What to do?

[Indu]

Pennsylvania

My sister rented this apartment from Mar'01 from a Landlord in Philly.

He tried to make some sexual kinds of passes and she is afraid to deal with him on a one on one basis.

During Labor Day when I went to see my sister, he objected to my parking of car and shouted at my sister. On the Street.
He asked her to get out so that he could rent it out. There are lots of people waiting for rent.

She accepted immediately.

She went to him with another person interested in renting, bcs he told in the begining that she could bring somebody else to sublet and get out of the lease.

He shooed the person away and threatened my sister to drag her to court.

He shouted and insulted her saying "I wont even spit on you ...." kind of stuff.

She immediately ran away and stays with me.

She vacated the apartment on 1st Oct'01.

He went to court. And got a subpoena issued.
She did not recieve it.

He dropped a copy of Sub Poena in front of her friend's door
a day before the court hearing.

She pleaded the judge that she just recvd the notice and she is not represented by a lawyer.


NOW,
he asks for some 3000$$.
Of which $$2000 is for rents due.
He has already rented this apartment to somebody else.

She has been in a major turmoil.

Does she need a lawyer?
The lawyers she contacted are charging her $$700 and up.
Does she have a case?

Any advice is helpful.

Thanx

-Indu

 

[Cvillecpm]

Yes....NOW sister needs a lawyer....BEFORE, she just needed a BRAIN.

She should have gotten EVERYTHING from landlord in writing and since WHEN do WORDS HURT SOMEONE?

Remember Sticks and Stones when we were kids? It is true. He obviously gets off on verbal abuse and her option was to immediately report him to the police...a visit from the "boys in blue" usually get this type of situation straightened out ASAP.

As her sibling...stop her before she rents again!

Get her "Every Tenant's Guide" by Nolo Press for Xmas and stand over her while she reads it.

 

[happy&lucky]

I agree, your sister needs help, mental help.

The question is NOT wether the landlord is entitled to the $3000....

The question is How long was the apartment empty?

If no one rented it on October and Novemebr SHE OWES THE RENT because she still has a VALID LEASE!

It is up to her to prove the landlord doesnt deserve the money.

The Landlord CANNOT charge rent to her and the new tenant......

so what are the details?

 

[Indu]

I think the Apt was out of rent for Half month or One month.
And the Landlord has hiked the rent by $10. To the next tenant.

Since my sister paid the last months rent and one month rent as sec. deposit, she wrote a letter to him asking him to adjust the last month's one towards Sep.

Does she need an attorney to represent?
It is a municipal court, small claims one.

Only one lawyer told us about the landlord cannot get rents
from two people.

So, the rent ($350/pm) due for Sep, Oct, Nov, Dec, Jan, Feb
landlord is charging 2150 (Late fees for Sep, Oct $25/PM).

But that lawyer is charging $$750.


Yesterday, the same landlord threatened another tenant that
he would break her head and drag her, if she did not "lock" the
washer/dryer room.

-Indu