What are my rights to enforce a rent-to-own agreement?

Get Legal Help Today

Compare Quotes From Top Companies and Save

secured lock Secured with SHA-256 Encryption

What are my rights to enforce a rent-to-own agreement?

I have a rent-to-own agreement with the owner of the property that I’m currently living in. It has no

termination date and it’s been about 2 years since we moved in with the intent to purchase the property. We have never failed to pay rent but now the owner wants the property back and gave me a 30 day rental agreement termination. However, there is no specific date of termination on the rent-to-own agreement signed by both parties. What are the chance that I can still purchase the property? I have a record of my own payment and every single payment made to the property bank.

Asked on April 22, 2017 under Real Estate Law, Arizona

Answers:

SJZ, Member, New York Bar / FreeAdvice Contributing Attorney

Answered 6 years ago | Contributor

Contracts, including rent-to-own agreements, are enforceable as per their plain terms; and further, additional terms (like a right to early termination) may NOT be added after the fact. If there is no early termination clause in the agreement, and no expiration date for it either, then so long as you have been making whatever payments are due under the agreement and otherwise complying with the agreement, you can enforce it. You could bring a lawsuit for "specific performance"--for a court order requiring the owner to honor the terms of the agreement--if he will not honor it otherwise.


IMPORTANT NOTICE: The Answer(s) provided above are for general information only. The attorney providing the answer was not serving as the attorney for the person submitting the question or in any attorney-client relationship with such person. Laws may vary from state to state, and sometimes change. Tiny variations in the facts, or a fact not set forth in a question, often can change a legal outcome or an attorney's conclusion. Although AttorneyPages.com has verified the attorney was admitted to practice law in at least one jurisdiction, he or she may not be authorized to practice law in the jurisdiction referred to in the question, nor is he or she necessarily experienced in the area of the law involved. Unlike the information in the Answer(s) above, upon which you should NOT rely, for personal advice you can rely upon we suggest you retain an attorney to represent you.

Get Legal Help Today

Find the right lawyer for your legal issue.

secured lock Secured with SHA-256 Encryption