So while I was in the hospital with my lil sis for colon cancer surgery last week, a tornado decided to make my already rough week worse. I got home to find leaks in the den and as I was placing bowls strategically the sheet rock finally reached saturation and fell in all around me. My furniture was already moved due to the leaks that I found, but now the roof has a huge gaping hole and I have been told to get ready to move out.
My sis (who is my roomate) was so upset and could not come home to her own bed after a week of excruciating surgery and hosptial stays. I found a friend who could put her up for a few day but it is killing me to work all day and drive out to her and play nurse all night.
But after all this rambling my real question for you guys is this: My awful landlady says there is a bigger floor plan available but I will have to pay over $100 more to live there and sign a new lease OR I can move out…find a short term lease elsewhere, and return to complete my lease when the repairs are finalized on my apt.
Ideally, I would move us to the bigger place and only move ONCE but I think landlady should honor the current lower rent. Just because the same floorplan is not currently available, it seems like they could at least let us finish our current lease period at the same rent as we are paying and THEN if we choose to renew we pay the higher price. I guess that is asking too much but what do you suggest? She has not offered to let us break the lease all together and I simply DONT want to move twice and transfer utilities twice!
But you need to contact the housing authority or have a frank chat. I think Tornados would be written up in the lease as “Act of God” or something. Is your land lady a real nasty lady? Or would a frank exchange maybe work for her keeping your current lease?
She should let you out of the lease completly at the very least.
Or pay for you to stay in a motel.
She’ll get that $100 dollars a month from FEMA. She should allow you to move into the empty space at no extra charge.
She is in violation of the lease. (due to the condition of the apt)
Does your local news have one of those “Help Me Howard” type reporters.
Let them come and give her some negative publicity. Usually they can work out a deal for you.
One thing that has always helped people I know is our state’s attorney general office. The people who staff our office know landlord/tenant law like the backs of their hands and actually welcome questions from the public. If you’re still in Mississippi, contact info for their office is here.
The lease is broken because the place is uninhabitable. Call someplace that can help you deal with her.
Maybe the hospital can suggest a group that can help your sister with this difficulty of no home and needing recovery. I think somebody might put you both or her up in a temporary housing. This is the type of thing that qualifies for help.
yes, your lease is broken. If she can’t provide another place for the same amount of money then she can’t hold you to something you didn’t agree to. Make sure you get your deposit back. There is no way she can claim you left the place in a worse state since it’s been severely damaged. You might look for any legal clinics that could knock out a letter for you so you have a fancy letterhead to smack her around with. And if she gives you shit you can always call the local TV station. They eat up hard luck stories like yours. Cancer victim gets shafted by landlord after tornado damages charished belongings. Can’t get any better than that. Show a couple of water logged pictures of your sister and her little dog to the camera. I’m gitting misty eyed already.
Thanks guys. It has been a crazy couple of days and I have not had any internet access but the update:
The bigger 2 bedroom that the awful landlady was pushing for more $$$ was also damaged in the storm. So we found out on Friday morning that we were out of the lease and free to go. And go quickly because she wanted us out asap. So I (and several incredible pals) spent Sunday moving all of our stuff to the new place which allowed us to rent month to month. The new apt is much smaller and not as nice but it will at least provide a place for my lil sis to get settled and recover before the chemo starts.
Landlady also tore up our April rent check and is not asking for a pro-rated thru Sunday cost at least and for her, that is a huge concession. Which is good because I had to pay a deposit all kinds of fees to get us into the new place.
The bad news is that my little sister really wants to return to the old place when the repairs are done in about 4 months. I agree with her in that it is nicer, safer and roomier for the same price but the thought of moving again so soon makes my back ache a lot worse. Landlady says she will hold it for us and give us the first option to rent it if we choose so I guess I will just wait and see what happens.
So my muscles ache somthing awful today and my brain is still reeling but I appreciate you guys so much and all of your good advice and thoughts.