Is there a place to get some basic renter's rights advice for free or little cost?

Question

Although my husband and I rent from a house from a very sweet couple some of their practices seem to be unlawful. They are very often over on our property with no advance knowledge to us. Sometimes in and out several times a day. There is a large shed on the back of the property that we were given permission to store items in. Recently we were told that we would no longer be able to have use of the shed for our items as it was going to be leased to someone else for their business use. When this person is on our property they are using all of our utilities with no repayment of any kind to us. Yet our landlords are getting a portion of the money the man is making running this business. Our landlords allow their friends to store boats and campers on our back lawn. Depriving our children of room to run and play. All of these changes are very recent and we find ourselves not knowing what to do. We are very respectful tenants. We are quiet and keep the yard and house well maintained and neat. We pay our rent well before the due date each month. We need advice and we do not have a lot of money to pay to consult with a lawyer. Is there a service that could help us with our current situation? We would be very grateful for any help. Thanks

Answer 1

Yes you need to read your lease.  You have the right to not allow other people on your property and certainly not let them use your utilities!  I'd get in touch with an attorney and set your landlord straight!

Answer 2

the consumer rights will vary based on state...but you should look into your states consumer protection laws. just go to the library or the internet and look them up. I know here in Pennsylvania we have very good consumer protection laws, but they vary by state. hope this helps.

Answer 3

no cheaper!

Answer 4

Check your lease agreement about what rights you have. They may have reserved the right to rent out other buildings as they see fit. It does seem unfair that you have to pay for utilities for the other person. You can also check with your state and local laws concerning renting. Generally it is illegal for the landlord to come in your house without your permission, unless there is an emergency. Check with your local councilman, and look for your local Tenants' Organization or Union for help. If they have violated the terms of the lease, then you may be able to get out of the lease and move (if you have to fight them, you won't want to live there anymore). Post on lawguru.com for some local attorney advice. Good luck!

Answer 5

I'm almost positive that in every state in the US the landlord HAS to give 24 hours notice before gallivanting through your home. Call you local county's free legal aid service and see what they can help you with.

Answer 6

You need to refer to the written lease agreement you have with your landlord.  Sad to say, if NONE of these 'intrusions' are covered in contract language, you may not have a legal gripe.

If this is of major concern to you, perhaps you need legal representation to help you with a review of your lease agreement.

Answer 7

I'm not sure I could handle all the extra stuff going on there.  If it were me I would be looking for a new place.

Answer 8

I would just discuss the situation with the landlord. Unfortunately, they have the upper hand since they own the property but since you are a desirable tenant they may be willing to compromise, such as a rent deduction for use of utilities & loss of your storage space. You could probably report the problems but that might strain your relationship with them, especially if you haven't talked to them about it. You might gather your utility bills and chart the increase so that you will have a figure in mind.  If there's no easy solution you may have to explore other options, such as moving, keeping in mind that you may need the landlord for a reference.

Answer 9

I just typed in the yahoo search engine for renters rights they have a resource center and lots of information hope this helps it sound very disturbing and disrespectful.

Answer 10

You could try your local housing court or housing division. In NY you can go the housing court or call them and there are legal aides that can assist you, perhaps there is something similar where you are. There are also forums on the itnernet that you can use. I am a lndlord and from what you are describing, they are doing a lot of illegal things. for example, usually, they are not allowed to go into our house without 24 hours notice. They are not supposed to be using your utilities unless they pay for them.

You can try any of the folowing links

http://www.websitetoolbox.com/tool/mb/ab...

(Scrollto the bottom with this one)

The other one is http://community.lawyers.com/messageboar...

They are both free but I beleive you have to register and there are people on there who know what they are talking about. You might want to post a question.