Lease question; Move-out time?

Question

I moved in on April 27th and my lease expires on August 31st. There is no time mentioned on my lease, just the date.

The landlord wants me to vacate the premises by 9am on August 31st. I think this is nuts; the people helping me move live 2 hours away, and it's going to take at least an hour to load up the truck. Unless we get started at 5am, there is no way to do this. The new tennants move in on September 1st.

If there is no time mentioned on the lease, when (legally) am I allowed to stay until?

*Keep in mind; my landlord is a bully and I can't tell when he's telling the truth or BSing me.

Answer 1

Legally you're allowed to stay until midnight of the 31st if there is no specific time mentioned in the lease.  Most people tend to move out at least a few days before the lease is up, but you certainly don't have to.  Your landlord is doing this because he knows he'll need to do minor cleaning before the new tenants move in - touching up paint, maybe steam cleaning the carpet, but that's his problem for allowing the new people to move in on the 1st.

Answer 2

Tell him you will be able to move when the people are available to transport your effects and that is so and so time.You have obviously got tenancy till Midnight

Answer 3

midnight of August 31.

Answer 4

You are right to mention the personality of the landlord.  We can tell you the "law" but you are dealing with a human being.  Your rent is paid thru midnight on August 31.   I have written leases where i put that they have to be out by 8pm.  I wasn't trying to be mean.  I was tired of not being sure that i could re-rent it for Sept 1st.  You won't believe all the times that the "friends" didn't arrive to move you. The Sept 1st tenant is mad at me and i didn't cause the problem.  That is what your landlord is worrying about.

So i want you to bluff and say that your Uncle (that's me) is a landlord and he wants to be certain that he can rent it Sept 1st.  Tell him you understand his worry.  But bluffing is not nice.  He knows you can stay. So do you.  But promise that you will be out way before midnight so you won't mess him up.  Can you do it? /