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Where is this? Let me know (PM me) and I'll try my best to help you.
hi JerseyG.. i was renting in Newark NJ.. i read up on the tenant laws.. she never even gave me a signed copy of the 2nd lease with her signature on it.. and the first lease was never finalized.. she faxed it to me in her handwriting and never gave a copy with her signature either.. it was my first apartment i rented from a private home.. and i admit i was very very naive
Cracked tiles!?
How old is the house? Let me guess, you're in NJ so it's probably 60-120 years old. The house settled way before you were born. If you cracked my tiles you bet I'd hold you responsible. Tiles are designed to last many years and normal wear and tear wouldn't break tiles.
As for the extra tenant that should have been clear before you signed the lease. You could have rented out a bedroom to him for all she knows, which in many cases goes against leases. If you do rent out part of the place you're renting then the landlord would normally be due any rent that you charged the person. Messed up, but I've seen that in pretty much every lease I had in grimy NJ. Consider the security gone.
The Tech-1,
when i first moved in i told her he would be over.. he has his own place where he has his legal address and pays rent.. besides that.. when she brought up that he was over too often and her water bill went up (which by the way is ridiculous that she blamed it on me bcuz two more tenants moved into the illegal basement apartment two months prior to her bringing him up) he NEVER showered at my apartment becuase he had his own place.. but i didn't want to cause her problems so i gave her more money and we signed a NEW AMENDED LEASE with his name changed from visitor to tenant..
i didn't contest her on the tiles she wants to charge me for.. although i don't understand how i was at all being negligant.. i didn't chisel cracks into those tiles.. she promised me she would redo my kitchen in sept of last year bcuz it was soooo old that i couldn't even use the cabinets due to the reaking smell and mold.. i had to buy a 5 tier shelf to store my dishes.. she never remodeled my kitchen.. never added a second exit to the illegal basement apartment she rented out (which i paid the gas and electric for and didn't know about until after i moved and tried to turn on the utilities for)
What I don't understand the most is did this landlord pick how much rent would be depending on how many people lived there? I've never heard anything like that.
Did your old lease really say your rent would go up if you had someone living with you?
Then, if she wanted $175 more for the apartment, why didn't she rent it for that?
I don't think she has a leg to stand on.
Roselvr,
the funny thing is.. she's now renting it for the same amount i did when we renewed the lease.. which is still less than what she claims she wants charge me back rent for.. when i moved in she told me she rented it to me because someone else offered to rent it for 25 dollars less than what i gave her when we signed the first lease
You should get an attorney to sue her for that $100/month, at least. I strongly doubt that a court will uphold those charges.
gradstudent77,
thanks so much for your advice.. i really think she's trying to get over on me.. i read up on the tenant laws.. and i tried to be nice.. but really.. that security is all i have left since i moved.. i had to pay another security for this new place and had to move a month before my lease was up so my funds are seriously depleted with the double rent i paid last month and now this security being witheld.. this money's supposed to go towards my wedding.. which is getting harder and harder to finance in these tough times.. i'm greatful for your replies.. sincerely greatful.. my confidence has been boosted
Don't be afraid of small claims court. it's easy to do.
thanks brookdaleresident.. i'm gonna give her 30 days.. and if she doesn't send me a check with interest or with money witheld and without an itemized bill.. i will fight for it.. i love this forum!! you're all so wonderful
You need to find out if your landlord is allowed to run her apt. as a boarding house or not. Most likely she isn't. Is she renting rooms out or an apt? Is she legally allowed to put a "visitor's" clause in her lease? If you had 2 roommates when you moved in would the rent have been higher? I have to register my apts every year. Have to state the rent from the previous year and how much it will increase for the following year. I'm only allowed a certain maximum percentage of increase in rent per annum. Either she's not on the grid or she's playing the system.
In Newark a landlord is only allowed to raise the rent by 5% annually.
It doesn't matter what she "wanted" to rent the apartment for, she rented it for what she did. Not your problem.
You may have signed something (twice) and it may never have been legal. Landlords absolutely need to following the rules and the laws just as much as the tenants have to.
You don't need to hire a lawyer...small claims will be enough. Bring all your proof and you'll do just fine.
when i first moved in i told her he would be over.. he has his own place where he has his legal address and pays rent.. besides that.. when she brought up that he was over too often and her water bill went up (which by the way is ridiculous that she blamed it on me bcuz two more tenants moved into the illegal basement apartment two months prior to her bringing him up) he NEVER showered at my apartment becuase he had his own place.. but i didn't want to cause her problems so i gave her more money and we signed a NEW AMENDED LEASE with his name changed from visitor to tenant..
i didn't contest her on the tiles she wants to charge me for.. although i don't understand how i was at all being negligant.. i didn't chisel cracks into those tiles.. she promised me she would redo my kitchen in sept of last year bcuz it was soooo old that i couldn't even use the cabinets due to the reaking smell and mold.. i had to buy a 5 tier shelf to store my dishes.. she never remodeled my kitchen.. never added a second exit to the illegal basement apartment she rented out (which i paid the gas and electric for and didn't know about until after i moved and tried to turn on the utilities for)
Ok, then you should be fine. make sure you keep that signed, amended lease and you're covered. About tiles, if the house was in need of repair, specifically the kitchen, then you do have a good chance of not being responsible. You would need to go to small claims court.
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