Our apartments are being demolished and remade into condos, so we’re going to have to move eventually. The paperwork we got back in November from the owner says “you will not be required to vacate your apartment prior to the later of (a) the date the term of your lease expires or (b) 210 days from the date of this Notice.” So, since our lease expires August 31, I resolved not to worry about it until summertime, find a place Julyish, and move in August.
Now the maintainence gal is telling me the owner told her all 12 units would be vacated and demolition will begin in June! :eek:
Now, I’m not looking for legal advice, as I’m secure in that arena. My lawyer is my brother-in-law, and we’re good there. What I’m wondering is what sort of ethical leverage I have here. My plan is to begin by telling him we’re not budging until the end of August, and see what sort of incentives he wants to throw our way to get us out of his hair sooner. I’m thinking no less than a month’s rent and the cost of movers.
What do y’all think? Should I just play nice and slink away, or get some (much needed) financial recompense for the pain in the ass this will cause? Or should I just stick to my guns and stay here until August 31st?
Since you’ve already got the legal aspect covered, this is just my two cents:
Heck, yeah, you should ask for money. You have a contract that gives you certain rights. He’s got to honor that contract or pay you so he can breach it. You’re probably not the only person in that boat, and I’m sure he’s set aside some cash to take care of that little problem.
So my vote (we are voting, right?) is negotiate a deal with him. Personally, I don’t know that a month’s rent plus moving costs is enough. But I’m materialistic that way.
The maintenace girl may be accurate and she may be telling you this because she cannot keep her mouth shut. Or, the maintenance girl may be telling all this because the owner knows she cannot keep her mouth shut. Whatever the truth be told, the owner wants to minimize costs and heartaches, and maximize profits. That’s the owner’s ethics from my view.
When the time comes, I would ask for no less than two months rent for every month early they may want you out, the cost of searching for a new place, the cost of the move, and the cost of first month’s rent (and deposit) in your new digs.
Hold your cards close. Say nothing about it until you are formally notified by the owner.
Yes, I suspected I might be underbidding myself. But it seems like so much for me to ask for! I’m not worthy!
Thanks for the input!
But why should I wait for him to bring it up to me? Should I not call him and tell him I heard this rumor and get the ball rolling now? I hate having things unsettled.
Well… I think the notion is that whoever brings the subject up first might lose the upper hand in negotiating… a psychological thing, like that ‘first to leave the bargaining table because they have to take a piss loses’ thing.
Time is on your side in this respect. The owner is the one with the clock ticking on him, deadlines approaching.
If the personal discomfort of ‘having things unsettled’ seems to outweigh keeping this (somewhat nebulous) advantage, well… that’s your call to make I think.
