Don't know what to do

[kaybee]

I live in New Jersey and my landlord is making me miserable. My fiance and I rented our apartment with my sister for $800 a month/including utilities. All three of our names are on the lease but only my fiance and I signed it, the landlord said my sister didn't have to. My sister's fiance moved to NJ and started staying at our house pretty often. He had his mail directed to our address and my landlord found it. He started charging us an extra $100 a month because he said the utilities would cost more. Is this legal? Also, I'm wondering if the apartment we live in is even a legal apartment. There's only one enterance/exit and it's on the second floor. Please help.

 

[HomeGuru]

Sister's fiance is not on the lease therefore L can charge additional rent or cancel the lease agreement.

Call the building department if you feel the property is not legal. If it is not, be prepared to move out on a worse case scenario.

[Edited by HomeGuru on 11-23-2000 at 01:23 PM]

 

[Jack Mevorach, Esq.]

In New York State, we have the Roommate Law, which states that at least one unrelated person can reside at the premises, even though not a named tenant. Contact a local attorney and see if New Jersey has anything similiar.

 

[Wgoodrich]

Not and attorney but am a landlord and considered and expert in the building/plumbing/electrical codes.

In my state the only ones authorized to reside in the apartment is the ones on the lease and and their siblings. The landlord would be allowed to raise the rent because you violated the lease by sub leasing as per my state laws as I understand them.

The question of the building laws are really up the the authority having jurisdiction. [building inspector if you have one in your area]. In my state if you are living in a duplex then your windows will meet the minimum building standards as long as these windows in the bedrooms have the minimum required square feet of opening. This is called the egress and ingress rule in the one and two family CABO building code. In my state if you are in a rental that if 3 rentals or more then you are in a class one structure controled by the Uniform Building Code. This code for new construction requires to stairs of some design for escape. If it is an old building then this requirement would be exempt from that requirement. I would check with your attorney and you local building official. they should be able to help you.

Good Luck

Wg