If my landlord was arrested and will be in prison for a long time, what happens to my house and do I still have to pay rent?
Get Legal Help Today
Compare Quotes From Top Companies and Save
Secured with SHA-256 Encryption
If my landlord was arrested and will be in prison for a long time, what happens to my house and do I still have to pay rent?
I rent my house from 2 brothers. The actual owner lives in Morocco and I’ve never met him. The brother lives in town and he’s who I deal with. But, the brother was just arrested in this huge FBI sting. He was charged with weapons and having over 500g of cocaine. What’s going to happen to my home? Should I continue to pay rent knowing I’m likely supporting an overseas drug dealer? I pay my rent by depositing cash into the overseas brother’s account. Will the house be seized?
Asked on March 25, 2012 under Real Estate Law, Texas
Answers:
SJZ, Member, New York Bar / FreeAdvice Contributing Attorney
Answered 12 years ago | Contributor
1) As long as the landlord(s) have not breached their obligations, you still have to pay rent. While your moral qualms are understandable, your legal obligations under the lease (which is a contract) are wholly separate from the issue of the brother's arrest or criminal activities. Keep paying the rent as you have been.
2) If the house was either the "fruit" (paid for by) of criminal proceeds or was used for criminal activities, it is possible it will be seized (though that will likely take months, at a minimum). If/when it is seized, that will terminate your tenancy, but not until then.
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.