What are my optionsif I am living in an illegal apartment and being charged rent?
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What are my optionsif I am living in an illegal apartment and being charged rent?
I have been paying $800 a month for my basement apartment. I recently realized that the borough does not know it exists. There are serious safety issues that have brought to my attention. My landlord is asking me to leave over racial issues due to the people I date or have over. I am also on house arrest and I can not move until I have an approved apartment to go to. I do not know my rights in this situation. Is she supposed to be charging me rent? What kind of a notice should she give me? We have no written lease. Its simply pay rent for the month I stay and so on. What should I do?
Asked on September 27, 2011 under Real Estate Law, Pennsylvania
Answers:
FreeAdvice Contributing Attorney / FreeAdvice Contributing Attorney
Answered 13 years ago | Contributor
If you are concerned about the rent you are being charged is for an illegal unit and you are also being pressed by your landlord over racial issues, you need to go to your local building and permit department to make further inquiries about the legality of the rental that you have and its safety as well to confirm your suspicions.
If you want to have an inspection of this basement rental, that is your choice. The building and permit department in your community is an option as well has the health department. The problem is that if you cannot move until you have alternate housing in place, you need to get things moving to find another place to live before you decide whether or not to have a governmental entity inspect the unit you are living in for permit violations as well as safety issues.
The reason for this is that if there are problems with it, there may be a shut down order of the rental where you would be forced to move immediately.
Good luck.
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