CanI cancel a lease that I only signed 24 hours ago?
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CanI cancel a lease that I only signed 24 hours ago?
I’m 21 and I just rented my first apartment. The one they showed me looked OK.Today I went in and she told me I had to sign the lease to get the keys. She also told me that the apartment had been cleaned but just needed touch-ups. However when I finally signed everything and went to inspect the unit the carpet was old and dirty, there was some sort of debris littering the ground all over the apartment, the side of the refrigerator had some sort of food or drink waste splattered down the length of one side and under it, the stove still had food crumbs on it and the bathroom … don’t ask. What are my rights?
Asked on July 15, 2011 under Real Estate Law, Texas
Answers:
FreeAdvice Contributing Attorney / FreeAdvice Contributing Attorney
Answered 13 years ago | Contributor
Why did you sign the lease without first making sure that its condiiton was acceptable? Did you not view the apartment before you signed the lease and saw its condition? Did the lease require cleanup of noted problems to your satisfaction?
Why don't you call and write the landlord stating that it had not been cleaned as represented and that it needs to be cleaned up to a condition that you expected or you will cancel the lease. Give a set period of time for the clean up to be done and then do a walkthough with the landlord and a friend before deciding finally what to do.
Technically you probably cannot cancel the lease unless it states a certain time period after singing you could do so and it is done. One possibility for cancelling is if the condition is so deplorable and significant repairs need to be done. However, this does not seem to be the situation.
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