Tenant caught in a confusing lease termination Pittsburgh (Philadelphia: 2015, apartment)

[Emma931]

Hi

I signed my initial lease agreement in Pittsburgh, PA, agreeing to stay in the building from August 2014 to June 2015. In April, I received a notice asking to renew lease, but however since at this point, I already had found a new job in Philadelphia starting in July 2015, I had no reason to renew the lease for another year. Hence, I did not sign that document. But now this month, when I contacted my property manager informing him about my intentions to leave, he told me that the lease had automatically been renewed, and that I have to either find a new tenant, or continue paying rent until this property is again leased out to a new tenant. The electricity stays in my name, and I dont get my security deposit back until the apartment has been re-leased. Additionally, I was asked to pay a check for $200 to initiate an early lease termination, I have paid that check, however I still will have to continue paying till the apartment gets rented out again, and this is not a great building, I have been wanting to get out since the day I moved in. (I highly doubt it can be rent out anytime soon). Could anyone please be very kind and advise on how to get out of this situation. Thank you so much, I will greatly appreciate any input.

[guy2073]

What does your original lease say, most go to a month to month, does it say it renews if notice is not given.

[Retiredcoach]

When your lease expires, and neither the landlord, nor you, has given the other party a 30 day written notice, the original lease converts to a month-to-month. The key to any lease termination is each party giving this 30 day notice to the other party. As a landlord myself, I will send each tenant a notification of a lease ending at least 45 days in advance (my option of a 30 day notice to move, or to extend another annual lease). In most cases, I give the tenant a deadline that corresponds with a 30 day notice of their own. I personally do not want my annual leases to become month-to-month, and this system has worked well for me.

A landlord cannot automatically extend your lease another year without your signature on either a new lease, or in accordance with the lease termination guidelines specified in the current lease. You may want to review your old lease to see if there is specific language that spells out the termination guidelines.

[pred66]

You have to read the lease,
Yes I have seen some leases for automatic 1 year renewal in the Phila area, Don't know if its the same in PIttsburgh, I also wonder about you're responsibility for the electric,
The only sure fire way to get out of a lease is a medical excuse,
IF you have a doctor stating that you're ill, Or allergic to something in the building, You can get out pretty easy,
Depending on how resourceful you are, You may be able to find some issues with the unit which have not been attended to and go straight to the owner of the building and ask to leave, Something like mold in the basement, People using drugs in the building, Something against building code and the like,
I think I may start putting money in Escro and sending them only the receipt to prove it and this way IF you do get to change the lease at least YOU will still have access to your money,
There are places in Pittsburgh that help with your legal situation for free, I have looked and found them before for friends of mine who were in a building which changed owners and he wanted to clear the building in an unscrupulous way,
There are ways,
Get creative and STOP paying the rent as why would they try to rent your place, The perfect tenant, Someone who pays rent is is not there, They won't do you any favors, Why are you helping them,
Seek free legal help and put your rent into ESCRO now ! ! !

[guy2073]

If it was me I would cancel the power for the first day your old lease ends if not sooner and move out, there is no way I would have paid the $200 check. Since you are on the other side of the state your landlord could just be doing this to keep your security deposit since he knows you won't Sue him.

[I_Like_Spam]

I've seen leases that call for automatic extensions , I don't know if it is an enforceable clause of a lease or not- sometimes they put in things contrary to landlord-tenant law.