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I have a rented a unit since May 2011. It was just me, but the lease was open to add more people. It is a two bedroom in West Michigan. In May of 2011 I moved my girlfriend in, and got a roommate. I did not notify the landlord, because I just am so meek, and scared of authority. I have a good credit score, right now it's 6 months past my lease. I'm on a month to month defacto contact. My landlord recently found out I have a roommate, but not that my girlfriend stays with me. Again it is a two bedroom. We keep it super clean, there is no damage to the unit. We always pay rent early. The person who knew she found out said she was going to get in touch with me. My landlord is a female real estate agent in her mid 40's. It takes about two months to rent out these duplexs they are not in high demand. I'm just wondering from a psychological point (NOT LAW) where she might be coming from. What she most likely will do (Not what she could). Again I'm not interested in law. We have always been very quiet, and clean. The three of us are in our early mid twenties. We have two vehicals in the driveway. I mean I figured she would have to know by now, because of the extra truck. Anyway the neighborhood is an exurb *not quite rural* about 40 miles northwest of grand rapids.
Take out all the emotion. Your lease agreement along with your state landlord tenant laws (most likely linked in the first "sticky" on this page) are key. I suggest you research both. You're "not interested in law"? Well, best you get interested because, according to you, you're on a month to month tenancy and the LL can give you notice to leave with just a 30 day notice or however long is mandated under those state laws.
I have a rented a unit since May 2011.
It was just me, but the lease was open to add more people.
Adding them without notice or permission?
Any limit on the number?
Quote:
It is a two bedroom in West Michigan.
In May of 2011 I moved my girlfriend in, and got a roommate.
You also said "rented a unit since May 2011"...
How long was it just you before you moved these others in?
Did you ask/tell the landlord of your intention?
Quote:
I did not notify the landlord, because I just am so meek, and scared of authority.
Oh. Not good.
(secondarily... that meekness will continue to be a problem for you. Fix it.)
Quote:
I'm on a month to month defacto contact.
My landlord recently found out I have a roommate, but not that my girlfriend stays with me.
You can probably expect a (legal) notice to remedy the situation (or to leave).
Quote:
I'm just wondering from a psychological point (NOT LAW) where she might be coming from.
What she most likely will do (Not what she could). Again I'm not interested in law.
She'll probably ask the names of the other tenants, run their credit, and raise your rent a little bit.
If you had any respect for authority, you would have notified her. And while lots of tenants do what you did, it doesn't make it okay. You know that, and don't want to think about it.
If you think to hide the gf, and the LL finds out, she may evict you. Time to come clean.
She'll probably ask the names of the other tenants, run their credit, and raise your rent a little bit.
If you had any respect for authority, you would have notified her. And while lots of tenants do what you did, it doesn't make it okay. You know that, and don't want to think about it.
If you think to hide the gf, and the LL finds out, she may evict you. Time to come clean.
This is what I expected for the most part. She has no logical reason to evict over this unless she felt she could get more for the unit, I would likely pay a bit more myself if she wanted that as a bargining chip. It takes a lot of time to rerent it, and the fact that I am no longer bound by the 12 month lease so I don't have to pay her for that time *ie back rent*. I don't plan to hide either my GF or my roomate if she asks me to come clean. Everyone who has stayed at these set of duplexes (about 5 of them) have been here for a really long time, with the exception of one guy who moved out after a year. There isn't a high turnover, it's almost a community, I know many of the people on the block outside of the 5 duplexes. Spring Lake is community of about 14,000 people when you take the township into consideration. It'a wrapped around a lake, next to lake Michigan. It's a very quiet cozy community.
Adding them without notice or permission?
Any limit on the number?
You also said "rented a unit since May 2011"...
How long was it just you before you moved these others in?
Did you ask/tell the landlord of your intention?
Oh. Not good.
(secondarily... that meekness will continue to be a problem for you. Fix it.)
You can probably expect a (legal) notice to remedy the situation (or to leave).
I have no idea what this is supposed to mean.
I already know what she could do under Michigan Law. I'm very informed about landlord tenant law. She stands to suffer more than I do. I have to relocate. She has to rerent, that means there could be a mutual agreement that would allow both of us to compromise.
Contract is a contract. It has nothing to do w/ your being meek or your landlord being assertive. You signed a lease which probably stated something about your having to add any roommates onto the lease. You deviated...only you and your landlord know what the language regarding that is...it's on your lease. Read it, and expect what is outlined there to be the consequences. I have however heard of folks simply being made to add whomever is living there to the original lease. You could possibly pretend like they did just move in. In an adult world of contracts, phobias have to be overcome. Hopefuly this works out for you w/out too much drama.
She stands to suffer more than I do. Maybe
I have to relocate.
Why? You can't afford the place by yourself?
If that's the case she's better off with a tenant who can afford it.
Quote:
...there could be a mutual agreement that would allow both of us to compromise.
My policy in this sort of share situation was always a hard limit on the number of people...
not to exceed the number of bedrooms in a unit.
I don't care who is sleeping with whom or how they divvy up the space between themselves...
but if 3 people want to live together there needs to be no less than 3 bedrooms.
And each of these 3 approved and on those lease tenants then must be able to afford 50% (not 1/3).
This is what I expected for the most part. She has no logical reason to evict over this unless she felt she could get more for the unit, I would likely pay a bit more myself if she wanted that as a bargining chip. It takes a lot of time to rerent it, and the fact that I am no longer bound by the 12 month lease so I don't have to pay her for that time *ie back rent*. I don't plan to hide either my GF or my roomate if she asks me to come clean. Everyone who has stayed at these set of duplexes (about 5 of them) have been here for a really long time, with the exception of one guy who moved out after a year. There isn't a high turnover, it's almost a community, I know many of the people on the block outside of the 5 duplexes. Spring Lake is community of about 14,000 people when you take the township into consideration. It'a wrapped around a lake, next to lake Michigan. It's a very quiet cozy community.
There is also the logic that says you've now shown that you'll not abide by the lease unless you're caught. There can be massive financial repercussions to an LL when a tenant moves in others.
There are certainly LL's that would give you notice, I gave you the "probably" answer.
It would have protected both your LL and YOU btw, had you done things properly. And until the gf and buddy move out, you don't know that this won't be a major problem.
There should be nothing to fear when you do things by the book. You created a problem that would worry me if I were in your shoes.
You'll likely get away with it if you're quiet and pay on time, but this is just a guess.
I asked someone in the neighborhood if they'd like to work PT helping me with cleaning. I am now considering not giving her the work since her and her mother just moved in two dogs and plan to hide it from their LL. It is dishonest and a reflection of character. Do I really want her in my home?
There seems to be two types of people: those that follow the rules, and those that think it's easier to get away with whatever they can. Life is less complicated when you follow the rules.
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