Q: Landlord sent my husband an email addressed to us both that she is not renewing our lease. She did not CC me.
We are on a yearly lease. Both of our names and signatures are on lease. We have been here for two years. Our lease expires May 31. Our landlord is private/independent. Today she sent my husband (to his personal e-mail address) an email in which she addressed it to us both (Dear Mr. and Mrs. Sharon) to inform us she would not be renewing our lease. She did not give any reason. We pay on time every month. I know this is a retaliation issue. My question is this: does our landlord need to either CC me on the e-mail to my husband to my own person e-mail or does she need to send a separate e-mail to my own e-mail address? Or does she not have to do any of this? We have not received anything by mail yet. I ask this question because would it not be a fair assumption to say my husband never told me about the e-mail he received and I had no idea?
A:
In most cases, a landlord is not legally obligated to send separate emails or CC both tenants when communicating about the lease. As long as the email is addressed to both of you and sent to one of the email addresses provided, it can be considered a valid notice.
However, it is generally a good practice for landlords to ensure that all tenants receive important communications, either by CCing everyone or sending separate emails to each tenant's provided email address. This helps to avoid potential misunderstandings or disputes later.
If you are concerned that your husband might not have informed you about the email, you can request that the landlord send a copy of the notice directly to your email address for your records. You can also ask your husband to forward the email to you.
Regarding the landlord's decision not to renew the lease, if you believe it is a retaliatory action, you may want to consult with a local tenants' rights organization or a lawyer specializing in landlord-tenant law to discuss your options and rights as a tenant in your jurisdiction.
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