Question

  03/29/15, 9:09 pm
I signed a lease 11 days ago, and moved into a rental house with my fiancee 11 days ago in an area (Lake Worth) with a very tight rental market. The house was rented "as is" and I'm fixing it up a bit (good deal for the landlord, I know). The rental market here is so tight that in these 11 days, we've already had 5 strangers knock on the door and ask if the house is still for rent. Today, a Realtor came to the door and informed us that the house was being put up for sale. He told me he'd be driving by taking pictures, and that he'd need to show the house to investors at some point but would work around our schedule. He tried to assuage my fears by telling me that anyone likely to buy the house would be an investor, as the house isn't appropriate for sale to someone who would want to move in, and he works for a Chinese investor who negotiates sales of properties en masse. "Unless there's anything in the lease otherwise", he said, "your lease takes precedence over any sale." He went on to tell me that having us as tenants was a bonus, as we were guaranteed money to the investor while they were waiting for the property to appreciate. I went back and looked at my lease, and it being Florida, it indeed has a provision that the current company owning the house can give us 30 days notice to vacate if the house is sold. I called up the realtor and let him know my concerns. He reiterated the previous statements, and told me if I wanted that he could tell the investor he works for that we would be unable to be cooperative in showing the house unless they agreed to strike those provisions from the lease and initial them. He then said he'd get back to me on Tuesday the 31st of this month (March). It may be a silly question, but - do I need a lawyer for this? Is trusting his word of striking the provisions enough? Am I being hoodwinked? Thanks much!
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United States   |   Florida  |  Tenant Law
Cost: Free

Answer

Jennifer Jacobs Says:

Mar 30,2015 2:04 PM

Your lease likely also has a provision that you are required to cooperate with showing the property. You don't necessarily need a lawyer, but unless you and the landlord sign an agreement in writing that changes the terms of your lease regarding the sale of the property and or your requirement to show it, no such agreement exists. A written agreement, such as a lease, can not be modified orally- you must get it in writing.


Jennifer Jacobs
Law Offices of Jennifer A. Jacobs, LLC
1555 N. Maitland Ave.,Maitland, FL 32751
321-972-9904
http://www.thejajlawfirm.com

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