Renter's Rights (lease agreement, tenant, security deposit, house)

[southernct]

I signed a lease to rent a house in Tampa, FL on 01/13/08. At that time the Landlord had stated that the current renter was getting married and was suppose to have had her stuff out of the house the previous week. My lease was for 2/1/08-2/1/09 (with me moving in on 01/26/08) and I provided first month and security deposit at the time I signed the lease.

I received an email (not a phone call) on Tues 01/22 from the Landlord stating that the place would not be available now until March 1st and if that was a problem. In the email she stated if it was a problem that she would return the money I had already given her.

I left both a voice mail and an email for her that night (01/22) stating that March 1st would be okay but my issue/concern is that I had bought furniture that I had to move 01/26 and I had no where to put it.

We spoke on Wed 01/23 at which time she told me that the current renter is no longer getting married, has a baby and now where to go. She said that because she felt bad that she was giving the current renter 30 more days to find another place to live (hence the place will not be available till March 1st). I am now worried that she is going to call (or should I say email) me right before March 1st and either push back the move-in date altogether or just allow the current renter to stay there.

I've read my lease agreement and it states that both the landlord and renter must provide a 30 day notice if either party wishes to cancel the lease.

My questions are:

If she and I both signed a lease for 02/01/08 is she able to do this just 4 days before my move in date?

Shouldn't she have called me to see if pushing back the move-in/lease date was okay before granting the current renter the extra 30 days?

Is there anything I can do, do I have any rights?

Thanks!

[Eastern Roamer]

This might be a better thread under the Rent forum, but I'll give you my 2 cents. It sounds like you have a claim to sue. I don't like people suing just because they can, but it sounds like she violated a contract and it's causing you legitimate hardship. I would consider meeting with a real estate or landlord/tenant attorney. Or if you're ambitious, look into small claims court and do it yourself, I'm not sure how that works. Four days before moving?! That's intolerable.

If you had given a deposit and signed a lease to move on a certain day and then had to change the move-in date, how much sympathy would you get? You'd likely loose your money and be stuck looking for a home again.
Just because the rental agreement hasn't begun, the lease is a contract. You certainly do have rights.

[Jammie]

Moved this thread here from the "Tampa" forum. To the "Renting" Mod~You can delete me as "off topic" as soon as you read this.