Q: Can I get out of a lease if the landlord knew they were selling but didn't tell us before we signed the lease?
We are in Portland, OR. - Multnomah County. We signed it on 12/18 and then the change of ownership happened on 1/18 with only 1 day of notice.
A: As long as the sale of the property was not a foreclosure or tax lien sale, the landlord generally has no duty to disclose to the tenants anything about his business affairs, including selling the rental dwelling. That is because nothing changes for the tenant beyond paying their rent (the same amount of rent) to a different person. All lease terms stay the same (with that sole change) and the new owner/landlord is responsible for administering the tenant's security deposits etc even though they were originally paid to the prior owner/landlord. The new owner can make whatever changes he wishes, just as the prior owner/landlord could, so long as he provides the minimally required advanced notice, etc.
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