Gave notice to my landlord and he is being a jerk!

[Anonymous]

Today I gave notice to my landlord telling him I would be vacating my apartment on March 1. He replied telling me that if I am in the apartment on ANY days in March, he expects me to pay the full month's rent. His reason is that "I will not be able to rent it that month".

Is this legal? I plan to call my city's housing office tomorrow but am so curious. Of course I am willing to pay for one prorated day but he said that is not acceptable.

How does he expect to have someone move in the day after I move out? Isn't he required to do a few things, such as painting?

Anyway, I highly doubt this place is properly zoned and coded. It is a studio apartment and the bath tub is about 2 feet away from the kitchen sink. There are other repair issues I've had that make me highly suspicious. Just to name one other, I share the washer and dryer with 3 other tenants. When the washer drains, it backs up into my kitchen sink (no this was not disclosed when I moved in).

I can't wait to get out of here.

Does anyone have advice? My landlord is exempt from any of the tenants' rights laws because he owns fewer than 5 properties. I am in the City of Alexandria.

[Anonymous]

Do you have a lease? What the lease says governs your agreement so if it says you have to be out on Feb 29, then March 1 won't cut it.

[Anonymous]

Agree with PP. The lease is binding and it should say whether you need to vacate by the last day of the month or not.

[Anonymous]

The lease doesn't specify, but I already talked to the City who told me that this is, in fact, the law, unless the landlord agrees to let the tenant stay an extra day.

I'm mostly frustrated with the fact that he is being a jerk in general. I've been in this place for a couple of years and have been a good tenant.

There are certain things one shouldn't do just because the law allows them to.

Oh well. Glad I'm moving out.

[Anonymous]

It's generally expected that you vacate on the last day of a month, not the first day of the next month. If he is letting you do that without paying for March you are VERY lucky.