Get out of Lease

[Shika73]

I reside in North Carolina. I moved into a rooming house on April 20th because it was the only thing I could afford at the time. When I moved in, I put my 5yr old daughter on my lease. Property management wants me to move out because "only one person is supposed to reside in the house." They suggested that I move next door which is an apartment but the rent is twice as high then it is in the room. They emailed me the lease and constantly sent me text messages and emails in the middle of the night telling me to sign it. I told them that I could not afford it but they told me that it was the only thing available and that I had to leave this room. So I signed it and was supposed to move in on the 9th. It is the 15th and I still am not in the apartment because they are still repairing it. Is there any way I can get out of this lease? I really just want to find something else in my price range. The property management are very unprofessional and actually had me move in here under false advertisement. Please tell me there is something I can do.

 

[reenzz]

What was false about their advertising?

 

[Shadowbunny]

I reside in North Carolina. I moved into a rooming house on April 20th because it was the only thing I could afford at the time. When I moved in, I put my 5yr old daughter on my lease. Property management wants me to move out because "only one person is supposed to reside in the house." They suggested that I move next door which is an apartment but the rent is twice as high then it is in the room. They emailed me the lease and constantly sent me text messages and emails in the middle of the night telling me to sign it. I told them that I could not afford it but they told me that it was the only thing available and that I had to leave this room. So I signed it and was supposed to move in on the 9th. It is the 15th and I still am not in the apartment because they are still repairing it. Is there any way I can get out of this lease? I really just want to find something else in my price range. The property management are very unprofessional and actually had me move in here under false advertisement. Please tell me there is something I can do.

The only thing that is in your favor is that your move-in date has come and gone and the apt isn't ready. You need to read your lease carefully and see what the options are if the terms of the lease are broken by the landlord. You should also 1) get familiar with NC tenant laws (do so here: NC Tenant Rights and 2) don't sign leases for housing you can't afford.

 

[Shika73]

What was false about their advertising?

They told me that we would be living in a quite crime free neighborhood, there isn't a pest problem, there will be a washer and dryer on site and that I could pick out any room I wanted when we first got here. There are no washers and dryers, first week of moving in here, the cops came to my apartment looking for a suspect and questioning me and my neighbors, everyone in this area are on drugs and walk up and down the street screaming at night time. When I first moved in, on the left side of the house there are three bedrooms. They told me that I can pick any of them. Contractors would come over and peak in my room through a window to see if someone was in there, and they told me that I had to move out of that room because they are making that whole side an office. They said this after they told me that it was for rent and I asked them if I could rent it out. Everything about this management is crazy. They even tried to make me pay them 2months worth of rent in one month for the room that I am in now when I just gave them my first months rent and deposit and have only been here for 2weeks.

 

[Shadowbunny]

They told me that we would be living in a quite crime free neighborhood, there isn't a pest problem, there will be a washer and dryer on site and that I could pick out any room I wanted when we first got here. There are no washers and dryers, first week of moving in here, the cops came to my apartment looking for a suspect and questioning me and my neighbors, everyone in this area are on drugs and walk up and down the street screaming at night time. When I first moved in, on the left side of the house there are three bedrooms. They told me that I can pick any of them. Contractors would come over and peak in my room through a window to see if someone was in there, and they told me that I had to move out of that room because they are making that whole side an office. They said this after they told me that it was for rent and I asked them if I could rent it out. Everything about this management is crazy. They even tried to make me pay them 2months worth of rent in one month for the room that I am in now when I just gave them my first months rent and deposit and have only been here for 2weeks.

It's normally pretty easy to tell if there's a washer and dryer on site before you sign a lease; it's also easy to see addicts roaming the streets. So the "lies" would have been easily discoverable by you had you done due diligence. So I don't think you can break your lease due to "false advertising." However, if your lease says your move-in date was the 9th and you've not been able to move in because they are still working on the apt, you MAY be able to get out of the lease.

 

[Shika73]

The only thing that is in your favor is that your move-in date has come and gone and the apt isn't ready. You need to read your lease carefully and see what the options are if the terms of the lease are broken by the landlord. You should also 1) get familiar with NC tenant laws (do so here: NC Tenant Rights and 2) don't sign leases for housing you can't afford.

It's normally pretty easy to tell if there's a washer and dryer on site before you sign a lease; it's also easy to see addicts roaming the streets. So the "lies" would have been easily discoverable by you had you done due diligence. So I don't think you can break your lease due to "false advertising." However, if your lease says your move-in date was the 9th and you've not been able to move in because they are still working on the apt, you MAY be able to get out of the lease.

It was not noticeable because the apartment was not finished getting work done. We moved in while they were still fixing things up and installing a kitchen and the "washers and dryers". Also, when we first moved in, the neighborhood was very quite you didn't see anyone around here for the first 2-3 days except cars passing. Once we moved in, and it started to get a little warm outside, it seemed like everyone started coming out.