If you are a tenant and the landlord sold the house...

[Anonymous]

We knew the landlord was in the process of selling the house and we were already planning on moving out of the house at the end of May. The person buying the house just randomly stopped by to say hello and ask a few questions about the neighborhood. During that conversation, he let me know that they were closing on the house at the end of April and that as part of the agreement, we (the tenants) would not have to pay for May's rent. That was great news to us, but then got me thinking about several things:

1) The current landlord has not told us anything about the closing date, nor May's rent.
2) What will become of my current lease? If there are new owners (as of May), is the lease null and void?
3) When we moved in, we gave the current owner a security deposit. When should I get that back and from whom?

I may be thinking negatively, but I am thinking that the current landlord will assume that I don't know anything about this agreement (because how would I?) and expect us to pay May's rent like we normally do, keep it and stay quiet about it. If we don't, then he may just keep our security deposit.

Anyone ever experience something like this? What would you do?

[Anonymous]

Maybe you owe the current landlord rent in May!
This agreement between new and current owners was just to avoid your having to pay the May rent twice over, and the new owner just relinquished the rent to the old owner?

[Anonymous]

OP where do you live? There is no way an owner can legally sell a tenanted property in DC without giving you notice and first right of refusal. You need to get in touch with your landlord and housing board ASAP.

[Anonymous]

OP said that she knew the landlord was selling. No need to be an alarmist.

[Anonymous]

Maybe your landlord has a rent back with the new owner that allows you to stay through May since the landlord figured that is when the lease is over.

[Anonymous]

there would still have to be a notice to vacate/ non renewal of lease agreement. Are you on a month to month lease? Are you on a years lease? If you are on a years lease that lease agreement can not be voided. IF you are on a month to month the landord has to give you a notice XXX prior to your vacate date. Read your lease.

Your lease probably say a written notice to terminate. Which means, even if he told you he was selling that doesn't mean you have to leav without given you a written notice. What state are you living in? Look your your states landlord tenant laws. The new owner might just have tenants for a while.

Both tenant and new owner are probably believing/hoping that you don't know your rights. They probably assume if they tell you it is being sold and you have to move, that you won't look to your states L/T laws.

[Anonymous]

Depending on your state, the lease agreement and security deposit transfers to the new owner. They are responsilbe for you at that time and in the future.

They probaly think you would just leave quietly.

FYI-I am a Landlord.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:OP said that she knew the landlord was selling. No need to be an alarmist.

Laws still require a written document. Knowing about it does not count. We'll maybe unless it is written that way in the lease agreemtn and a court accepts that.

I do know that in DC and MD (the city I Landlord in) does nto allow this. But, if the tenant never challenges/research, I guess it can be done.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Both tenant and new owner are probably believing/hoping that you don't know your rights. They probably assume if they tell you it is being sold and you have to move, that you won't look to your states L/T laws.

Meant to type Both old and new owners

[Anonymous]

OP here; I am not being kicked out or anything. The landlord coordinated with me with when I think I would be able to move out so I wouldn't be possibly be moved before I am ready. That was never the issue.

My issue came up when the prospective purchaser of the house told me that I was not going to be charged rent for the month of May. He knows that I am not vacating until the end of May. Of course this would be good news to me, being offered the "gift" of living in the house rent-free for the month. But then I started wondering why this was not communicated to me by the current landlord; was it because he just wanted to pocket my May rent, even though he doesn't own the house anymore?

The purchaser gave me his email address and I sent him an email requesting clarification because I don't know what the details are.

I was always planning on paying rent for the time I live in the house, but would be kind of ticked if the current owner (who will not own the house after April) is being sneaky and trying to pocket a quick buck because I shouldn't know about some agreement.

Oh, the property in question is not in the Maryland/DC/Virginia area (Michigan).

[Anonymous]

Just trying to get my ducks in a row to make sure I understand the complete pictures and how things "should" be handled before I approach my landlord about this.