Hello. This is a California residential lease question.

I have lived in the building for 2 years and have had 3 lease renewals. In the last 1.5 years, I have asked the landlord to have the large, exterior, floor-to-ceiling windows cleaned. I consider the view a part of the "premium" I pay for my unit. For the last 1.5 years, I have received lip-service and excuses from the landlord. The windows are still filthy.

In our oral and written discussions about renewing my lease, beginning October 1st, I told them I'd be happy to sign another lease as soon as the windows are cleaned. We are near October 1 and... The windows are still filthy.

The landlord left the lease at my doorstep the other day. The lease they gave me to sign is already signed by them.

I made changes to the lease to reflect what I discussed with the landlord -- reducing the lease from 1 year to 6 months, giving me the right, at my election, to either (a) terminate the lease with 30 days written notice or (b) reduce the rent by 25% if the windows are not cleaned in the next 60 days. I signed the lease with these changes and returned it to the landlord.

The landlord called me -- furious that I made changes.

Question: Is my lease valid if both the landlord and I signed it, even if I made changes?

Thanks!



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No, your lease is not valid, the landlord will have to initial the changes and accept them,

The Landlord has made a offer, you refused and did a counter offer, the landlord can refuse and merely ask you to move.

Also I have never heard of a landlord having to clean a window, is this on a high floor building.

Thank you for your reply. Yes, this is a high floor building. I can not clean them myself, and have asked for 1.5 years of the 2 years I've lived here.

Thanks for your reply. That's too bad. Don't mean to squabble with them over this. Just to make them do what they say they will do. Yes, this is a high floor building. I'd be happy to do it myself if I could.

If they ask me to leave, is there a time they must provide in California law, like 30 days? Thanks again!

If you don't sign the lease you become a month to month tenant. Either of you can terminate the tenancy with 30 days notice.

I have to wonder though, most high rise buildings have a window cleaning service. So are your neighbor's windows being cleaned or not? Are you the only tenant with this complaint?

Since this is California and you've lived there for more than one year, if they want to terminate the lease they have to give you 60 days written notice.

Thanks again for the replies! This building is a bit odd-shpaed. There are four units like mine (including mine), with floor-to-ceiling 10-feet tall glass windows, and a 1.5-foot ledge. Impossible to clean (from the third floor) without breaking your neck. They will need to find someone with a "scissor-lift" who can raise to the height tall enough to clean them. They have said they will (for 1.5 years), but it's too expensive for only 4 units. So now we have this problem where I pay for a view I can't see through because the LA smog has covered the windows with a greyish-black grime (disgusting).

Thanks again!

OK, What I would do is price out the cost of hiring a window cleaner. Get a few bids. Then talk to the owners of the other units. You all present your findings to landlord and advise them that if they don't contract with a cleaner that you 4 will do so and deduct the cost from your rents.

Send a letter signed by all of you, to the landlord by certified mail. Given then 2 weeks to sign a contract.