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I am sorry that you were laid off before you were ready to retire. You said you spoke with the landlord, but have you actually looked closely at your lease to make sure they are telling you correctly?
Also, does this apartment corporation also have apartments for rent in Roanoke? Once we wanted to move a hundred miles away but had just signed a lease 3 months earlier. Because the apartment corporation had apartments in the area where we wanted to go, they allowed us to transfer the remainder of our lease to the new apartment without any additional costs.
Finally, I agree there's another option like what SWFL_Native proposed. Take a lower paying job outside of your field. With your social security and pension, you won't need the job to carry all of your expenses. Do anything -- be a driver/delivery person, work in retail or do something you've always wanted to try. It won't be forever, only for 10 months and until you can get to your new life.
Is your current complex fully leased (or close to it) or are 50% of the units vacant? If it’s nearly full, landlord might re-lease it with the understanding you’ll pay for the months, if any, before new tenant moves in.
Is your current complex fully leased (or close to it) or are 50% of the units vacant? If it’s nearly full, landlord might re-lease it with the understanding you’ll pay for the months, if any, before new tenant moves in.
I wouldn't trust them on that. Let's say they have two similar vacant apartments, the OP's and another. They're more likely to market the other more aggressively (maybe not even show the OP's) since the OP is on the hook for the rent and the other one isn't generating income.
DC is a *very* tenant friendly city. I would never be a landlord there because just about all decisions favor the tenant.
MrRational posted a link above, https://ota.dc.gov/, and I think you should contact them and tell them your hardship case.
In reality, the landlord has all rights here because you are in a binding lease with no ability to sublet (which is wildly popular in DC). But that doesn't mean that something can't be worked out and I think the tenant advocacy group can help with that.
i'm saying this as someone who's decades away from retirement and has done my due diligence to maintain an 800+ credit score. I agree with those saying to get approved at your new apartment and then leave the other one high and dry IF they don't allow you to leave in a manner that you can deal with. Of course they can find you, but moving away and leaving zero trace of where you've moved to will at least make it more difficult for the D.C. company to find you. Might even be a task they don't think is worth the undertaking if they know the current apartment is one that can be leased out relatively quickly.
The last thing I would say is to not give a damn what anyone, especially this corporation, thinks about whatever decision you make. If you were 40 or 50 then you're in more a world of hurt than you are, take care of # 1 first.
Of course they can find you, but moving away and leaving zero trace of where you've moved to will at least make it more difficult for the D.C. company to find you. Might even be a task they don't think is worth the undertaking if they know the current apartment is one that can be leased out relatively quickly.
It's tough to leave "no trace" these days; as soon as the OP reports a change of address to any other creditor (e.g. a credit card company), it will go into his/her credit report. I agree that they might not pursue it though, especially since they know the OP has financial difficulties and thus might not be able to pay a judgment anyway.
I don't know anything about corporate apartments...considering that, this is probably a horrible idea but if the OP's worst case scenario is to secure a new apartment and completely abandon the current lease putting their near perfect credit score at risk, why not consider putting someone in the current apartment (subleasing anyway) without telling management and just pretending they still live there for the next 10 months?
I've been poor before... I have experience with this.
Break the lease. Let them keep your deposit. Leave no forwarding address. And forget about it.
This happens a thousand times every day, all over the country. It's not worth the landlord's time to come after you. Even if they win a judgment, it does them no good if you don't have any money to pay it. They're very aware of that. They'll promptly forget that you ever existed, and find somebody else to rent the place.
It sucks when you have to make decisions like this. It's not good for your morale, character, etc. But that's just the reality of being poor... it'll force decisions that you otherwise wouldn't make.
You've received some very good advice here. Definitely contact that tenant advocacy group, and put the worst woe is me spin on your case....older person, sick/ill, health problems, unemployed, UE benefits have run out......don't lay it on TOOOO thick...just enough. But also in your case it's all true.
You said, "physical skills are dropping fast due to health and age."
I would look like I was at death's door when I went in to talk with them. If your joints and back hurt that day, take a cane!
Please keep us posted.
Quote:
$19,000 in higher rent over the next 10 months ($1,900 for 10 months)
I think the OP said his rent is 2,600 a month.
You said you have a 401k...can you afford to just pay the rent for the next 10 months and take that hit, since you'll be living cheaper in Roanoke. I know you'd not want to do that. But it would keep your credit clean.
Of course you're asking for not having to pay ANYthing, but IF there has to be a compromise (which you would counter with ONLY if the group can't get you ANY relief, and it should be able to) how much could/would you pay to move clean, and keep your credit in tact? 16K for 6 months? 20K for 8 months? What's your excellent credit worth to you....when it means you won't have this hanging over your head? You can go to Roanoke clean, with no "baggage."
Last edited by selhars; 04-16-2019 at 02:24 AM..
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If your joints and back hurt that day, take a cane!
