We are renting a house that has been put on the market for sale and we really want to know our rights. HELP?

Question

Our lease agreement is for 12 months and we are worried however that if the house sells that we can be forced to leave. We live in Missouri and just feel that we might have made a really bad move with trying to lease this house while it is on the market. Please if anyone knows anything about these matters please respond! We don't know what our rights are

Answer 1

The landlord or his agent has the right to enter with proper notice to show the house to potential buyers.

Your lease transfers with the ownersip of the property.

If either your current or future landlord wants you out, there is not much they can do since you have a legally binding lease.

Many times, they will offer cash for a tenant to move out before the lease expires.

Make sure that you agree to no less than it will cost for your moving costs and the inconvenience of moving prematurely. If the amount offered does not suit you ... refuse to move.

Just make sure that you pay your rent on time and abide by your lease to the "T", because they will jump on any violation as a reason to evict you.

Answer 2

read your lease.  usually there is a 24 hour notice to enter the home.

You could work out a deal that you will allow an open house 1 or 2 times a month, usually on sat or sun from 12-4, etc.

If you have a lease, your lease runs with the property and not the owner.  This means that you WILL NOT have to move until the lease is up.  Unless you agree and I would ask for some money to move.

Answer 3

Just an add on the to the first answer. The lease is not with the house. The house is an inanimate object. The lease is with the owner of the property.

If the new owner decides to keep it as a rental, they can accept the current lease. They can also require the the lease be terminated and the tenant be out of the house as a stipulation to closing escrow. In this case, you have no recourse with the person buying the house. You would have recourse with the person that leased you the house as they would have to break the lease.

Answer 4

if the house sells, the lease is still valid on both parties.

Answer 5

Check with Missouri State housing laws for a definitive answer.

It also depends on what you agreed to and signed in the rental agreement.  You will likely have obligations to allow it to be shown at reasonable times.  If it sells the landlord is obligated to give you reasonable notice.  That varies and can be one month, 2 months or longer depending on the the state you live in and the terms of the agreement.  Take a look at your agreement and perhaps you can provide us with some more details.