Breaking a Lease in Los Angeles (CW:Roaches)
November 4, 2023 12:18 AM Subscribe
Does anyone here know of a good tenants' advice group or something like that in the LA area? Also, if anyone knows of an especially good (or has a warning about an especially bad) storage unit place in/near the South Bay that would be great.
I rented a room in an Inglewood condo starting this summer and the experience has not been good. I think I've finally hit my breaking point with a roach scurrying out of the fridge. Is there some way to find a nonprofit or lawyer or somebody who can help me with 1) making a decision and 2) figuring out how to handle the fallout?
I'd especially appreciate advice specific to Inglewood, if possible?
Specific questions in case anyone here knows:
What counts as a habitibility issue, does a persistent roach infestation and a broken garbage room count even if the landlord is having exterminators come in? Is 5 months long enough to just say that hey, landlord, this isn't fixed and I can't take it any longer?
How can I phrase things so that we all get out of this situation with minimal drama, especially since this is an owner-rented condo and the landlord just had a baby?
Can I just break the lease by paying extra money? I can pay if that's what it takes to get out of a place where I don't feel comfortable sleeping or cooking, but I'd like some advice before I take that step.
I'm 80% certain I want to break this lease and move in with my parents, who need help recovering from an injury, but I want to be sure that's the right move.
Sorry if this is disjointed, I've been traveling between different cities every weekend trying to keep on top of my parents' and my own stuff and am finding about a roach a day in my place (down from when it was like 10 a day but still not great) and the open dumpster is still right next to my parking spot (although there are fewer flies now that it's colder) and the roach-induced insomnia is not helping anything, I keep thinking I'll turn over and find one on my nightstand again. I'm definitely stressed enough that I'm in a constant state of low-grade freakout and need some advice before doing anything.
I rented a room in an Inglewood condo starting this summer and the experience has not been good. I think I've finally hit my breaking point with a roach scurrying out of the fridge. Is there some way to find a nonprofit or lawyer or somebody who can help me with 1) making a decision and 2) figuring out how to handle the fallout?
I'd especially appreciate advice specific to Inglewood, if possible?
Specific questions in case anyone here knows:
What counts as a habitibility issue, does a persistent roach infestation and a broken garbage room count even if the landlord is having exterminators come in? Is 5 months long enough to just say that hey, landlord, this isn't fixed and I can't take it any longer?
How can I phrase things so that we all get out of this situation with minimal drama, especially since this is an owner-rented condo and the landlord just had a baby?
Can I just break the lease by paying extra money? I can pay if that's what it takes to get out of a place where I don't feel comfortable sleeping or cooking, but I'd like some advice before I take that step.
I'm 80% certain I want to break this lease and move in with my parents, who need help recovering from an injury, but I want to be sure that's the right move.
Sorry if this is disjointed, I've been traveling between different cities every weekend trying to keep on top of my parents' and my own stuff and am finding about a roach a day in my place (down from when it was like 10 a day but still not great) and the open dumpster is still right next to my parking spot (although there are fewer flies now that it's colder) and the roach-induced insomnia is not helping anything, I keep thinking I'll turn over and find one on my nightstand again. I'm definitely stressed enough that I'm in a constant state of low-grade freakout and need some advice before doing anything.
Agreed with the advice to call the Tenants' Union and that they'll know the most. You can also try Stay Housed LA which is having some workshops coming up, or Bet Tzedek or Legal Aid Foundation of Los Angeles.
Yes, you can get out of a written lease by paying extra money. Honestly you can usually get out of a lease just by forfeiting the security deposit unless there's a provision in the lease requiring you to pay more. This is a negotiated lease termination and it's perfectly common and normal (although obviously no landlord is happy about it). The reason this is feasible is because when a lease is in fact broken, as in, let's say you just moved out today and didn't call, a landlord can never just sue for the remainder of a lease. They have a duty to try to re-rent. However, they can try to collect damages for (1) any months the unit does remain unoccupied if they make reasonable attempts to rerent, (2) the difference in rent if they end up rerenting at a lower rate, and (3) the cost of listing, cleaning, etc to get it back up to rerentable status.
Get any agreement to terminate your lease in writing. No exceptions. Get receipts for any payments you have made. Take very clear photos of the space when you vacate, too.
All of this is probably complicated by the fact that you're renting a room in a condo. Room rentals in an owner-occupied unit are exempt from some provisions of eviction law and protection. But to my memory the above provisions are not affected-- it's more about the landlord's ability to evict you. I deleted some of the info I was listing about habitability because (1) this is an area where I suspect LA local law may have a huge effect and (2) I don't remember how being a single room renter in an owner-occupied unit affects hab law. I don't think it's a huge issue for you specifically though because ultimately you are quite likely to negotiate a lease termination rather than rely on threatening nonpayment to get them to let you leave, or whatever.
posted by peppercorn at 12:40 PM on November 4, 2023
Yes, you can get out of a written lease by paying extra money. Honestly you can usually get out of a lease just by forfeiting the security deposit unless there's a provision in the lease requiring you to pay more. This is a negotiated lease termination and it's perfectly common and normal (although obviously no landlord is happy about it). The reason this is feasible is because when a lease is in fact broken, as in, let's say you just moved out today and didn't call, a landlord can never just sue for the remainder of a lease. They have a duty to try to re-rent. However, they can try to collect damages for (1) any months the unit does remain unoccupied if they make reasonable attempts to rerent, (2) the difference in rent if they end up rerenting at a lower rate, and (3) the cost of listing, cleaning, etc to get it back up to rerentable status.
Get any agreement to terminate your lease in writing. No exceptions. Get receipts for any payments you have made. Take very clear photos of the space when you vacate, too.
All of this is probably complicated by the fact that you're renting a room in a condo. Room rentals in an owner-occupied unit are exempt from some provisions of eviction law and protection. But to my memory the above provisions are not affected-- it's more about the landlord's ability to evict you. I deleted some of the info I was listing about habitability because (1) this is an area where I suspect LA local law may have a huge effect and (2) I don't remember how being a single room renter in an owner-occupied unit affects hab law. I don't think it's a huge issue for you specifically though because ultimately you are quite likely to negotiate a lease termination rather than rely on threatening nonpayment to get them to let you leave, or whatever.
posted by peppercorn at 12:40 PM on November 4, 2023
Mod note: One removed. Just stay focused on advice for OP's actual issue rather than getting into offensive ranting. (Also, if you feel the need to label your own comment with a content warning for your own content, please just don't.) OP, the pertinent part of the comment was: "The LA Tenants Union appears to be at https://foodnotrent.org/, so get in touch with them for the best info."
posted by taz (staff) at 12:38 AM on November 5, 2023
posted by taz (staff) at 12:38 AM on November 5, 2023
« Older Do "off-duty lawful conduct" laws actually do... | Parental Controls.... but for grown ups. Newer »
You are not logged in, either login or create an account to post comments
Talk to your landlord, they may be flexible. Tell them you need to move in with your parents to help them for medical reasons. They may be very understanding.
I wouldn't mention the issues you have with the condo unless your landlord is not being flexible and there's no way to break the lease, and you plan to go the tenant union route and get legal advice.
posted by erst at 12:26 PM on November 4, 2023 [1 favorite]