tenant needs info (lease, lawyer, home) - Allentown-Bethlehem-Easton - City-Data Forum

chladny123 · 06-25-2012, 08:03 AM

I've been renting this single home for 1700 a month and we take care of everything. Our lease is up July 31st 2012 and states auto renewal for one year, must give 60 days written notice if you don't want to renew lease for both parties. May 15 we got a letter in mail stating they wanted to extend lease for another term and that they hoped we felt the same but rent would increase to 1800. I emailed them saying I could not afford that. With everything we have fixed and not billed for I think that is way to high not to mention we can't use our finished basement because its soaked with water coming in which is still not fixed.

I emailed back about that and he said he could do another term for $1750. I emailed him back saying i was interested in that and we needed to discuss (meaning sign a new lease) but would be in touch because we had a family death unexpected we needed to deal with. We called him June 24 to tell him we needed a new lease and he went off saying he wasn't renewing now because he didn't get a response weather 1750 was agreeable or not. But, by the way, I did respond!

I stated, well you cant do that because you already agreed to another term plus its too late for you 60 days notice so he hung up emailed me stating "Consider this your 60 days notice that I am not renewing the lease". My question is, I don't need to go anywhere do I, because the auto renew already went in affect because he didn't give me proper notice correct? I am also looking for a good landlord tenant lawyer cause I already know he is gonna try to get us out.

blazerj · 06-26-2012, 07:46 AM

Not a lawyer, and you may want to repost in the real-estate section, but I believe, based on 60 days of written notice prior to July 31, that you are correct. The phone call is within 60 days and is not written anyway.

Kefir King · 06-27-2012, 06:04 AM

You got a timely written statement rreplacing the old lease (at $1800.)
You said NO.
You got an e-mail offereing $1750. You hedged, and did not accept.
He terminated your tenancy.

Unless you can "make nice" and get him to renew your lease you will probably need to move soon. I think a little grovelling will be required on your part and a HOPE that he has not found a new tenant for Aug. 1.

In his eyes, you were dicking him around.