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jingleballs7568 · Aug 20, 2009, 11:07 PM

:confused: I live in a home ownership co-op in PA. I just received a letter from my landlord saying that I have to add my on again off again boyfriend to my lease because he is here often and they believe that he lives here. He used to live with me so his Drivers License has my address. (All of the utilities are in his name, and he pays them as part of my child support, that is why he didn't change his address on his license) We have children together so he is here a lot but he rents a room elsewhere now. They tell me that he is not aloud to use my address for his mail or license so I must add him or I will be evicted if I can't prove that he doesn't live here. They want to see his lease and license with a different address, only he has no lease only a verbal agreement (which he could get a letter from his roommate) and his DL has my address (so that doesn't help with proving anything) They also say that visitors are only aloud to stay no more than 5 days in a year. None of these things where in the lease that I had signed 12 years ago. Can they do this? Is it my decision to allow him to use my address?
Does my landlord have a right to tell me that my boyfriend can not use my address on his license or mail?

N0help4u · Aug 21, 2009, 04:01 AM

Since it is a co-op and not just a regular apartment that may be the way co-ops work. See if there is anything in a rule book or any other rules and regulations they have. Even some regular landlords sometimes make this rule. As long as his address is on the dl they can claim he does live there. By Pa law you are suppose to change your address on your dl within so many months.

His name can be on your utilities without him living there.
Why doesn't he just go get his dl changed to where he does stay?

ScottGem · Aug 21, 2009, 04:50 AM

You need to define what the deal here is. A Co-op is similar to a condominum. The difference is that, with a condo, you actually own your unit. With a co-op you own shares in the corporation that owns the unit and those shares entitle you to the use of the unit.

If you have (or had) a lease, then you do not own shares in the co-op. So you may be renting from the person that does own the shares or the building may have converted to co-op after you moved in and your lease was grandfathered in. When you move out, the corporation will then sell shares to someone. This is very typical of co-op conversions. In fact this may be a ploy to get you out so they can sell the shares.

So what your actual status is may have a bearing on your rights here.

As for things not written into the lease. Have you regularly signed renewed leases or have you gone month to month since the original lease expired? Do you have a current lease with a future expiration? If this is a true co-op then there is a set of bylaws that you may be compelled to comply with.

It is certainly possible for them to insist that since he pays the utilities and his DL lists the unit as his official address for them to claim it is and require him to be on the lease.

excon · Aug 21, 2009, 05:41 AM

Originally Posted by jingleballs7568

None of these things where in the lease that I had signed 12 years ago. Can they do this?

Hello j:

I believe your landlord is VIOLATING your rights as a tenant... The question is, what do you want to DO about it... If you make waves, you'll be evicted or at the very least, your lease won't be renewed...

All that would be FINE with a person like me, because I don't like people in my business, and this condo/co-op is run by people who LIKE to get into your business.

excon