Q: Landlord walked in on me changing, I didn't pay rent because of it, they want to evict me. What action can I take?
My landlord/owner of the house I'm renting the basement opened my locked door while I was changing, walked right in. I did not pay rent for July ($200, verbal agreement to pay by the last day of each month) and was given a notice to pay within 2 weeks or vacate the premises. However, they made it clear that as far as they are concerned that paper is just a formality and they want me out regardless of whether or not I give them the $200. Is this legal? Is there anything I can do about this? They will not give me an actual lease nor receipts for payment of previous rent. The letter to pay the $200 from July is the only proof they will give me that I've been a resident here besides some packages I have and my license states this address. They consistently come through a locked door into the area I pay rent for regardless of whether I am home or not.
A: From the description of your living arrangements, I suspect that the unit is not "legal". As a result you may have defenses to claims for unpaid rent. However, unless you have a lease or are rent-regulated, provided the proper court process is commenced, the landlord will ultimately be entitled to recover possession of the unit.
Justia Ask a Lawyer is a forum for consumers to get answers to basic legal questions. Any information sent through Justia Ask a Lawyer is not secure and is done so on a non-confidential basis only.
The use of this website to ask questions or receive answers does not create an attorney–client relationship between you and Justia, or between you and any attorney who receives your information or responds to your questions, nor is it intended to create such a relationship. Additionally, no responses on this forum constitute legal advice, which must be tailored to the specific circumstances of each case. You should not act upon information provided in Justia Ask a Lawyer without seeking professional counsel from an attorney admitted or authorized to practice in your jurisdiction. Justia assumes no responsibility to any person who relies on information contained on or received through this site and disclaims all liability in respect to such information.
Justia cannot guarantee that the information on this website (including any legal information provided by an attorney through this service) is accurate, complete, or up-to-date. While we intend to make every attempt to keep the information on this site current, the owners of and contributors to this site make no claims, promises or guarantees about the accuracy, completeness or adequacy of the information contained in or linked to from this site.
