Strange situation

What is the name of your state (only U.S. law)?
MA


Ok a friend of mine, asked me to watch his place, and look after his dog (Feed it, walk it) while he went away for 2 weeks. He handed me the keys and everything and said he would be back, well he has not been back and 2 weeks has turned into almost 2 months now.

So it's clear that my friend has abandon the place. The problem is this:

I not only have no idea of my friends whereabouts, but I also have no idea how to contact the landlord or whom he/she even is. On top of that the oddest thing is I have never seen the landlord at all since the entire time I have been here, he has not even knocked on the door to collect rent..

I have emailed my friend asking for the landlords phone number but have yet to get a reply. I have no place to go now because I was supposed to be watching my friends place for 2 weeks.

So I was planning on waiting for the landlord to just show up and explain the situation. I am not even sure if the landlord even knows I'm there.

But I am pretty sure the landlord will most likely ask me if I wanted to stay here just to take the place over. I really cannot leave because I have no place to go, but at the same time I don't want to leave because there is a pet here and i cannot just leave the pet,

What should I do? I am not in here illegally because I was invited in, on top of that I have been trying to get a hold of the landlord.

I think I should wait for the landlord or my friends email with the phone number then contact the landlord.

Have you reported to the police that he is MISSING?

You have NO idea whether something has subsequently happened to him! He'stwo MONTHS missing, for heaven's sake!

Wouldn't it be funny if the guy is found in a dumpster somewhere and the police come to check his address and find the OP living there. Let's just say I know who suspect #1 would be.

Have you reported to the police that he is MISSING?

You have NO idea whether something has subsequently happened to him! He'stwo MONTHS missing, for heaven's sake!

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Do people such as yourselves ever stop to think before you open your mouth to speak?

Did I say he was missing?...No.

What I said was that I don't know his whereabouts, and there is major different between the two.


Now do either of you two genius's know the answer to my question/strange issue or not?

Uh - huh.

So what contact have you have had directly with him after his two week "trip"? And where did you post anything about continued contact? We are not mind readers, we see ONLY what YOU post.

since you are so unclear as to what contact or if there was any contact with your friend in the 2 months, what do you expect.


call the local humane society and tell them your friend has abandoned the dogs and it's time you moved on with your life. Once they get the dogs, move out to wherever you want to go.



the thing is, it sounds like you don't want to leave so really, what are you here looking for?

Ok I think we are all off on the wrong foot here:
Let me start over

I know some of his family members, and they know where my friend is. So I know he is ok. I just don't know his whereabouts is all and for personal reasons only wants a couple family members to know where he is. Otherwise yes, I would have gone to the police.

Ok now onto the issue

Is what I am doing illegal?

I don't assume what I am doing is illegal, after all it's not like I saw an empty building, decided to break in, set living quarters, and made my own keys. I was simply asked by my friend if I could stay there and watch the place, while he was a way, (Which means I was invited in) I didn't even think twice to ask him about the landlord. I am trying to get in contact with the landlord. I also have not been asked to leave by anyone either. 2 months no police no nothing.

Right now I don't have a place to go, but that is going to change shortly but that is not the point for now, my intention is to stay until and wait for the landlord to show up to explain the situation.

Due to how I wound up in this strange situation, I am well within the right to stay here, aren't I? It is not my fault my friend left, and I cannot control if the landlord shows up, so am I doing anything wrong by staying here again I am under the assumption that the landlord knows I am here and so far no one has bothered me? Obviously if the police or land lord show up and say I have to go yes I will go, but until that happens I do not think I am doing anything wrong.


What are others thoughts on this or does someone know what law this falls under?

Is what I am doing illegal?

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from what you have stated, most likely not.

, my intention is to stay until and wait for the landlord to show up to explain the situation.

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why do you feel it is your duty to even care about the LL. It is your friends apartment. That is who needs to speak to the LL. You could be considered a trespasser if your friends lease does not allow long term guests. As such, you could be removed without notice, especially if your friend has no contact with the LL.

Due to how I wound up in this strange situation, I am well within the right to stay here, aren't I?

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NO

It is not my fault my friend left, and I cannot control if the landlord shows up, so am I doing anything wrong by staying here again I am under the assumption that the landlord knows I am here and so far no one has bothered me?

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you said your friend asked you to stay 2 weeks. 2 weeks was up long ago.

Obviously if the police or land lord show up and say I have to go yes I will go, but until that happens I do not think I am doing anything wrong.

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basically correct.

Regardless of the current situation these are the facts:

1. My friend asked me to watch the place UNTIL HE CAME BACK which should be in 2 weeks, since he said UNTIL I GET BACK, and he has not returned then I am fine because he may still be coming back... I'm just under the assumption he is not... But what do I know.

2. I am not trespassing because I was let in, and my friend has no lease that I am aware of. But I also do not know what type of agreement if any that my friend has/had with the landlord.

3. I am on the understanding that the Landlord knows I'm here and I cannot get a response from my friend as of yet about the landlords phone number to inform him of the situation.

4. The landlord is responsible for his/her own place and should know what's going on in there.

5. Since I have been invited in, and no one has come around asking any questions and or asked me to leave, then I am still not trespassing.

6. There either has to be a sign stating no trespassing, or the owner of the property has to tell you you are not allowed there or asks you to leave FIRST. If you are not asked to leave then you cannot be considered trespassing.

The bottom line is that if the landlord actually took the initiative to come around, he/she would know this...But then again maybe he/she does.

I am going to wait to find out what is going on because maybe the landlord does know what is going on, and that's why no one has come around.

I'm just speculating

And for the record yes i do not want to leave because i have no place to go right now.

If the previous tenancy is over, I don't think his permission is valid any longer, so the OP better be sure that tenancy is still valid or else trespassing is a possibility (Unless the OP never re-enters and just stays inside since the valid permission.) Also, if the other ended:

CHAPTER 186. ESTATES FOR YEARS AND AT WILL

Chapter 186: Section 3. Tenancy at sufferance; liability for rent

Section 3. Tenants at sufferance in possession of land or tenements shall be liable to pay rent therefor for such time as they may occupy or detain the same.

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Making the OP potentially liable for the rent.

does not matter said:

Regardless of the current situation these are the facts:

1. My friend asked me to watch the place UNTIL HE CAME BACK which should be in 2 weeks, since he said UNTIL I GET BACK, and he has not returned then I am fine because he may still be coming back... I'm just under the assumption he is not... But what do I know.

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That in no way makes the place yours. You can be evicted any day. (note at this point, a court order will be needed to remove you.)

2. I am not trespassing because I was let in, and my friend has no lease that I am aware of. But I also do not know what type of agreement if any that my friend has/had with the landlord.

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Landlord can come and have you removed, because the LL did not say you can stay there. Thats how you are trespassing. A judge will likely agree, you might have a week from that point to figure out where to go.

3. I am on the understanding that the Landlord knows I'm here and I cannot get a response from my friend as of yet about the landlords phone number to inform him of the situation.

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Well then you don't know.

4. The landlord is responsible for his/her own place and should know what's going on in there.

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Well, fine. If you feel like you need to be right. But as long as tenant is paying the rent, I'm sure the LL is not concerned.

5. Since I have been invited in, and no one has come around asking any questions and or asked me to leave, then I am still not trespassing.

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Fine, but you still don't fully live there.

6. There either has to be a sign stating no trespassing, or the owner of the property has to tell you you are not allowed there or asks you to leave FIRST. If you are not asked to leave then you cannot be considered trespassing.

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Whatever, still not your home.

The bottom line is that if the landlord actually took the initiative to come around, he/she would know this...But then again maybe he/she does.

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Fine, but you still aren't a resident, you are a guest. A guest that needs to be removed with the permission of the court. But you better believe, the LL or your friend will get that permission.

I am going to wait to find out what is going on because maybe the landlord does know what is going on, and that's why no one has come around.

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Then do that.

And for the record yes i do not want to leave because i have no place to go right now.

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You better figure that out in the event you are evicted from the place, for whatever reason, by whoever can do that.

I'm not debating whether or not I live here or that i can get evicted or anything like that.

The issue here is I have not been asked to leave by anyone.

Clearly the land lord either:
1. Knows exactly what is going on and simply doesn't care
OR
2. Doesn't know and doesn't care

In either case I have not heard from the land lord. Who has the say over anything.

Regardless though, I am oblivious to what is going on and cannot be held accountable for anything. I have not been told to leave, I am under the assumption the land lord knows I am here.

Now because if the city I live in, and the part of that city I am in, if the land lord doesn't know and shows up and I explain what has happened, he/she will almost 100% of the time ask me if I want to take over and live there.

This is not the first time I have had this particular situation happen. I had another friend of mine ask me to come live with him and I asked him if it was alright with the land lord and he said yes, and i said are you sure, he said yes. So i moved in, well it turned out that my friend moved out, and the landlord showed up and had no clue to what was going on and realized that both me and him had been had, and the landlord simply asked me if I wanted to stay there, after all I was already in there.

That is usually what happens with a case like this. So that is why i am waiting to see if the landlord shows up. It's not a matter of I want to be right, it's a matter of how this usually goes down.

Worst case scenario, i'm asked to leave... In which case I will. I don't give people a hard time.

I just do not see how I am doing anything wrong in this particular case. Because I am even trying to get a hold of the landlord myself.

That is usually what happens with a case like this. So that is why i am waiting to see if the landlord shows up. It's not a matter of I want to be right, it's a matter of how this usually goes down.

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there is no "usual" in a situation like this. What happens depends on what any of the parties decide they want to do and more specifics than we know here.

Worst case scenario, i'm asked to leave... In which case I will. I don't give people a hard time.

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actually, if the LL never knew of you and the tenant cannot be contacted, the worst case scenario I can imagine is you are arrested for trespassing and thrown in jail.

I just do not see how I am doing anything wrong in this particular case. Because I am even trying to get a hold of the landlord myself.

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I don't think anybody is really stating you are doing anything wrong, or at least, illegal. You asked questions and you got answers. The fact is, nobody here can guess what the LL might do. All we can say is what he can do and depending on the exact facts, that could be anything from throwing you a party for taking care of the premises to having you thrown in jail for trespassing.

actually, if the LL never knew of you and the tenant cannot be contacted, the worst case scenario I can imagine is you are arrested for trespassing and thrown in jail

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Yes but I am not at fault, because I do not know and was never told to leave so what grounds does anyone have for being arrested and thrown in jail...just because the landlord says so.... I don't think that can happen? I'm pretty sure the law states you have to be told by some means you cannot be in there to considered trespassing and last time I checked:

Trespassing is the unlawfully entry in which the party in question clearly knows through being told by some means, such as signs, a court order, word or mouth, or by some other means that they are not supposed to be in said place.

If you are not told, and or do not know, and no signs are up saying no trespassing, then therefore how in the world can you be arrested and or thrown in jail? I think that violates my constitutional rights.

But I will say you can however be told to leave, and if you don't then you are trespassing because you have now been made aware that you are not wanted in said place.

The thing here is I was invited in by the current/past tenant, and not told to leave, so how am i trespassing? and what grounds does the LL have to have me arrested and or thrown in jail?

If I get thrown in jail for this I'll sue the landlord because my constitutional rights have been violated

does not matter said:

Do people such as yourselves ever stop to think before you open your mouth to speak?

Did I say he was missing?...No.

What I said was that I don't know his whereabouts, and there is major different between the two.


Now do either of you two genius's know the answer to my question/strange issue or not?

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**A: I think you are missing.




















































































































































































































































Missing a brain.