I rented an apartment almost 8 years ago and am still currently living there. We don't have a lease and rent month by month. About a year and a half ago the owner of the building in which the apartment is in informed me that the person who I rented the apartment from (man A) and was paying him(the owner) to purchase the building had defaulted on paying him and I was to pay him (the owner) the rent. Since then the other person has of and on tried to get rent from me which I didn't pay as I paid straight to the owner because he said that he would not recognize if I paid man A. The owner has showed me he has possession of the deed showing him the rightful owner. Who is there to stand up for me, my family is stuck in the middle ? We periodically get harassed by man A for money. I tell him to call the owner as the owner has not informed me of any change and tells me the lawyers are working it out. Again what do I do ? And what are my rights ?

You send a letter by certified mail, return receipt requested, with a copy by regular mail, to both the owner and Man A. In the letter you say that the two of them have been giving you conflicting information on where the rent is to be sent so you are opening a special account at the bank and paying your rent into that account until you receive something in writing from both of them agreeing on where the rent is to be sent.

Make sure you keep a copy of the letter for your records. This way if someone tries to sue you for the rent you'll have the money set aside and you'll have great paperwork to show a judge.

I would get a new lease signed by the owner and you. Once you have this lease in place, you are protected.

As long as the owner has proven that he is, in fact the owner of the building and has instructed you (hopefully in writing) to pay your rent directly to him, you should be OK.

Get receipts of all money that is paid to either party. And please, get a signed lease with the owner as soon as possible.