Submitted by BarryAllen85 t3_123p7ae in massachusetts
I’m in Waltham. My landlord has asked to be notified by April 1 if I am planning on resigning my lease for August 1. Some people I’ve asked informally say that’s illegal, and that I only need to give 30 days. There’s nothing specific in my lease about it. Anybody know definitively what the law says?
This is kind of what I gathered. They are trying to raise my rent quite a bit. I’m looking around and I think they’ll be lucky to get it leased for their asking, plus any unfilled time. I’m paying $2700 and they want $3100. I know I’m their first tenant. Part of me wants to move just to teach them their lesson. Play stupid games, win stupid prizes. But then I have to pay to move lol. I offered to compromise but they seem to think it’s worth that much.
You'll end up winning the stupid prize - they'll find a replacement in a heartbeat while you'll need to find an apartment within 30 days which won't be easy and you won't have a good reference from your landlord which will make things even more difficult. But you be you.
You must be a landlord
I am not, but thanks to clowns like you when time comes to move instead of renting my condo out for a few dollars more than it costs me I will sell it to the highest bidder who will proceed to rape your wallet in the most brutal way imaginable. You be you and before you know it everything is owned by Alpha Management and costs $5,000/month.
How am I a clown for wanting to know my rights and responsibilities? When did this conversation become confrontational? Maybe that’s just every conversation for you
"Play stupid games win stupid prizes" - how is that not confrontational? You yourself admitted you purposely wanted to drag the (non)renewal notification for as long as possible for no reason other than trying to screw over the apartment owner.
No. I am in a situation where I am not sure I will be renewing, certainly not 4 months in advance. I do not want to move but if they insist on raising rent that much, well beyond market rate, then why shouldn’t I be looking around? My landlord has repeatedly “negotiated” for me to do things that are in the lease for them to do… snow removal, maintenance, etc. I’ve renewed my lease twice now, and both times they tried to raise the rate 20-25%, well beyond market prices. They are first time amateur landlords and they are being greedy. They have no idea what their property is actually worth, or even what they have. I am acting in good faith, they are not.
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Ha okay. You don’t know me but you’re okay hurling insults. Who is the adult? Edit: also going through your post history there is a 0% chance you’re not a landlord. And angry at everyone you meet.
Are you saying you're not being an asshole? How would you feel if instead of being given four months to find a new place if you choose not to renew the lease you were not notified of the upcoming rent increase until the very last minute allowed by law?
That’s the law’s problem. I am not talking about last minute, I’m talking about not 4 months out, and only because they are exploiting my desire not to have to move again. I am not being an asshole, I am negotiating in good faith. But if they think I’m going to just accept a 15% rent increase, above what I’m seeing the market will bear, they’re wrong.
So once again, you are being an asshole and trying to cause them financial losses because you don't like the rent they're proposing. Nothing further to discuss, you be you.
Negotiating is not the same as financial loss. If they don’t want to negotiate, they’re going to lose me. If they’re okay with that, great. Maybe we will all be happier. But I don’t think that’s the case. I think they are gambling that I will resign at the higher rate because it’s easier than moving. You be you, sure, but you literally don’t know me, or anything about my situation beyond what I have represented here. Why be unpleasant? Nobody, literally nobody was unpleasant to you. Why be angry/insulting? Unless that’s just who you are at this point.
You do what you want but don't come back whining when you need to find an apartment with a month to spare and "avoid like the plague" reference from your landlord. Or were you planning to take it a step further and squat once the lease isn't renewed and you're asked to leave because the law says you can't be evicted without a court order?
I am a dream tenant. Tons of great references. Again, you don’t know what you’re talking about. Just throwing mud for no good reason.
Dream tenant responsible adult would either accept the proposed rent, try to negotiate lower mutually agreeable rent or choose not to renew the lease at the time when the notification is received, not wait till the very last second just so they can screw over the property owner (and in the end just end up screwing themselves.)
Your a simple man, consistent. I respect that. Good luck out there, angry dude!
Unless your lease says something different, when your lease expires on August 1, your landlord can notify you within 30 days of August 1 that your lease will not be renewed or continued for month to month, and doesn't need to specify a reason.
I suspect your landlord is legally allowed to make this request. Definitely annoying though.
It feels like the language of your lease is relevant here. What does it say?
Nothing relevant. Just the standard eviction language.
Based on the information you've provided (i.e. the word "resigning"), it sounds like you don't have a lease after August 1 as it stands. Unless written in the lease, there is not a requirement to renew a lease at the end of a term. Your landlord is saying they will renew your lease if you tell them by April 1 that you want to do that. If you're not going to renew, they presumably start looking for new tenants and are giving themselves a ton of time to do that. It definitely puts you in a tough situation, but from what you've said I'm not aware of anything that makes their request illegal.
There should not be anything illegal about this request, yes they can request this. However until you sign your new lease this 4mo would just be a verbal understanding that would not be otherwise enforceable outside of the notice requirements of the current lease.
They are likely being conservative and want to make sure they have enough time to find a new tennant if you`re not planning on staying. I do understand why this would be annoying, but it's also a good idea for all involved to plan ahead.
I expect most tennant's typically know 4 mo in advance if they intend to stay in the same place, barring the unexpected, and if they don't it's probably a good motivation to think about what you want to do.
Much much worse are the landlords who tell you a few days before your new lease that your rents going up 🤷. Or conversely the tenants that give landlords very little notice that they aren't renewing their lease.
>Much much worse are the landlords who tell you a few days before your new lease that your rents going up 🤷. Or conversely the tenants that give landlords very little notice that they aren't renewing their lease.
But in both those cases both parties have at least 30 more days to decide what to do, legally speaking that is.
If a tenant's lease is up and they don't tell the landlord they are leaving until right before I think the only practical recourse would be withholding security deposit, but these days that happens so often for little to no reason at all it's unclear that would be any different.
As to raising rent at the end of lease, technically 30 days notice is required but I certainly have been in situations where landlords regularly did not honor this. You could push back and best case get a month of cheaper rent but at the risk it just turning into a notice to quite. But ultimately it comes down to weather or not you want to stay and the cost and hastle of moving even with 30 days is significant.
I would much prefer ops situation of being told 4 mo ahead what the new terms will be.
They want the new lease signed by April 1
30 days unless otherwise stated and agreed to in your lease.
This for eviction. I did a basic Google search but can’t find anything about written notice deadline from the tenant. I suppose if I let her know later than April 1, she has the option of just not offering me a new lease.
Just food for thought, you can expect a parade of prospective renters ,touring your home !
Landlords are cunts. They're unfortunately allowed to do this.
That they are
If you know one way or another then I don't see the harm in informing them early.
mehkindaok t1_jdvnav8 wrote
You don't have to but don't be surprised if you're told your lease isn't being renewed if you wait till the last minute. You're not required to notify your landlord this far in advance by law but they're also not required to renew the lease, they'll just assume you're not renewing and find another tenant.