What to do if my landlord basically told me he is giving up his home and we are forced into moving?
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What to do if my landlord basically told me he is giving up his home and we are forced into moving?
He did not and will not pay the water bill which is over $2000 and told us we are basically screwed. We will have to find another place to move. We are at our wits end right now before Christmas and now most likely soon to be homeless with 2 children and my other half’s elderly mother. I would like to know my rights and what I can do about this situation before it is too late?
Asked on November 2, 2012 under Real Estate Law, Connecticut
Answers:
FreeAdvice Contributing Attorney / FreeAdvice Contributing Attorney
Answered 12 years ago | Contributor
If you cannot pay your landlord rent for the unit that you have there is really nothing else you can do other than stay and not pay rent or be subject to an unlawful detainer action by the landlord which is not fair to you. I suggest that you may want to speak with your landlord about the situation before things get out of hand.
SJZ, Member, New York Bar / FreeAdvice Contributing Attorney
Answered 12 years ago | Contributor
If the home is foreclosed upon (e.g. by a bank), then you will *at some point* lose the right to live there; that's because the landlord will no longer own the home, and therefore cannot grant you the right to lease it.
How long you'll have will depend on the situation. First, nothing should happen until the foreclosure (or he surrenders the home to a creditor), which itself can take months. Second, if the home is acquired by a corporation or LLC, or by a person who wants to use it as an investment or lease property, then if there is a written lease, under laws designed to protect tenants in your situation, you should have until the end of your written lease's term or 3 months, whichever is longer, and will have to move out thereafter. If there is no written lease or the home is acquired by someone who intends to live there, you'll have just the 3 months after the foreclosure.
In any event, you have several months of time, but should begin now looking for some new situation.
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