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I rent a small, dirty, dumpy room in a house from an elderly man. I have been here for six months and in the last month I landed my first "professional" job, making double what I was making six months ago. Because I am making more money, I feel less obliged to have to put up with him. He's really annoying. He enforces how much food I can put in the fridge, tells me I can't decorate my room -- I feel like I'm a guest in the house of someone I don't like. There also habibility problems I wasn't aware of before I moved in -- the roof leaks when it rains (!) and there is no heating, which sucks even in LA.
I pay my landlord cash every month and he has little to no information about me, other than my name. I have been saving up for my own studio and now I think I can afford to finally get my own place. I really do not think I owe him much -- I've been a great "roommate," and always pay on time -- I am great with my money and I have been working OVER full-time for many months. I just feel like I deserve a better lifestyle at this point and finally have the means to have one.
I've been contemplating whether I should just move out without telling him, which is not something I really want to do, but because apartments go so fast in LA I really need to be able to have more flexibility than 30 days notice. I know that if I finally get my own place, I will not need to move again for a long time; I don't need his reference, and he probably wouldn't agree to be one anyway, as he is the laziest, most self-centered person I have ever met.
Ok, do you think I would be taking appropriate action, do you think this would come back to haunt me? Thank you.
Last edited by Cryinbaby; 01-28-2017 at 05:39 PM..
If it were me, I would find a place, and as soon as I had a firm commitment, and it was paid for, I would give the present "landlord" a month's rent and move immediately. There is no reason to stay once you give notice you will move. If you give him rent for a month, then immediately move, I don't think he can complain.
Keep in mind...he can always change the locks on you. You don't want to **** him off too much.
Did you pay a deposit? If so, failure to give notice will mean you forfeit your deposit. Which in most cases is effectively one month's rent, and if he keeps it you will effectively e giving one month's notice.
But you should be willing to give him ONE PAYMENT CYCLE of notice.
And payment too ...even if you choose to leave before the money runs out.
What does that have anything to do with it. It matters if OP has a lease agreement or not. He may be required to atleast give 2 weeks, just by local laws. This is something that should be posted in the local forums.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Cryinbaby
Here's the situation:
I rent a small, dirty, dumpy room in a house from an elderly man. I have been here for six months and in the last month I landed my first "professional" job, making double what I was making six months ago. Because I am making more money, I feel less obliged to have to put up with him. He's really annoying. He enforces how much food I can put in the fridge, tells me I can't decorate my room -- I feel like I'm a guest in the house of someone I don't like. There also habibility problems I wasn't aware of before I moved in -- the roof leaks when it rains (!) and there is no heating, which sucks even in LA..
So you've been there for 6 months and put up with it, and now that you have money, you want to screw him over???
Have you physically written out any work orders on the problems with the place?? (if not then they didn't exist).
Quote:
Originally Posted by Cryinbaby
I pay my landlord cash every month and he has little to no information about me, other than my name. I have been saving up for my own studio and now I think I can afford to finally get my own place. I really do not think I owe him much -- I've been a great "roommate," and always pay on time -- I am great with my money and I have been working OVER full-time for many months. I just feel like I deserve a better lifestyle at this point and finally have the means to have one. .
Sounds like what you owe him is a 30 day notice. If you don't give him one, you wont have been a great roommate, and that's what you will be remembered by.
He has your name and a previous address, I would be surprised if he doesn't have much more than you think and that he would just let some complete stranger in his house. It doesn't take too much to do a background check on someone and he would then have a lot more information on you.
If you just move out, whats probably going to happen is he will file paperwork against you, then you will have the month plus clean up and repair expenses. He will sue, and even if you never need another place its a judgement against you. I THINK that will be on some credit requests. Do you plan on paying with cash for everything for the next 10 years?
Quote:
Originally Posted by Cryinbaby
I've been contemplating whether I should just move out without telling him, which is not something I really want to do, but because apartments go so fast in LA I really need to be able to have more flexibility than 30 days notice. I know that if I finally get my own place, I will not need to move again for a long time; I don't need his reference, and he probably wouldn't agree to be one anyway,
. Sounds like you haven't even started looking, and don't really know, you are just assuming. Most apartments will know at least 30 days out when there is an opening, because NEARLY EVERYONE DOES GIVE A 30 DAY NOTICE WHEN THEY CAN. Once an apartment is known that it will be open they allow for time to clean and fix and then they will hold for 2-3 weeks. Even if you find a place and give a 30 day notice, you will still need some overlapping time to allow for moving.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Cryinbaby
as he is the laziest, most self-centered person I have ever met.
Ok, do you think I would be taking appropriate action, do you think this would come back to haunt me? Thank you.
I think you are, and the name fits.
Just find a place then give him 30 days notice, get the apartment to hold it for you for a couple weeks and have it overlap about a week. Then move out, clean up after yourself, be done with it, and then move on with your life without having to worry about something so petty screwing you down the road. If you can't afford to do that, then you can't afford to move.
If there's no rental agreement, you don't have an obligation to give notice. Get the heck out of there!
State law will dictate if a notice is required and the required notice period.
Absent anything in state law, a rental agreement may spell out some requirement for notice.
Absent a state law or rental agreement, case law in most states usually establish a notice requirement equal to the periodic rent payment period. So, if you pay once a month, you may owe the landlord one month notice. If you pay every 15 days, you may owe a 15 day notice. If you pay weekly, you may owe a weeks notice. It varies by state and even between court systems, but just because a person doesn't have a rental agreement doesn't mean there is no obligation to give notice.
Remember when your parents taught you about 'treat others how you would like to be treated yourself", well that still applies when you are a grownup. Giving a notice is common courtesy. I would verbally let him know that you are looking to move, and that at some point you will need to vacate. Negotiate with him if less than 30 days notice would suffice. Then stick to what you agreed. Burning bridges as you go is not a good way to live your life.
Do you have a written lease with him? If so, read it. If not, then you are free to leave. Common courtesy would call for you giving some notice -- he probably depends on your rent for part of his income, right?
You may not like him at this point, but he didn't force you to move in there six months ago. It probably wasn't your idea of bliss, but he has given you a cheap place to stay for a few months.
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