Can I terminate my lease early without paying for the months it takes my landlord to rent out my unit again because the hasn’t made necessary repairs, etc?
Get Legal Help Today
Compare Quotes From Top Companies and Save
Secured with SHA-256 Encryption
Can I terminate my lease early without paying for the months it takes my landlord to rent out my unit again because the hasn’t made necessary repairs, etc?
I’ve lived in an apartment for about 3 months now and when I originally moved in the landlord told me that they would fix minor repairs: one of the burners on the stove is out, my shower head leaks, and there’s a broken window in the living room. My landlord still has not gotten to anything but also doesn’t pick up when I call. When one of the hot water tanks broke last month and I had to shower at my friend’s house for 3 days, they didn’t reimburse me in my rent. Can I get out of there because my landlord just plain isn’t doing their job, without losing more than my deposite and first month?
Asked on October 31, 2011 under Real Estate Law, Washington
Answers:
MD, Member, California Bar / FreeAdvice Contributing Attorney
Answered 12 years ago | Contributor
You can do the following. Review your lease and see if there are provisions regarding the landlord's breach of lease and what you are required to do pursuant to the lease to preserve your rights. If those provisions are missing or you are still not sure, do not worry. Check with your state consumer protection bureau about what sort of landlord tenants rights pamphlet or information sheet they have. Then do what the lease and tenants rights laws state for you to do. You are usually required to place your concerns in writing and give the landlord a certain amount of days to fix the problem. At the same time, you may wish to go ahead and file a complaint, as well. Your landlord cannot kick you out in retaliation. Then, give the landlord a short amount of time to fix the problems. If the landlord does not repair, you can have someone repair these items, and merely deduct from your rent. Provide copies of the receipts to the landlord to prove your claims. If all else fails, inform the landlord in writing of his breach and then move and seek your security. No matter what, the landlord is still required to mitigate his damages.
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.