What is the name of your state (only U.S. law)? Florida
Hello,
I have some questions regarding rental laws. I live in the state of Florida. I know tenant/landlord laws often are very specific to location, but hopefully, you may be able to give me some insight.
Last year, I was renting a house with myself and two other girls. We all paid separately every month and we all submitted a separate security deposit check. We all signed to a one year lease, the lease period being from January 31st 2013 to January 31st 2014. I got a new job and had to move, I waited until the end of the lease, seeing as I did not want to break the lease or inconvenience the girls I was living with. 90s prior to the lease ending, I gave notice that I personally will not be renewing the lease. I had to conduct this business over email with my landlord, as I was having a very difficult time reaching her on her phone and was not able to set up and sort of appointment. Email had been our primary form of contact since move in anyway. I sent her an email 90 days before the last day of the lease explaining that I will not be able to renew. I also sent her an attachment form required from my new apartment, asking for her reference for me as a tenant. This form included my name, my former address, the period of tenancy, the rental amount, and statements saying that I had no late payments and no NSF’s, as well as her reference stating that she would re rent to me. It was filled out by her, included her name and title as well. She filled it three days after my initial email and sent it back to me as well as an email acknowledging that I will not be renewing. A month later, at the 60 day point, I sent her another email, just a reminder that I would not be renewing, and stating that I wanted to be absolutely positive that my name would be taken off at the end of the lease.
At the end of the lease, I never heard from her about a walk through or security deposit refund. I wasn’t too bothered. I needed to be out of that house, and was happy to be in a new lease in a place that I was much happier in.
Fast forward to yesterday afternoon, a year later. I received a call from a lady I never met from a real estate company I never had any relations with. She stated that I owed her nearly 3 grand in late rent and check bouncing fees for my previous address. I called back and left a voicemail explaining that I did everything required of me, and gave notice at both the 90 day and 60 day period, and my former landlord had replied and made note of the fact that I would not be resigning. I asked her to please contact me back as soon as possible because I would like more information. I waited a while and got no return call, so I kept calling on the hour, hoping to catch her. Unable to get a hold of her, I waited until I got off work for the day, and called her another line. She picked up right away. I spoke to her and she told me that I was still on the lease. She informed me that I would have to sign a form stating that I forfeit my security deposit, and since I never signed that (I was never informed, and wasn’t even sure if my former roomates moved out or not. I was not kept in the loop by my landlord. I didn’t keep in contact with my roomates afterwards) they kept me on the lease without my knowledge. She informed me that my old landlord was no longer with the company, and that a new company had taken over. She stated that no new lease was drafted at the end of the old one, even though the lease was for the term of one year, and I moved out and given ample notice. She also stated that she is aware that I no longer live on the property. She said if I sign the form releasing the security deposit, than I will not owe the money. At the end of the lease I was not told that I had to do anything else, despite my multiple emails, and despite that they replied. The agent was very persistent that she email me the form and I e-sign it and send it back to her. I told her I refused to do that and wanted to meet with her in person to take care of this matter. She argued a bit and finally accepted those terms. Minutes later she sent me a text stating that she emailed me the form and if I wanted I could e-sign. I texted her back saying the time I will be at her office and told her I do not want to take care of this over the internet.
I read over the form and it states nothing about the fact that I should have been taken off the lease a year ago. It reads more like I am breaking my current lease. She also is just expecting me, yet the form requires the signatures of all three roomates, as well as five witnesses. Overall, the situation does not feel right to be. Something about signing this form feels wrong to me. I want to be off the lease, I do not like the fact that they basically paid limbo with my credit, rental history, and my name overall. I don’t like the fact that they never drafted a new lease, and that they continued to have me listed on the lease, even though they know that I had asked to be taken off and I had moved off the premises. I bare no relation to the girls I used to live with, and I do not want to be held fiscally responsible for their actions. My appointment is set for tomorrow morning, and even though I am an adult, I will be brining my father with me. I feel it is important for me to have a witness. I have physical copies of the emails as well as the form my previous landlord signed. I also don’t fully understand why there wasn’t a walk through, and why I must will my portion of the deposit away just because I decided to legally end my lease with overly sufficient notice. However, I do want to note that my aim in this situation is not to get my portion of the deposit back, but rather to protect myself, as well as my credit, and to see if they handled things legally or not. Thank you for your time, and I apologize for being so lengthy. I hope I sufficiently managed to cover the bases and not pointlessly ramble.
Hello,
I have some questions regarding rental laws. I live in the state of Florida. I know tenant/landlord laws often are very specific to location, but hopefully, you may be able to give me some insight.
Last year, I was renting a house with myself and two other girls. We all paid separately every month and we all submitted a separate security deposit check. We all signed to a one year lease, the lease period being from January 31st 2013 to January 31st 2014. I got a new job and had to move, I waited until the end of the lease, seeing as I did not want to break the lease or inconvenience the girls I was living with. 90s prior to the lease ending, I gave notice that I personally will not be renewing the lease. I had to conduct this business over email with my landlord, as I was having a very difficult time reaching her on her phone and was not able to set up and sort of appointment. Email had been our primary form of contact since move in anyway. I sent her an email 90 days before the last day of the lease explaining that I will not be able to renew. I also sent her an attachment form required from my new apartment, asking for her reference for me as a tenant. This form included my name, my former address, the period of tenancy, the rental amount, and statements saying that I had no late payments and no NSF’s, as well as her reference stating that she would re rent to me. It was filled out by her, included her name and title as well. She filled it three days after my initial email and sent it back to me as well as an email acknowledging that I will not be renewing. A month later, at the 60 day point, I sent her another email, just a reminder that I would not be renewing, and stating that I wanted to be absolutely positive that my name would be taken off at the end of the lease.
At the end of the lease, I never heard from her about a walk through or security deposit refund. I wasn’t too bothered. I needed to be out of that house, and was happy to be in a new lease in a place that I was much happier in.
Fast forward to yesterday afternoon, a year later. I received a call from a lady I never met from a real estate company I never had any relations with. She stated that I owed her nearly 3 grand in late rent and check bouncing fees for my previous address. I called back and left a voicemail explaining that I did everything required of me, and gave notice at both the 90 day and 60 day period, and my former landlord had replied and made note of the fact that I would not be resigning. I asked her to please contact me back as soon as possible because I would like more information. I waited a while and got no return call, so I kept calling on the hour, hoping to catch her. Unable to get a hold of her, I waited until I got off work for the day, and called her another line. She picked up right away. I spoke to her and she told me that I was still on the lease. She informed me that I would have to sign a form stating that I forfeit my security deposit, and since I never signed that (I was never informed, and wasn’t even sure if my former roomates moved out or not. I was not kept in the loop by my landlord. I didn’t keep in contact with my roomates afterwards) they kept me on the lease without my knowledge. She informed me that my old landlord was no longer with the company, and that a new company had taken over. She stated that no new lease was drafted at the end of the old one, even though the lease was for the term of one year, and I moved out and given ample notice. She also stated that she is aware that I no longer live on the property. She said if I sign the form releasing the security deposit, than I will not owe the money. At the end of the lease I was not told that I had to do anything else, despite my multiple emails, and despite that they replied. The agent was very persistent that she email me the form and I e-sign it and send it back to her. I told her I refused to do that and wanted to meet with her in person to take care of this matter. She argued a bit and finally accepted those terms. Minutes later she sent me a text stating that she emailed me the form and if I wanted I could e-sign. I texted her back saying the time I will be at her office and told her I do not want to take care of this over the internet.
I read over the form and it states nothing about the fact that I should have been taken off the lease a year ago. It reads more like I am breaking my current lease. She also is just expecting me, yet the form requires the signatures of all three roomates, as well as five witnesses. Overall, the situation does not feel right to be. Something about signing this form feels wrong to me. I want to be off the lease, I do not like the fact that they basically paid limbo with my credit, rental history, and my name overall. I don’t like the fact that they never drafted a new lease, and that they continued to have me listed on the lease, even though they know that I had asked to be taken off and I had moved off the premises. I bare no relation to the girls I used to live with, and I do not want to be held fiscally responsible for their actions. My appointment is set for tomorrow morning, and even though I am an adult, I will be brining my father with me. I feel it is important for me to have a witness. I have physical copies of the emails as well as the form my previous landlord signed. I also don’t fully understand why there wasn’t a walk through, and why I must will my portion of the deposit away just because I decided to legally end my lease with overly sufficient notice. However, I do want to note that my aim in this situation is not to get my portion of the deposit back, but rather to protect myself, as well as my credit, and to see if they handled things legally or not. Thank you for your time, and I apologize for being so lengthy. I hope I sufficiently managed to cover the bases and not pointlessly ramble.
