Horrible landlord, need to break lease. Advice needed!

[idkallie]

What is the name of your state? Okay, so I live in Georgia, I’m 19 and my landlord takes advantage of me a lot. Firstly, my apartment has been infested with bugs twice (gnats and fruit flies), I get charged way more than anyone else. I pay almost $700, my neighbor pays $550. It IS income based, but I do not make that much.. I couldn’t live there with all the bugs. At all. I had to use my own money to fogger my apartment and there’s still roaches. I clean constantly. My neighbors also have them like crazy. I’ve told management, nothing. Also, they don’t care about other residents dogs being off leash and charging at me and my dog. They’ve also withheld my packages from me and entered my apartment without telling me and yelled at me about my dog not being crated but never even informed me they were coming. The staff is rude to me, always talking down to me like I’m stupid. I’m just sick of it. My question: are any of these ground for breaking lease? I just can’t live like this anymore and I found a private owned house I can actually afford with a yard for my dog. Thank you! EDIT: also want to add, they never took this months rent out of my bank account and want to charge me $200 for being “late” for an issue with their system. Making me pay $900, which I can’t afford nor do I have because I AM 19.

 

[AgentSmithers]

Idkallie,
The lease you signed has terms you've agreed to. If the Lease says you can break it under a set of determining factors then you can if those factors are met. Most Leases are generated on the side of the Landlord and normally don't have clauses like that so it's a grim chance you would be able to break it with the issues you listed above, The rest, such as the issues with the Dog's are not directly relevant to the validity of the contract you have with your Landlord nor are the staff's attitude in this case. Put yourself in the Landlords shoes, You have a Multi-Hundred thousand dollar loan on your head that the bank wants you to pay it off for the property being rented and if any two dollar tenant could simply make a claim that someone else's Dog is bothering them or the Staff isn't nice enough to them then they could legally break a lease, that there would be a lot of chaos.

There are protocol's laid out in regards to resolving issues that are material to your tendency, If you need something resolved to go through the proper channel's (I.E. Notify the landlord in writing). If the issue you submit is legitimate and then ISNT RESOLVED, THEN AT THE POINT YOU MAY HAVE A LEGAL ISSUE. Right now, to be frank, it sounds like you really don't and your goal is to Break the lease and NOT RESOLVE the issues, and to that I say, respectfully, Read what you signed.

At a pointless and technical level there are some outside influences that can cause a lease to be legitimately broken even while being fully valid and in effect, however, those Edge cases you are not nearly close to being met with your opening post so no point into getting into them there now.

 

[Gail in Georgia]

Couple of things to keep in mind..

1. Are you taking out the garbage frequently? Unfortunately, gnats can be a problem in Georgia (the "gnat line" is moving further "up" the state each month it seems). Foggers aren't all that helpful with roaches; they just tend to drive the critters temporarily into the walls and they come out again. You need to request help from management in writing, not verbally.

2. Your rent should have been explained to you when you first moved in and was something you agreed to.

3. Management being rude to you is, unfortunately, not a legal reason to break a lease. Neither is the issue of dogs being off leash.

4. Why are they entering your apartment without telling you? If for an emergency repair this can be done; otherwise there is typically a need to notify you that they will be entering the unit.

5. What do you mean they are withholding your packages from you?

Gail

 

[idkallie]

Couple of things to keep in mind..

1. Are you taking out the garbage frequently? Unfortunately, gnats can be a problem in Georgia (the "gnat line" is moving further "up" the state each month it seems). Foggers aren't all that helpful with roaches; they just tend to drive the critters temporarily into the walls and they come out again. You need to request help from management in writing, not verbally.

2. Your rent should have been explained to you when you first moved in and was something you agreed to.

3. Management being rude to you is, unfortunately, not a legal reason to break a lease. Neither is the issue of dogs being off leash.

4. Why are they entering your apartment without telling you? If for an emergency repair this can be done; otherwise there is typically a need to notify you that they will be entering the unit.

5. What do you mean they are withholding your packages from you?

Gail

I take my garbage out when it's even halfway full. I've asked for pest control 3 times, nothing happens. Getting attacked by dogs seems like a pretty good reason to me. I agreed to $620, now it is magically $677. It was for a clogged sink, which isn't an emergency. I mean, they were delivered, signed for, and they wouldn't give it to me. Had to get it redelivered (packages are kept in the rental office).

 

[Shadowbunny]

I take my garbage out when it's even halfway full. I've asked for pest control 3 times, nothing happens. Getting attacked by dogs seems like a pretty good reason to me. I agreed to $620, now it is magically $677. It was for a clogged sink, which isn't an emergency. I mean, they were delivered, signed for, and they wouldn't give it to me. Had to get it redelivered (packages are kept in the rental office).

Did you ask for pest control in writing?

Have you actually been attacked, or did the dogs just run up on you?

What others pay don't matter -- what's in YOUR lease matters. And when you say you it's "magically $677", was that a one-time fee for unclogging your sink? If not, WHY was there an increase?

And when you say the packages were redelivered -- by whom?

 

[FarmerJ]

As far as differences in rent amounts there must be one or two things that are different as to why your rent is more than a neighbors , bugs what did your city housing / building inspector tell you when you called them about the pest in the apartment ? Neighbors dogs , if you must then call your city to learn if they have a animal control officer and talk to that person to learn what your city ordinances are for animal -pet issues. AS to entries to your unit with no notice from them, Write on real paper and send via confirmed mail delivery a short letter that tells them if they provide to you a reasonable notice before entering your apartment then you are able to put the dog into its kennel- cage. AS to the late fee ask them in the same letter to tell you why the rental payment system they use did not deduct your rent payment on time? I suggest you cease using that way of paying your rent after you go get a regular checking account and pay your rent from now on in the landlords office in person and ask for a receipt that shows you gave them check number _ _ _ _ for the rent

 

[idkallie]

As far as differences in rent amounts there must be one or two things that are different as to why your rent is more than a neighbors , bugs what did your city housing / building inspector tell you when you called them about the pest in the apartment ? Neighbors dogs , if you must then call your city to learn if they have a animal control officer and talk to that person to learn what your city ordinances are for animal -pet issues. AS to entries to your unit with no notice from them, Write on real paper and send via confirmed mail delivery a short letter that tells them if they provide to you a reasonable notice before entering your apartment then you are able to put the dog into its kennel- cage. AS to the late fee ask them in the same letter to tell you why the rental payment system they use did not deduct your rent payment on time? I suggest you cease using that way of paying your rent after you go get a regular checking account and pay your rent from now on in the landlords office in person and ask for a receipt that shows you gave them check number _ _ _ _ for the rent

That’s the thing it’s the only system they let us use.

 

[idkallie]

Did you ask for pest control in writing?

Have you actually been attacked, or did the dogs just run up on you?

What others pay don't matter -- what's in YOUR lease matters. And when you say you it's "magically $677", was that a one-time fee for unclogging your sink? If not, WHY was there an increase?

And when you say the packages were redelivered -- by whom?

By fedex lol? And the extra fees are for garbage, and pest control which should not be that significant. And a pitbull did attack my dog, along with putting a person in the emergency room.

 

[AgentSmithers]

By fedex lol? And the extra fees are for garbage, and pest control which should not be that significant. And a pitbull did attack my dog, along with putting a person in the emergency room.

Idkallie,
respectfully, you keep bringing up the Dog which is fine, It is an issue but IT IS NOT RELEVANT TO YOUR LEASE (Unless you can state otherwise in your lease). If it's that big of an issue you have the option for an APS Hearing from your local City Pet Administration (Going through the correct protocols), But back to your tendency, It's not relevant to the contract that you have with your Landlord.
If your Dog has been attacked and you were not at fault you can sue the owner of the Pitbull to recover expenses gained from the event (Pain and Suffering Etc etc.) However, If you do win it will not have any additional effect on the term of your lease unless I am missing a material fact here.

 

[idkallie]

Idkallie,
respectfully, you keep bringing up the Dog which is fine, It is an issue but IT IS NOT RELEVANT TO YOUR LEASE (Unless you can state otherwise in your lease). If it's that big of an issue you have the option for an APS Hearing from your local City Pet Administration (Going through the correct protocols), But back to your tendency, It's not relevant to the contract that you have with your Landlord.
If your Dog has been attacked and you were not at fault you can sue the owner of the Pitbull to recover expenses gained from the event (Pain and Suffering Etc etc.) However, If you do win it will not have any additional effect on the term of your lease unless I am missing a material fact here.

It’s an issue for me but okay. My question is how is any thing these people are doing okay?

 

[AgentSmithers]

Well the rest of the forum Contributors here are trying to assist you but you are missing gaps of important information, Really after rereading this post I'm not sure even if we are on the same topic anymore about you breaking your lease, But with what I can chime in on to your last question is there is a Line drawn between morality and law.. We try to keep them on the SAME SIDE however there are reason's why certain things that seem immoral are not illegal. I'm only guessing and I'm sure your fed up with the place but so far it sounds like you need to sit and wait out your lease then relocate asap.

Let us know your goal here. If it's simply to break the lease I don't see anything valid yet so informally speaking to your landlord about mutually agreeing to break your lease may be your only option, we can also wait for other members to chime in. However, that is 100% up to your landlord at the time to let you go if they want to.. You signed the lease and they can hold your feet to the wall if they want to until the lease is completed.

I hope that makes sense, you should have a feel for your relationship with your Landlord and what their stance may be but historically in the past, I've seen people talk their way out of a lease that wherein full effect, But if your an asshole to your landlord they may not be so generous. That's why you gotta be nice to everyone! Best to learn while your 19 because it only gets harder from here =].

 

[idkallie]

Well the rest of the forum Contributors here are trying to assist you but you are missing gaps of important information, Really after rereading this post I'm not sure even if we are on the same topic anymore about you breaking your lease, But with what I can chime in on to your last question is there is a Line drawn between morality and law.. We try to keep them on the SAME SIDE however there are reason's why certain things that seem immoral are not illegal. I'm only guessing and I'm sure your fed up with the place but so far it sounds like you need to sit and wait out your lease then relocate asap.

Let us know your goal here. If it's simply to break the lease I don't see anything valid yet so informally speaking to your landlord about mutually agreeing to break your lease may be your only option, we can also wait for other members to chime in. However, that is 100% up to your landlord at the time to let you go if they want to.. You signed the lease and they can hold your feet to the wall if they want to until the lease is completed.

I hope that makes sense, you should have a feel for your relationship with your Landlord and what their stance may be but historically in the past, I've seen people talk their way out of a lease that wherein full effect, But if your an asshole to your landlord they may not be so generous. That's why you gotta be nice to everyone! Best to learn while your 19 because it only gets harder from here =].

They’ve sold the company so many times I can’t even keep track who is my landlord anymore. I’m just sick of this place. I need a new place, I don’t feel safe/clean enough to even live there. Based on these things, what reprecautions could I have?

 

[not2cleverRed]

They’ve sold the company so many times I can’t even keep track who is my landlord anymore. I’m just sick of this place. I need a new place, I don’t feel safe/clean enough to even live there. Based on these things, what reprecautions could I have?

You signed a lease.

You do not have a sound legal reason to break the lease.

Therefore, you are responsible for paying rent until the lease is up or until the LL rents your apt to someone else, whichever happens first.

 

[AgentSmithers]

They’ve sold the company so many times I can’t even keep track who is my landlord anymore. I’m just sick of this place. I need a new place, I don’t feel safe/clean enough to even live there. Based on these things, what reprecautions could I have?

Idkallie,
We cannot assist you any further without additional information as the details you have handed us have already been answered. Your most recent post unfortunately only offer's everyone here "CONCLUSIONS" on the events you feel have taken place. When you go out looking for Legal advice it's best to give the facts and not the outcome of your feeling because the outcome of your feelings is NORMALLY not enough to hold any legal conclusion.

Here's an Example

I don't feel safe
I don't feel clean

These alone have no legal bearing because it is completely legal to feel "unsafe" and "unclean". What is POSSIBLY not legal is if you went through the correct channels and protocol to attempt to remedy the underlying issues and face resistance from the landlord. I hope it's becoming a bit more clear now as we are now scope creeping away from law at this point. Good Luck!

 

[DeenaCA]

You mentioned that the rent is income-based. Is this a subsidized housing program? If so, do you know what subsidy program it is ? For example, tax credit building, HUD multifamily. local subsidy, etc?
The reason I ask is that most subsidized housing programs have waiting lists. If there is a waiting list, breaking the lease is a lot easier. The landlord can't charge the departing tenant for "lost rent" when there are people already lined up waiting to move in. On the other hand, can you afford to give up income-based rent and pay market rate?