Lease-DeadTenant Issue

[Kathymae]

This is a quote from the letter the landlord wrote:"We have been advertising, but have not found a suitable tenant yet. This is not the best time of the year to find a good tenant. Hopefully next month (April) we'll find a good tenant. In the event we don't rent it, we are asking for payment of rent for April from Jim's estate. As soon as we find a suitable tenant & rent it we'll let you know immediately, so you can send us the keys." Does this in any way make sense and is it legal? Should we just try and send the keys back to them or do we have to hire a lawyer to resolve this and lose more money?

 

[mary hartman]

I would send him back the keys registered mail return reciept...spend the $4..

And state that the landlord must make a good faith effort by advertising every week in the local paper, preferably every day, AND at the last rental your father was paying, and to send you a copy of the ad and the reciepts for the ad that he paid, and that the only reason you have the keys is that the landlord REFUSED to take them back. He thinks because you still have access to the apartment, therfore you owe the rent!

Then maybe IF the landlord is telling the truth, about trying to find tenants, and can prove it in court, you will be liable for Aprils rent.

[Edited by mary hartman on 03-25-2001 at 04:02 PM]