Can a landlord make me renew a lease a year early?
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Can a landlord make me renew a lease a year early?
I just renewed my lease, it began on the first of this month. Now the landlord sent me a renewal for next year. They tell me I must tell them if I will renew for another year right now. I must renew by the 15 of next month for a year from now or they’ll post my apartment as available next year on their website. How am I supposed to sign an agreement for a second year up front? I don’t know what my financial situation will be in a year. I’ve never had to tell them before, or any past landlord, more than 2 or 3 months before the end of the current lease, certainly not 12 months early,
Asked on December 15, 2011 under Real Estate Law, Michigan
Answers:
FreeAdvice Contributing Attorney / FreeAdvice Contributing Attorney
Answered 12 years ago | Contributor
Whether or not you are obligated to make a decision to renew for another one year term for the rental that you are occupying after you have just renewed its term recently depends upon what the presumed written lease that you just signed states in that the document controls the obligations owed to you by the landlord and vice versa in the absence of conflicting state law.
I would read your renewed lease carefully as to the time period for renewing the document that you just signed. Most likely you do not have to make a decision to renew or not renew for another 10 months.
In any event, I would not renew the current lease that is just starting a new term for at least another 10 months or so. At that point in time you will know better what your financial situation is. I suspect that something is going on personally with your landlord where he or she needs some security about renting the unit out down the road at this point in time.
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