My rights as a tenant, while renting a house question?

Question

My house mate and I are currently leasing a house and our lease runs out in November. We have just been informed that the owner has put the house on the market, and since then we have been subject to "home opens" every weekend, and will continue to be, until the property is sold. In that the real estate agent opens our house to any prospective buyers for a period of time, and asks us to vacate the property for that time.

I am a full time worker, and I am really upset that my weekends have been interrupted by people coming through my house. We have been told we do not have to leave the premises if we don't want to, but either way it is an inconvenience to me and my house mate to have the house clean, and either leave it for a while, or have so sit around uncomfortably until the strangers walking through our house, leave.

I have talked to the real estate agent and they agree it's a little sucky that it has to happen every weekend, but that that is what the owner requested. I asked for some compensation like a rent reduction or movie tickets or something but they refused.

I talked to the Department of Consumer Protection and they said we are allowed to say no, and refuse entry to people, however then the real estate agent can take us to court and force us to make the property available.

Can someone out there give me some advice. Comments such as "just put up with it" are not really helpful, so please don't bother posting if that is going to be your answer. My weekends are really precious to me, and my ideal weekend is to stay at home and relax, and to be able to sleep whenever I want.

Answer 1

You must have talked to the operator at the Department of Consumer Protection.   They were wrong.

Your landlord has every right to sell his property.  Every right to show his property.   It might be sucky, but you do not own the place.

No one attends Open House during the week, they are at work.   Very few people attend on weekends, it is unlikely that mobs of people will storm your house, that only happens on TV.   Most likely the agent will read a book and all will be quiet.

There are  no laws to help you receive compensation.   I never sell my property (I sort of hoard them), but I doubt I would be all that willing to compensate my renters.

It sounds like it is time to spread your wings a little.   Find a nice B and B and sleep there,  you will love it!

Answer 2

Your rights as a tenant have indeed been violated as you are entitled to the "quiet enjoyment" of the property for the duration of your lease.  Contact your attorney or speak with the owner to find out if you can come to some sort of an agreement.  

By the way, with the market the way it is, you may want to inquire if the owner is willing to sell you the property through a "lease option" is you really like the property.  

Answer 3

.     The law allows entry by the owner or agent with 48 hour written notice.  They can circumvent that by giving you notice every Wednesday for the coming weekend.  

You could be tricky and buy a hotel "chain" that doesn't allow anyone in even if they have a key.   The open house is really a violation of your private enjoyment of the house.  I would contact judgejudy.com.  Judy would roast your landlord for this invasion of your privacy.