initially....nor did you sign anything agreeing to such.
Wait.....are you renting PART of their HOUSE---like a room??
2007-12-21 00:47:51 · answer #8 · answered by Jesse Rocks 4 · 2⤊ 2⤋
Its their house. Follow their rules or move out.
2007-12-21 00:45:41 · answer #9 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 4⤋
you should follow them because it's there property not yours they make rules not you...
2007-12-21 00:58:38 · answer #10 · answered by bordline 3 · 1⤊ 3⤋