Question by birdiegirl:
Breaking a lease for bedbugs?
In March, I got horrible red welts all over my body. I heard there were bedbugs in the complex, I called the office and they played dumb and said there were no signs. So, I proceeded to get tested for all types of auto-immune disorders, my throat closed up and I was rushed to the ER etc. Well, of course, three months later we found them. I called the office, they have sprayed four times and we still have them. The office told me I could break the lease and move out at any time. We found a house we want to buy, and are moving on Oct. 1st. We have to throw away our mattresses, couches, etc. not to mention the days I have missed from work, doctors, etc. I mean, it’s just gross. Laundry has to be washed in hot hot water, I have spent $ 400 on laundry ALONE.
So I let them know we would be moving out, and they said fine. I have documented all conversations. I got a letter today saying I would be responsible for the rest of the lease (4 months, $ 1100.00/month) HELP!
Oh the lady next door to me moved out and they re-rented right away, and they have bedbugs. The people below them have been dealing with it for over a year. I know they would come to court with me. They aren’t sprayed properly, not at all, bc they need to do all the units but said it’s too expensive. The health dept. has been out and everything (who I will call again tomorrow)
Best answer:
Answer by tercelclub
I suggest you lawyer up and sue them for damages and hospital bills for neglecting to deal with the problem that led to you ending up on the ER.
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It is really difficult to prove that the apartment(s) in the complex didn’t have the bed bugs first. They would walk into court and say that you infested your place and they had nothing to do with it. Then they would get everyone else you lived there to say that they don’t have any problems at all. Unless you can get the professionals who came in and sprayed testify in court that they sprayed the other apartments cause they had bugs too, but even then they could say they started in your apartment and then spread.
You could just not pay it but they would go after you in court and win. You could not move for another 4 months, but by now you probably already signed all the papers to get a mortgage.
Your best bet would be to get a lawyer.
This is after they told you they would let you out of your lease? I know there are some reasons for breaking a lease. I don’t know that much about bed bugs and whether or not they’re the responsibility of the landlord or tenant. I didn’t even realize that they spread through walls, I thought they got transferred from place to place on people and bedding. Anyway, I would contact your local attorney general’s office and find out about the landlord-tenant laws in your area. Once your sure you’re justified in breaking the lease, I would let your landlord know what you found out. Most states require them to try and re-rent the unit so it’s a little premature for them to be charging you for 4 months when the unit will likely be rented before that anyway. Anyway, I would go in there and civilly tell them you’re not responsible for the rent beyond Oct. 1 and explain why. You may have to fight it in court but let them be the ones to take you. When it goes to collections, send them a letter along with all of your documentation disputing the charges. It’ll then be your landlords responsibility to prove charges. Continue to dispute it all the way until a judge decides. Like I said, see the attorney general first that way you know for certain where you stand legally before fighting it.