Q: I rented a home in Jan. for $3000 month based off pics on Zillow. Can I withhold rent until its fixed or end my lease?
Inside the house is nice but has needed many repairs that we found out about as we discovered them.Most have been fixed.The heater & AC were broken.The garage door & oven are still broken.The sink is coming off the wall.There was a decomposing animal under the house that smelled AWEFUL for 4 weeks, which created hundreds of flies inside the house.In the pictures on zillow the house had a screened porch & pool with grass & fenced yard,none of which exists anymore due to Hurricane.The realtor assured us these would be fixed. They have hired someone else but we haven't been able to coordinate our schedules yet.He asked to give them a key but we refused.Until now I have had to be home while repairs were done.Most of which have been w no notice.Paying full rent while repairs are being done and was not ready to be rented doesn't seem fair.We thought we were moving into the house in the pics and were unaware of the open issues.We've paid 9000 for 1st,last, & security plus 3000 month since Jan
A: You do not have the right to withhold rent without providing a proper 7 day notice. Your remedy is to move out on day 8 if the repairs are not done. Sounds like you need to consult with a tenant attorney in your area asap to get property legal help in this situation. I suggest that a 7 day notice is not a DIY project.
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