Sublet Apartment gone bad -- Harassement & Possible Eviction -- Need to know rights??

[NickL30]

Sublet Apartment gone bad -- Harassement & Possible Eviction -- Need to know rights??

What is the name of your state?

Connecticut


I am posting from the city of Manchester in Hartford Cty. Connecticut.

I answered an ad for a nine month sublet back in May. The thing was that the primary tenant never got the permission of the property manager. Our written agreement was that the primary tenant would continue to pay the monthly rent & I would reimburse her each month, same for the utilities.

All was good until early August. After being away for the weekend, I come back to find the locks changed without any prior notification. The primary tenant & her boyfriend are away in Italy. The management company basically laughs at me over the phone and tells me I am screwed and even if I were in the apartment paying rent, I could be charged with illegal tresspass.

After I got in I spoke with the property manager and they would let it slide as long as the primary tenant submit our written agreement.

Fast forward to now, I was told by the primary tenant that I must be out by the end of the month if not sooner. He tells me that any day at any time I may come home to find that the locks were changed and I won't be able to get my stuff. He tells me that the property manager is beginning summary proceedings and won't even accept their monthly rent payment.

I have not received any type of eviction or vacate notice & there is no record of any pending action in the Hartford County legal system.

What are my rights?? If the primary property manager moves forward with legal action, do they have to notify me since I have been occupying the apartment since May?? If they do proceed with legal action, how much time would I have until I am physically put out by the county sheriff??

But, it is going to be hard for me to find an apartment. My FICO score is only 625. I make $75,000 a year but everyone wants something like 4-6 months between multiple months of rent & security. It is even harder than it was back in NYC to get an apartment and I have a 12 year perfect rental history with one landlord.

 

[FarmerJ]

print a copy of your state statutes that address how much notice tenants are supposed to get when there is a change like moving out notices or rent increases, THEN if you can find a definition of illegal eviction or illegal lock out include that and ask them to explain what part of the law they are exempted from. the person you sublet from has become a LL by subletting to you and both that person and the property manager must follow state lawsif they want you to move out. meaning proper notices , if they dont do it and you find they have self helped illegally evicted you file police report and then see a atty and sue them.

 

[NickL30]

print a copy of your state statutes that address how much notice tenants are supposed to get when there is a change like moving out notices or rent increases, THEN if you can find a definition of illegal eviction or illegal lock out include that and ask them to explain what part of the law they are exempted from. the person you sublet from has become a LL by subletting to you and both that person and the property manager must follow state lawsif they want you to move out. meaning proper notices , if they dont do it and you find they have self helped illegally evicted you file police report and then see a atty and sue them.

I already went thru this with both parties. Both have said that since I 'am not on the lease' those rights don't apply and in essence I can be evicted immediately because I am an 'unlawful occupant'. They don't even have to serve or notify since I am not a tenant on the lease. I just check the internet to see if there is any record of a pending eviction against the primary tenant. They sent the primary tenant a letter with the intent of filing a summary judgement.

I had to hire a locksmith that night back in August when the locks mysteriously changed (they denied doing it) and the property manager laughed at me, her words were "I guess you got screwed".

Don't know about CT law, but in NYC if you have paid rent for over 30 days whether or not your name is on a lease is irrelavant, the landlord must go thru the eviction/notification process. Not sure of the law here in Manchester CT.

They wouldn't even let the primary tenant assign the lease to me or anything like that. He is going to have to pay the remainder of the lease on an empty apartment.

 

[johnd]

Don't know about CT law, but in NYC if you have paid rent for over 30 days whether or not your name is on a lease is irrelavant, the landlord must go thru the eviction/notification process. Not sure of the law here in Manchester CT.

That is true just about anywhere. As soon as money is accepted in the form of rent, and you take possession, a LL/tenant relationship exists, and they must evict if you do not go willingly.

 

[NickL30]

That is true just about anywhere. As soon as money is accepted in the form of rent, and you take possession, a LL/tenant relationship exists, and they must evict if you do not go willingly.

Would I have to served the eviction notice as well?? Would I get a chance to answer in court?? I have a copy of the agreement between myself & the primary tenant as well as several months bank statements with copies of the cash checkes.

 

[johnd]

Would I have to served the eviction notice as well??

Yes.

Would I get a chance to answer in court??

Yes.

I have a copy of the agreement between myself & the primary tenant as well as several months bank statements with copies of the cash checkes.

That's good...because you're going to need it. If the LL has a no sublet agreement, you will be swiftly evicted despite your paperwork...but he still has to evict you.

 

[FarmerJ]

Who cares what the other partys have to say about it . Your`e in possession of the unit and next time your locked out start with a police report to the local police and then do not hesitate to contact a atty and start the ball rolling, DO your self a favor keep vital documents and things you cannot replace somewhere else and make a inventory of your personal property and take pics of it all. NO matter what the property manage says or the person you sublet from they both have to follow your states laws. That includes proper notices with proper time frames to vacate. EVEN with out a lease your a month to month renter and they must follow the law.