General Discussion

Eleanors38

(18,318 posts)

31. Good advice has been given above...

Sun Jun 16, 2013, 01:16 PM

Jun 2013

Contact a tenants' rights organization and formulate a plan of action. I am not an attorney, but there is provision for "constructive eviction;" that is, a tenant can break a lease if the property is not fit for human habitation. Usually that standard includes chronic water intrusion, unsafe utilities, vermin infestation, ineffective locks and windows, lack of heat, dangerous structural features. Keep in mind that a landlord should be informed in writing, and be given time to correct deficiencies. You can certainly write the letters, but at this point, you may want an attorney (hopefully with the tenants' group) to sign off. Gets a landlord's attention, esp with copies to health & building standards for your community.
I have been both a landlord and an apartment manager. Good luck.

Edit history

Please sign in to view edit histories.

Recommendations

0 members have recommended this reply (displayed in chronological order):

70 replies

= new reply since forum marked as read

Highlight:

Anyone here ever break a lease? (please read before commenting) [View all] xmas74 Jun 2013 OP

Sounds like you were knowingly conned, but every state has its own tenant-landlord Egalitarian Thug Jun 2013 #1

I don't know if there is. xmas74 Jun 2013 #2

you need to research your local laws, and get the biggest complaints in writing ASAP. bettyellen Jun 2013 #3

I've only found info about state law xmas74 Jun 2013 #5

you may not have separate county laws then? - try to research other's housing complaints bettyellen Jun 2013 #8

Thank you! xmas74 Jun 2013 #10

There are laws on how the place must be taken care of by the landlord. napoleon_in_rags Jun 2013 #4

It can be hard to find a place to rent later on if a prospective landlord finds out you broke the xmas74 Jun 2013 #6

I just updated my post. napoleon_in_rags Jun 2013 #7

I'm in the cracks. xmas74 Jun 2013 #11

If it's raining on you, most decent landlords will understand you couldn't live there. bettyellen Jun 2013 #9

And I do have receipts proving that I pay my rent on time. xmas74 Jun 2013 #14

Never, NEVER, give them direct access to your checking account. Sheldon Cooper Jun 2013 #24

All the above advice seem reasonable -- I would add two more suggestions: Raine1967 Jun 2013 #12

A number of them have recently been emptied out xmas74 Jun 2013 #16

Lease SamKnause Jun 2013 #13

Local news stations are an hour away. xmas74 Jun 2013 #19

You might also try to talk to the building inspection department csziggy Jun 2013 #15

Local building inspection does no good right now. xmas74 Jun 2013 #23

If it's affecting your health you need to get out csziggy Jun 2013 #27

There are a few at my church but I won't ask them. xmas74 Jun 2013 #35

If there is a mold problem, get out. I was exposed to extensive mold for about a year and a half. Mnemosyne Jun 2013 #33

Thank you. xmas74 Jun 2013 #34

Check your lease. politicat Jun 2013 #17

I've left messages xmas74 Jun 2013 #36

That is fishy. politicat Jun 2013 #63

What, specifically, does the lease say quakerboy Jun 2013 #65

Nothing. xmas74 Jun 2013 #68

Here - look at 441.234 treestar Jun 2013 #18

Yeah, that's all I could find too. xmas74 Jun 2013 #37

Some CITIES have landlord/tenant laws that are JimDandy Jun 2013 #44

My town has been fighting this problem for years xmas74 Jun 2013 #48

great find--how nice of you! renate Jun 2013 #60

Sounds like they've already broken the lease Cal Carpenter Jun 2013 #20

Thanks for the good luck. xmas74 Jun 2013 #38

I'd think you need a Certificate of Occupancy to rent a place out. Benton D Struckcheon Jun 2013 #21

I've never seen one in all my years of renting. xmas74 Jun 2013 #39

You wouldn't see it in the house, Benton D Struckcheon Jun 2013 #41

I hope this link helps - You may be able to escrow your rent myrna minx Jun 2013 #22

I might need to look into that xmas74 Jun 2013 #40

well one of my tenants hfojvt Jun 2013 #25

They have only mowed once this year. xmas74 Jun 2013 #42

I would tell the landlord that because of the black arthritisR_US Jun 2013 #26

better approach than mine (below) Voice for Peace Jun 2013 #29

That might be an interesting route to take. xmas74 Jun 2013 #43

I would call the local health department and ask for an inspection Voice for Peace Jun 2013 #28

Someone else posted something about this. xmas74 Jun 2013 #49

Call your fire dept Corgigal Jun 2013 #30

Good advice has been given above... Eleanors38 Jun 2013 #31

I agree with calling the health department but be careful, if they condemn you're out on the okaawhatever Jun 2013 #32

Put everything in writing rather than calling landlord. Keep copies, send certified or some uppityperson Jun 2013 #45

Communicate either certified mail or.. rsmith6621 Jun 2013 #55

Nope xmas74 Jun 2013 #70

A lot of good advice above. JimDandy Jun 2013 #46

You know exactly what you need to do. You have a legal problem. Get a lawyer. CK_John Jun 2013 #47

One, xmas74 Jun 2013 #50

I understand the hesitancy.... grasswire Jun 2013 #53

I can't stay there. xmas74 Jun 2013 #57

have you mentioned any of this to your landlord dlwickham Jun 2013 #51

I've called xmas74 Jun 2013 #58

send a certified letter dlwickham Jun 2013 #69

Ask your contractor friend to write a list of what he found and sign it. Warpy Jun 2013 #52

It's a 1980 xmas74 Jun 2013 #59

Get your local code enforcement involved. Show them the issues. Take pictures and diabeticman Jun 2013 #54

First - look for a Fair Housing organization in your city or state Ms. Toad Jun 2013 #56

Did you check with your local HUD? Lady Freedom Returns Jun 2013 #61

Your Landlord already defrauded you.They broke the lease.Uninhabitable domicile... easychoice Jun 2013 #62

sounds like Fraud , i hope you can get out of it JI7 Jun 2013 #64

kr for visibility. my advice would be to look for Legal Aid (or whatever it's called in your state) HiPointDem Jun 2013 #66

I would recommend. NCTraveler Jun 2013 #67