Quote:
Originally Posted by KarenBo
It sounds like a horrible situation. I'm a little surprised that you didn't know the apartment was illegal if you had no lease or rental agreement...but I guess you've learned an important lesson. Never rent without some kind of documentation. You can print up simple rental agreements online.
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Why is it that people seem to think that if you have a lease or rental agreement that the apartment is legal? I can print a 'lease' off my computer right now to rent out my closet doesn't mean I have the proper permits or anything for it to be legal.
And the absence of said documents means diddly too. There is an implied warranty of habitability. By offering the space for rent to someone, the owner is implying that they have the legal right to do so and that the space is suitable for habitation and will remain so for the duration of the tenancy. This would cover any permits a town requires.
By renting the illegal apartment, they breach the implied warranty of habitability.
Sec. 235-b. Warranty of habitability.
1. In every written or oral lease or rental agreement for
residential premises the landlord or lessor shall be deemed
to covenant and warrant that the premises so leased or
rented and all areas used in connection therewith in common
with other tenants or residents are fit for human habitation
and for the uses reasonably intended by the parties and that
the occupants of such premises shall not be subjected to any
conditions which would be dangerous, hazardous or
detrimental to their life, health or safety. When any such
condition has been caused by the misconduct of the tenant or
lessee or persons under his direction or control, it shall
not constitute a breach of such covenants and warranties.
2. Any agreement by a lessee or tenant of a dwelling waiving or
modifying his rights as set forth in this section shall be
void as contrary to public policy.
3. In determining the amount of damages sustained by a tenant
as a result of a breach of the warranty set forth in the
section, the court;
(a) need not require any expert testimony; and
(b) shall, to the extent the warranty is breached or cannot
be cured by reason of a strike or other labor dispute
which is not caused primarily by the individual
landlord or lessor and such damages are attributable to
such strike, exclude recovery to such extent, except to
the extent of the net savings, if any, to the landlord
or lessor by reason of such strike or labor dispute
allocable to the tenant's premises, provided, however,
that the landlord or lesser has made a good faith
attempt, where practicable, to cure the breach.
The only issue I think that the OP really has is the mail issue. Open a PO box and forward your mail to it. And report the mail theft to the USPS