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I have only lived in my current neighborhood of Baltimore for 4 months, and the events of last night/this morning have driven me to my breaking point, and I want to move. However, I need to know if I have legal justification first:
There was apparently a robbery gone wrong in front of my building, where several cars, including mine, were shot up. My right side passenger window is gone, and I have a bullet hole in my car door. With the constant harassment from men every time I leave my home to climbing over junkies (despite their being a NO LOITERING sign, police asking them to leave, and my landlord asking them to leave) on each house on the block, I am DONE with where I live now, and I want to leave.
I have already spoken to police and I have a report and pictures of the property damage. I spoke with my landlord who claims to have a direct contact within the police department, there are cameras on my block, and there is a frequent police presence. HOWEVER, no one seems to know what happened last night/this morning, and of course, no police were around.
Just some history, I am not living in this neighborhood by choice...I would NEVER move here willingly; I got into a serious financial strain earlier this year, which caused me to be evicted. My current landlord was the only one willing to work with me, and I really needed a place to live. The rent is cheap, it has allowed me to get back on financial track, and I tried to keep in mind that I will have a good rental reference in the future. But this is just too much...I thought I could stick it out for the remainder of the lease, but I cannot. Do I have legal cause to break my lease early?
Nothing here to break your lease outside what your lease says. You can break it based on what the lease says. If everyone was allowed to break a lease if crime happened in their area then leases wouldn't hold much value.
No one can compel you to stay other than whatever financial penalty may be imposed... I know several that charge 2 months rent for cancellation privileges.
That said... the owner generally must make a good faith effort to find a new tenant to mitigate loss.
I've run into this a few times... once there was a horrific crime at the adjacent property... no reflection or anything the landlord could have done as it was simply proximity...
Several tenants wanted to leave and we did it by the book... fortunately for all, I was able to re-rent quickly as I had a wait list for the one that left.
Two others decided they were over reacting and stayed and one is still there 9 years later.
Only you can decide what is right for you...
Do you have a place to land and will you need any references?
Being evicted is a non-starter for me.... a lot has to happen before the Sheriff arrives at the door to put someone out.
Because of your eviction, no other landlord would accept you. So, now you think that 4 months later, lots of landlords are going to be eager to rent to you? With both an eviction and a bad reference from your current landlord? Because your current landlord is going to say that you broke the lease 4 months in.
You'd better think this though very carefully before you do anything.
Do you have a 1 year lease? Maybe you landlord will agree to allow you out of the lease for no charge. Ask.
Before you bail - are you sure you can find something else? Don't give notice to move out until you are sure another rental will accept you.
Yes my lease is only for 1 year. I have contacted a MD Tenant Lawyer(waiting on a call back), but I haven't started looking at rentals until I know what I can and cannot do in regards to breaking a lease.
Because of your eviction, no other landlord would accept you. So, now you think that 4 months later, lots of landlords are going to be eager to rent to you? With both an eviction and a bad reference from your current landlord? Because your current landlord is going to say that you broke the lease 4 months in.
You'd better think this though very carefully before you do anything.
I don't recall saying that my current situation would lead to a negative reference from my landlord. I have not spoken to him about breaking the lease, nor will I speak to him at all until I find out what the law stipulates. If it turns out I do have the right to break this lease for a legal reason, then I will start looking elsewhere. Otherwise, I will have to wait.
Yes my lease is only for 1 year. I have contacted a MD Tenant Lawyer(waiting on a call back), but I haven't started looking at rentals until I know what I can and cannot do in regards to breaking a lease.
Agree.
Even if he let's you out (which I doubt), where are you going with an eviction & bad credit?
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