I need legal help re: a lease

My lease sorta rolled over automatically, but the terms changed. Originally it was supposed to be "give 60 days notice before leaving" after the first year, but when they thought they were going to do some major renovations, they changed it to a 30-day notice. Now they've decided to delay the renovations, so it's back to 60 days. Fortunate for me they're not going up on rent, because like IJAG I'm spending enough of what little I make as it is. Besides, I'm hoping not to be here this time last year ... which is what I hoped this time last year ... and two years ago.

 

This happened to a friend of mine several years ago. He thought he was fucked, but it proved to be a blessing. He was forced out of his dumpy apartment, my lease ran out and we both wound up renting a very cool waterfront townhouse.

 

What that also means is that banks are going to be unloading decent property at ridiculously cheap levels, to get some ROI. You're effed if you're in the renters' market now, especially in a bigger city, but once the bubble bursts, you should be OK if you have a decent job.

 

Update: I'm not nearly as screwed as I feared.

I went over to talk to them today, and they had the amount I was paying in rent as $105 more than what I was actually paying. So the increase should only have been $25. He said he'd try to redo it down to a $25 increase, but I don't really want to stay there that badly.

So I'm supposed to go visit a house I could rent a room with a private bath I found on craigslist. It will be about $450 cheaper a month, and I'd probably have more room. So I can either, at the end of this lease, renew for one month at my current rate plus $100 then get out by May 1 or I can extend my current rate for two months and put in my 60 days notice. Depends on how much money I can scrape up to move.

Anyone want to carry a couch?

 

You could just burn it, depending on where you live.

And as far as roommates, you usually find good ones when you least expect it. Found my best roommate ever when she responded to a roommate ad that I placed as a sign of desperation at the local college, and I happened to share a suite with my second-best roommate's friend as a junior (three of us lived together in a house as seniors).

 

Just make sure you don't get this person for a roommate.

http://freep.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070309/NEWS02/703090315/1001

 

yeah this is probably correct. No matter what you do, you're probably not getting your deposit back. They will nickle and dime the shit out of you.

 

As a former apartment manager, take pictures when you leave the apartment. Then if they try to nickel-and-dime you, you will have photographic proof of the so-called damages. Usually, one very well-worded letter saying you have pictures and are willing to go to court will get them to back off any claims.

 

IJAG, I really feel for your situation but I'm even more concerned that you would come to SportsJournalists.com for legal advice. Have any of the "lawyers" here told you to put sugar in the landlord's gas tank yet.

 

I'll help.

 

I've always received my deposit. Only once did someone try to keep it ... one of the reasons they gave was because I left a beer in the fridge and they wanted $50 to throw it away ... I told them it was on me and to give me my damn money.

If they keep giving you shit just know there's a lot of free help out there. In most states there's a whole court for landlord/tenant claims with small filing fees and you can probably find a lot of free legal advice on the subject in your area ... just check the web ...