If I’m purchasing property under a “lease to own” contract, can the owner require I pay to move the water meter?
Get Legal Help Today
Compare Quotes From Top Companies and Save
Secured with SHA-256 Encryption
If I’m purchasing property under a “lease to own” contract, can the owner require I pay to move the water meter?
As stated, we have been in this contract for 9 years. Seller had built a garage adjacent to my water meter. Now he has decided he wants to pour a concrete drive where the meter is located. Do I have a legal responsibility to do this? We’re talking roughly $1100. Should I just pay? What are my rights here?
Asked on July 5, 2011 under Real Estate Law, Alabama
Answers:
M.T.G., Member, New York Bar / FreeAdvice Contributing Attorney
Answered 12 years ago | Contributor
I hate to throw this back in your court but a good place to start to determine what your rights and liabilities are here is to read your lease agreement It should state whose responsibility it would be for certain things and if the landlord shifted the responsibility to you for this type of thing. Now, not all issues are going to be specifically listed in the lease agreement. It will be general issues such as improvements to the property, maintain the property, etc., It is hard to picture here how this will play out but it seems that he is altering the property and if he does that it may be his responsibility to pay for the move. You leased the property with the meter where it is and it is not being moved for any reason other than his wants Take the agreement to an attorney to review. 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.