My lease doesn't have a early termination clause, but I would like to break it. What are my options (in the state of Va)? I wnat to know them before I attempt to talk to him because he is impossible!

He is a horrible landlord. There is a complete language barrier, therefore communicating and attempting to mediate exsisting problems is impossible. The bathroom sink is completely stopped up and he refuse to fix it. Citing that the problem is due to my "long hair." The screeen door is the wrong size and therefore completely unhinged and off the rail... yet he refuses to fix that because "they no longer make that size door." The gabage disposal has stopped working, etc. He told us he would "try" to fix it. If unable to, then we would have to live with it.

Please help! What are my options!

mr.yet

You must put everything you stated in a letter, take pictures of all problems, use a current day newspaper to prove the date pictures were taken.

If he does fix the problem, have the rent place in escrow, and show the he violated the lease, this may give you a out if he does comply.

RickJ

I'm 100% with mr.yet.

Take pics and put your rent in escrow. Then go to the landlord and offer him an out: Let you out of the lease in good standing and you'll not pursue the Escrow issue further.

y me

Thanks guys, I'll be sure to do that!

excon

Hello y:

I am familiar with landlord/tenant law. I know of NO state that allows a tenant to put his rent into escrow as a threat to a landlord to fix stuff. As a matter of fact, it doesn't matter WHERE you put the rent. If you don't put it in the landlords hands, then YOU are in default. YOU will be evicted, and he'll get away with everything.

READ your states landlord/tenant law. You might be able to find it at rentlaw.com. They are not written in legalese. They're fairly short and easy to understand. It will tell you what your options are. I suggest NOT paying your rent isn't one of them.

excon