Can I be let out of my lease if I believe that I am being harrassed by other tenants ?
Get Legal Help Today
Compare Quotes From Top Companies and Save
Secured with SHA-256 Encryption
Can I be let out of my lease if I believe that I am being harrassed by other tenants ?
I have lived in my complex for about 1 1/2 years and since day 1 I have been harrassed about my dog, my grill, my company, and false allegations. Other tenants knocking on my door and asking me questions. So I want to know if I can terminate my lease with the person I’m renting from and recover my deposit back?
Asked on May 9, 2012 under Real Estate Law, Florida
Answers:
SJZ, Member, New York Bar / FreeAdvice Contributing Attorney
Answered 11 years ago | Contributor
No, you most likely cannot terminate your lease without penalty. The landlord is not reponsible for the acts of third parties--e.g. the other tenants--in the vast majority of cases, and strife between you and other tenants is not typically grounds for terminating you lease (which is a contract) with the landlord.
There is an exception if the other tenants' actions are so egregrious as to constitute a violation of your right to quiet enjoyment (think "disturbing the peace") and the landlord refuses to take action to stop it after you have provided him notice of the situation. But this would be more than false accusations or knocking on your door; this would be like playing loud noice late a night, vandalizing your property or threatening you, blocking your paking spot or ingress/egress, etc. From what you write, it does not appear that this behavior rises to the level where it would be considered interference with your right to quiet enjoyment, and if it does not, the landlord does not have to do anything about it--and you would not have grounds to terminate your lease.
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.