I rented a house for 8 years. I decided to move because I became disabled. I have always paid my rent. The first time that I was short on paying my rent was 300.00, my rent is 1850.00. I give them 1550.00, and than a week later I give them the rest. That next day I told my wife let's move, the rent is too much for me to pay, so that next day told the landlord we are leaving I am sick and I can't pay this kind of rent no more, so we moved and that was it. A friend of mine went to see if he could rent the house and my landlord told them I never paid my rent on time, which this is not true, I have always paid my rent so this means they are telling everyone I don't pay my rent and God knows what else.

CAN I SUE THEM?

Any legal question needs to include your location, as the law varies by area. In general, you can sue anyone for anything in small claims court, but willing and collecting are an entirely different matter.

What would you sue for? To be able to recover in a defamation lawsuit, you would have to prove that you have been damaged by the defamatory statements. Were you unable to rent later on because of what the landlord said? Can you prove that you were damaged by his statements? You did in fact pay late, so his statement is not entirely untrue. I don't see a winnable lawsuit here, but you'll get better answers if you provide some additional information.

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Originally Posted by JOEDTONID

so this means they are telling everyone I don't pay my rent and God knows what else
CAN I SUE THEM

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As far as you know, they told one person, you don't know what they have told anyone else. In fact, I don't know if you know exactly what they said. You are basing your ire on what your friend said they said.

What you are talking about here is defamation. And yes you can sue for defamation, but to win a case you have to prove what was said, to how many people and that you were harmed by the defamation. Money is apparently tight for you, do you have any idea what it would cost to mount a defamation case?

Believe me, I understand your anger and sympathize. But, unless you live in a very small town where anyone looking to rent the house will know you if the landlord referred to you, I would just forget about it.

Agree, your friend SAYS he said you were 'always late.' You don't really know if he in fact told the truth about being late once. And do you have proof that you were never late any other time in 8 years? The definition of 'late' is one day.

I have a feeling that the landlord just misses you and is covering it up by complaining - PLUS he doesn't want new tenants to think that there is any complaint about him or his house.

If this bothers you so much, send a Cease and Desist letter.
Just say that you heard derogatory remarks about your rent payments, that you have kept all your records, and that he is to stop or you will sue for defamation.
If you haven't kept records, don't bother.
It's all just bluster anyway.

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Originally Posted by joypulv

... If this bothers you so much, send a Cease and Desist letter.
Just say that ... he is to stop or you will sue for defamation.

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It's not a good practice to threaten to sue when (presumably, if OP follows the good advice given in this thread) one has no intention to do so. Instead, OP might want to write that he believes he has been defamed when the friend was told that he "never paid [his] rent on time". OP should ask for a retraction and apology.

You can sue anyone for anything. The issue that comes into place is whether you have a winnable case and, if not, do you have the money laying aside to throw away in court costs.

Just because your ex landlord told one person you were late on the rent, what makes you think he is telling everyone that you were late?

What are your damages? For this to be a winnable suit you will have to prove that you were damaged in a way that caused permanent distress or monetary loss.

This would be a waste of the court's time if you haven't suffered any damages. Be the bigger person and move on with your life.