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Are leases transferrable from one landlord to another?

charmston — Sat, 20 Jun 2009 04:15:58 -0800

The owners of my apartment building have turned control of the building over from the extremely reputable apartment management company that I signed a lease with to a much less reputable company. Am I legally bound to continue honoring the lease? Since my earlier question, I've done research into the law and my specific lease. My recourse isn't obvious to me. What to do? (Arlington County, VA) The first section of my lease:

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THIS LEASE AGREEMENT is made this 28th day of October, by and between [OLD LEASING COMPANY], LANDLORD, AND [My Full Name], TENANT.

THIS LEASE AGREEMENT IS GOVERNED BY THE VIRGINIA RESIDENTIAL LANDLORD AND TENANT ACT (VRLTA)(55-248.2 et. Virginia Code) WHICH IS INCORPORATED HEREIN BY REFERENCE. FAILURE TO COMPLY WITH ANY REQUIREMENT OF THIS LEASE OR OF THE VIRGINIA RESIDENTIAL LANDLORD & TENANT ACT OR ANY OTHER APPLICABLE LAW IS A BREACH OF THIS LEASE.

The Landlord is a nonresidential owner as defined in VA code Section 5-218.1. The agent appointed by the Landlord is [OLD MANAGEMENT COMPANY]. The agen'ts business address in Virginia is [Old Management Company's Address]. The agent's name and address is also filed in the office of the Clerk of the Circuit Court for the county or city in which the residential unit lies.

For and in consideration of the rent herein agreed to be paid, and the rights, and obligations of the respective parties agreed to herein, the Landlord hereby leases to the Tenant above named, and the Tenant leases from the Landlord the following rental unit on the terms and conditions as stated in this Lease.

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There are a few things that interest me:

In the first paragraph, my old leasing company is explicitly defined as landlord. There are no mentions of the building's owner throughout the lease.
VA 55-248.15 states that "notice of any change by a landlord or tenant in any terms or provisions of a tenancy at will shall constitute a notice to vacate the premises". Am I right in that this seems to imply that I can make a clean break?
Possibly also relevant, VA 55-248.21 seems to give me the power to get out with 30 days' notice.

Thanks for any help!

What's the going rate for a pleasant apartment in DC?

little e — Sat, 13 Dec 2008 21:57:48 -0800

Specific question about apartment hunting in DC/Northern Virginia... Hi! I've browsed previous threads on the topic, but didn't this particular issue addressed. I am, very likely, moving to the DC area from a land far, far away, where $700 will get you a very nice one bedroom, there's lots of free parking, and it's perfectly safe to walk anywhere at any hour of the night. I have a pretty good idea of where to look for an apartment, but I'm not so sure for what I'm looking.
I don't need much space, a tiny studio is fine, but I do need functional heating, cooling, and appliances, freedom from roaches and other pestilence, and, generally, a place that won't make my family and friends shudder when they come visit. In what price range should I be looking? I've been browsing $1200-1300 places, but if I need to be thinking closer to 1500, that's okay, I'd just rather know ahead of time. When I travel back to apartment hunt, I'm going to need to make a quick decision, so I don't want to get there and discover that all the buildings on my list are shady. Realistically, I could pay more than that if I need to to be somewhere pleasant and liveable, but I'd rather not. I just don't have any concept of what to expect for a given price in a larger city.
Other potentially relevant information: My job will be near the Foggy Bottom metro station, so I'm thinking near the red line, as long as it's not too far out, or orange line over on the Virginia side. I'm a female in my mid-20s, and as I said I'm used to being able to wander around any time of the night without concern. I would like to be able to safely go for a stroll alone at night. I like the idea of living near fun stuff, but that's not requisite; I've managed to find fun stuff in a lot of different locales there, and I don't mind travelling out of my way to do cool things. Also, I do own a car, but I would prefer to use it as little as possible unless I'm actually leaving town.
Or, y'know, if you want to tell me that you hate DC and this is a terrible mistake, that's also a welcome answer...it's not too late for me to choose some other city! I've been lurking for years and gotten a lot of excellent information here, but this is my first question. Thanks in advance for your help!

Where should I live in Arlington, VA?

decrescendo — Fri, 19 Sep 2008 06:15:47 -0800

Where should I live in Arlington, VA? I want to live on the orange line metro. I'm 23 and single and I want to be as close to the action as possible. I've been trying to find a place in DC proper for the last 2 weeks to no avail. I need to sign a lease by the end of September so time is running out. I believe I'm going to fall back to Arlington (not a bad 2nd choice, though). It'll be cheaper, easier to have a car, and safer, but still close to the DC action. I will be commuting to Crystal City, VA. Should I drive or metro? My company will pay for my metro fares.

Where should I live on orange line metro?

Rosslyn?
Courthouse?
Clarendon?
Virginia Square?
Ballston?

I would like to be near a lot of bars/live music/restaurants/young people/fun, and within walking distance to a metro.

What do you all think?

Where to live in DC?

decrescendo — Sat, 26 Jul 2008 07:00:27 -0800

I'm moving do Washington DC sometime in the near future. Where should I live? VA, DC, or MD? I don't have a position yet even though one is on the table and more are to come. The position I have on the table is for one of the large government buildings in Crystal City but I might end up taking a job in another area.

I'm 23, single, and I'm moving from Southern Maryland. All I need is a one bedroom place. I'm looking to live as close to the bars/night life/fun as possible in order to make up for the time I've been down here with nothing to do. Being able to walk to a few hot spots and take the Metro to work would be absolutely fantastic.

What areas are my best bets for this? Some have suggested Arlington, Alexandria, or Crystal City? Should I steer clear of the DC area and shoot for VA? Maybe Georgetown? What do you all recommend?