Recent Real Estate Expert Legal Chats
Lost lease for garage and want to update terms to increase rent.
Real Estate
Lease Agreement
Pennsylvania
Customer:
Lost lease for garage and want to update terms to increase rent. Hi! I lease an automotive garage and I cannot find my lease agreement anywhere. I want to update the terms and increase the rent but I can't remember if I wrote anything about this in the original lease from ****. Should I tell the tenant that I don't have the lease anymore and trust them to give me an accurate copy? Or should I just draft a new lease and present them with new terms that they need to agree to all the while pretending I still have the old lease agreement.
Dolan W.
Hello ****! My name is Dolan Williams and I'm a licensed attorney and your new right hand. Just a few quick questions: 1. Is this your only tenant on this particular property? 2. If not, do other tenants have a copy (that you trust)? 3. Do you remember when the old lease was scheduled to end? Thanks so much!
View Full Conversation >Rent reduction for issues with landlord.
Real Estate
Lease Agreement
Oregon
Customer:
Rent reduction for issues with landlord. I’m dealing with some issues with my landlord. They’re doing renovations on the building, and the noise is nonstop during the day. It’s impossible to concentrate on work. Can I ask for a rent reduction?
Dolan W.
Hi ******! My name is Dolan, and I’d be happy to help with this. I carefully review each question and provide responses based on my years of hands-on experience as a lawyer. It sounds like the noise is making it tough to do your job-sorry to hear that. To answer your question, yes, in certain circumstances, you may be able to request a rent reduction. Could you tell me a bit more about the situation? For example, how long the renovations have been going on and whether your landlord notified you in advance?
View Full Conversation >My landlord keeps coming into my apartment without telling me. What can I do about it?
Real Estate
Lease Agreement
California
Customer:
My landlord keeps coming into my apartment without telling me. What can I do about it?
Dolan W.
Hi*****, my name is Dolan, and I’d be happy to help with this. I carefully review each question and provide responses based on my years of hands-on experience as a lawyer. It sounds like your landlord might not be following the rules regarding tenant privacy. Could you tell me a bit more? For example, how often this is happening and if your lease mentions anything about when they can enter your apartment?
View Full Conversation >Landlord refusing to repair severe water damage from leak.
Real Estate
Lease Agreement
Customer:
Landlord refusing to repair severe water damage from leak. Can I withhold rent until they fix it? What am I supposed to do? It’s getting worse every day.
Dolan W.
Hi **********! My name is Dolan, and I’d be happy to help with this. I carefully review each question and provide responses based on my years of hands-on experience as a lawyer. I understand how stressful this situation must be. Severe water damage is a serious issue, and a landlord’s refusal to repair it may violate their legal obligations. In many states, tenants can withhold rent for habitability issues, but there are specific procedures you’ll need to follow to protect yourself legally. Can you tell me more about the damage? How long has this been going on, and have you already notified your landlord?
View Full Conversation >Is my landlord responsible for pest control if I keep finding roaches in my rental unit?
Real Estate
Lease Agreement
Customer:
Is my landlord responsible for pest control if I keep finding roaches in my rental unit?
Dolan W.
Hi ***! My name is Dolan, and I’d be happy to help with this. I carefully review each question and provide responses based on my years of hands-on experience as a lawyer. The landlord’s responsibility for pest control depends on the terms of your lease agreement and local laws. Could you provide more details about the situation? For example, how long the issue has been happening and whether you’ve notified your landlord?
View Full Conversation >Landlord wont fix the heating system in my apartment
Real Estate
Rental Agreement
California
Customer:
hi. my landlord hasnt fixed the heating in my apartment, and its been like two weeks now. wut can i do to make him fix it?
Dolan W.
Hi *****! I’m Dolan W., a lawyer with experience in landlord-tenant issues, and I’m here to help. Heating is considered an essential service, and landlords are typically required by law to fix these kinds of problems promptly. Let’s work through what you can do to get this resolved. To start, could you tell me if you’ve notified your landlord about the issue in writing or if you’ve just spoken to them? Also, where are you located? Different states have slightly different rules about this.
View Full Conversation >How can we get more time added to our commercial lease?
Real Estate
Commercial Lease
Customer:
How can we get more time added to our commercial lease? My lease ends in 6 months and we want to stay if we can. Is there a way for us to extend this? We want to get more time here. Can you help me?
Dolan W.
Hello, and thank you for your question! My name is Dolan, and I’d be happy to help with this. I carefully review each question and provide responses based on my years of hands-on experience as a lawyer.
Negotiating a lease extension is a common situation, and the key is starting the conversation early to avoid rushing at the end of the term. Here are the steps I recommend:
1. Review Your Current Lease: Check if it includes an option to renew. Many commercial leases have renewal clauses that outline the process for extending the lease.
2. Assess Your Needs: Decide how much additional time you want and whether you’d like to renegotiate other terms, like rent or maintenance responsibilities.
3. Start the Conversation Early: Contact your landlord soon to express interest in staying and ask about their willingness to extend the lease.
4. Propose Terms: Be prepared to negotiate. You can offer incentives, like agreeing to a modest rent increase, if nee...
Landlord saying parking spots not included for customers. Lease says it is. Can you help?
Real Estate
Commercial Lease
Customer:
Landlord saying parking spots not included for customers. Lease says it is. Can you help? The background is I’m leasing a business space and part of why I leased this location was for the parking lot. The landlord is now telling me parking is not included for customers and when I check the lease it mentions designated parking spots. What can I do here?
Dolan W.
Hello *****, and thank you for your question! My name is Dolan, and I’d be happy to help with this. I carefully review each question and provide responses based on my years of hands-on experience as a lawyer.
Disputes over parking are unfortunately common, but if your lease explicitly includes parking for your customers, you have a strong basis to assert your rights. Here’s what I suggest:
1. Review the Lease Language: Look for the specific clause that mentions parking. Does it state the number of spaces, their location, or any restrictions?
2. Communicate with the Landlord: Politely remind them of the lease terms and provide a copy of the relevant section for reference.
3. Next Steps if Disputed: If the landlord still denies your right to the parking, you may need to escalate the matter by sending a formal demand letter.
Could you provide the exact language from the lease regarding parking? This will help me give you a more specific recommendation.
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