Could use some good luck ... fast

Ugh ... what a helluva couple weeks.

Some of you are probably familiar with my story where I moved back from Hawaii to my hometown to be with my fiancee.

After moving home, we quickly moved out of her one-bedroom apartment into a seasonal 2-br cottage to accomodate us and her daughter.

We knew we had to be out by June 14, so basically, the minute we moved into this place back in February, we've been looking for a new place.

We thought we found it the first week of May. We looked at a nice 3-year-old townhouse and agreed to move in and paid $1,000 security with the first month's rent due when we moved in June 1.

Long story short, the day we were supposed to move in, the landlord told us we couldn't because the guy who was living there before us had not been in touch with him in a few weeks. The guy had given him a note on the first of May to say he'd be out by June 1. Looking in the windows, it appeared he had moved out. However, the landlord refused to enter the property without hearing from the tenant (whose lease ended May 31) and told us we couldn't move in.

Now we're completely scrambling and, since we live in a touristy area, everything available is set up for the summer (basically, $900 or more per WEEK). We have to be out Monday. We have basically no prospects outside of a shithole we saw for $1,000 per month. We're feeling pretty much fucked.

Outside of a realtor, craigslist or the newspapers, which we've been looking at nonstop, we don't know where else to look. Anyone know of any websites that might help?

 

realtor.com usually has rentals listed.

 

I know you're looking for shelter right now, and that does come first, but you're probably eventually gonna want to demand the landlord to pay the difference in what you would've spent at the place you signed a lease to live in and whatever increase in price you will have to pay to get into a new place on such short notice. The landlord will obviously balk but depending on the law in your state he could be liable for breaching the lease.

 

Obviously you're focused on finding a place to live, but did you consult a lawyer to see if there is anyway to force the landlord to rent it?

You did after all pay $1000, which could be considered a contract.

If you don't get the place, you are going to get your $1000 back right?

 

Well, it's June 9th now. Is the landlord still unwilling to learn whether or not his tenant still resides in the home? Can you not move in at this point and pay a pro-rated amount? Although, I'm not sure that you want to deal with this particular landlord at this point.

 

he did eventually give us back our $1,000, which is helpful, but the guy still hasn't even gone into the apartment ... he's an old-school Italian fellow who is too nice to go in without permission, even though he has every right to do so. He'd rather lose our money than go into what appears to be an empty apartment.

He actually literally offered for us to live with his family in his home. He's really just too nice for his own good. My state allows for us to sue for up three times the monthly rent amount, but we probably won't bother. Our focus is pretty much completely on moving forward and finding a place. Like, in the next three days.

It sucks.