Can a landlord hold your personal property and not allow you to move it unless you pay so much a day and if you can’t pay him he will not let you in?
Get Legal Help Today
Compare Quotes From Top Companies and Save
Secured with SHA-256 Encryption
Can a landlord hold your personal property and not allow you to move it unless you pay so much a day and if you can’t pay him he will not let you in?
Asked on June 28, 2012 under Real Estate Law, California
Answers:
Cameron Norris, Esq. / Law Office of Gary W. Norris
Answered 12 years ago | Contributor
The facts here are a little vague, but I will do my best. If you were behind in rent and the items were in your dwelling place, then the landlord has no right to take any of your things and also has no right to prevent you from entering.
This is called landlord "self-help" and its illegal. Landlord's must following the judicial process of wrongful detainer and eviction. You could sue (ouster, trespassing, trespass to chattel), but your best bet is to call the district attorney's office about your landlord's illegal behavior.
IMPORTANT NOTICE: The Answer(s) provided above are for general information only. The attorney providing the answer was not serving as the attorney for the person submitting the question or in any attorney-client relationship with such person. Laws may vary from state to state, and sometimes change. Tiny variations in the facts, or a fact not set forth in a question, often can change a legal outcome or an attorney's conclusion. Although AttorneyPages.com has verified the attorney was admitted to practice law in at least one jurisdiction, he or she may not be authorized to practice law in the jurisdiction referred to in the question, nor is he or she necessarily experienced in the area of the law involved. Unlike the information in the Answer(s) above, upon which you should NOT rely, for personal advice you can rely upon we suggest you retain an attorney to represent you.