Can a landlord threaten a tenant to sign a lease?
Get Legal Help Today
Compare Quotes From Top Companies and Save
Secured with SHA-256 Encryption
Can a landlord threaten a tenant to sign a lease?
My landlord came by threatening me to sign a lease. He had a pitbull with him knowing that I am terrified of dogs. My landlord is a big man and I am a single female. He said that it was for his protection. He had his phone up recording me. How legal is this?
Asked on June 15, 2012 under Real Estate Law, Florida
Answers:
M.T.G., Member, New York Bar / FreeAdvice Contributing Attorney
Answered 11 years ago | Contributor
No, you can not threaten anyone any time. Using a threat to force some one to sign a leanse would make that lease void or voidable. That is coersion and signing a contract such as a lease under those circumstances -duress - would render the lease void or voidable. Your landlord should evict you if you are a month to month tenant and he wants a lease signed and you won't. But I think you may want to find some where else if he is like this to deal with. And think about reporting it. Good luck.
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.