Owner lost house but we still paid rent, what can I do??

You should have paid rent to the original owner up to the date of foreclosure. After that you no longer have a right to stay in the house since your lease was voided.

A lot more info would help here. Like have you been contacted by the new owners, how much rental did you pay after the foreclosure. Were you aweare of the impending foreclosure, etc.

Unfortunately, the owner is not required to use your rent payments to pay his mortgage or other expenses associated with the apartment. If the foreclosure process has already started, you will be notified by either the bank or a new owner as to when and if you need to vacate the unit. Some banks... a very few... will offer you "cash for keys" as an incentive to vacate the unit within a certain time frame... other banks will just give you a notice to vacate within 15-60 days.

Thinkhard, This should be a good learning experience for you. If you aren't prepared to purchase a home, then rent from a reputable property management company. If you watch TV, Listen to the radio, Read news on the internet, or Get the paper. Then you probably have heard the term "Ajustable Rate Mortgage". Just like you lookout for yourself and your family, your landlord does the same. Most "Adjustable Rate Mortage's" or "ARM's", are loans funded on behalf of sub prime borrowers and cannot be refinanced. If you want to blame anyone, blame the loan officer that originated the loan in the first place. As far as the "cash for keys", get the money upfront. A good lawyer can stay any eviction for a long time. The mortgage company will probably offer you $500 to move out in 14 days and leave the home in good shape. If you were me. I would call a reputable, local law firm, and get ahold of their just out of law school associate and start suing everyone. More than likely you create delay and havoc. Which is what you want. I wouldn't settle for less than 5k "cash for keys".

Hello think:

You can't sue anybody. Nobody did anything to you. If you don't leave, the sheriff will put you out. Once the house is foreclosed, you are no longer a tenant. You're a trespasser. There's NOTHING a lawyer can do for you except to take your money. THIS is NOT a money making opportunity for you.

I have NO idea why some people think it is.

excon

I wouldn't say you can't sue anybody, there are too many details left out here. But the odds are you have very little grounds to sue anyone. Once the foreclosure was finalized you have no right to stay in the house.