THIRTEEN months?

[Jetfire]

Use the timer and light to show it's 'occupied' up until you're telling him you're gone for good. Then make sure you don't have anything left (and record as such). Otherwise he might claim you left 'garbage' in the apartment and try to use it to get more out of you. Most judges (if it gets that far) would laugh it out of court over a lamp and a timer; but no real point in giving him a reason.

If you are telling him in person when you do tell him, try to drag him into a walkthru right then if you can stomach it; and/or get in writing from him somehow (if you can) acknowledging you're giving up the apartment as of $Date, and no longer responsible for anything in it after that date.

[Sapphire Silk]

<puts on cheesy fortunteller outfit>

I forsee an empty building shortly [or as soon as peoples leases expire]

It won't be empty long, I'll bet. There's a shortage of rental housing in many parts of the country. Trouble is, the new tenants won't know what they're in for until they're locked in for a year. I had a land lord like this in California.

Fortunately for me, the lease was short term (paid for my by travel company). I was glad to finish the assignment and move on, though.

I like that plan. There could be an issue with the rent for the month I'm not there, though, and technically he could sue me for it. Of course, he probably won't want to, because it'll shed unwanted light on all the shit he's pulled.

I could even go get a cheapie charity-store lamp and put it on a timer to give the illusion the apartment is still occupied.

Given that you have to get an appliance out of there, I take back what I said earlier about keeping above board. Give notice now, and he'll accuse you of theft when he catches you trying to move the appliance. Keep the receipt handy; if he notices the move, he may still call the cops and try it.

Timers on the lights is a great idea.

[KatherineB]

Remember, loooooots of photos of the place when you get everything out to make sure he doesn't blame you for any mysterious damage that gets caused when he finds out you've gone...

[Jetfire]

Oh and another idea, if you don't think you would have a chance of getting him to sign off on the fact that you have moved out, then this might be a good CYA.

Write up your "I'm releasing this apartment to you" notice and include the keys in it, and send it via a registered letter he'd have to sign for. Then you'd have proof that he received your notice and you could use that to show you're off the hook basically.

[Aethian]

In Michigan if you place a appliance in the apartment it is then property of the apartment if one was present when you moved in. Check your local tenant rules on that.

[taxguykarl]

Write up your "I'm releasing this apartment to you" notice and include the keys in it, and send it via a registered letter he'd have to sign for. Then you'd have proof that he received your notice and you could use that to show you're off the hook basically.

Trace the registered letter. Keep screenshots from the USPS, that will poke holes in any claim of never receiving as there will be a report of refused delivery. Courts frown on willful ignorance (look up that legal term).

[Aethian]

Trace the registered letter. Keep screenshots from the USPS, that will poke holes in any claim of never receiving as there will be a report of refused delivery. Courts frown on willful ignorance (look up that legal term).

Go one better and have a return receipt.

[ADeMartino]

In Michigan if you place a appliance in the apartment it is then property of the apartment if one was present when you moved in. Check your local tenant rules on that.

Technically, that's supposed to be the case here, too. HOWEVER, the landlord is responsible for repairing or replacing the refrigerator if it breaks down - OR, if the tenant pays for the repairs or replaces it himself, the landlord is required to give the tenant an appropriate credit. My landlord has not fulfilled ANY of these obligations. The new refrigerator leaves with me - receipts, warranty, and all. If he wishes to sue me for it, that's his business - but I have a feeling the judge is going to make him pay for it.

I do have one ace in the hole here, though - the old refrigerator is still on the property. When the deliverymen brought the new fridge, I had them move the old one to the building's basement. I did this because it wasn't mine to throw out or sell. He's welcome to it - but it still doesn't work. His fridge, his problem.

[ADeMartino]

Well, the last of my stuff is now well out of his reach, and I've started moving into the new digs. It'll be a couple of weeks before everything is moved from storage, but that's all stuff I can handle by myself - I'll just be doing it a little at a time. All the heavy lifting is done.

No sign of my (now-ex) landlord. I'll be going back today to clean the carpets and take lots and lots of pictures (with a witness as well).

'm leaving his new rental agreement taped to the apartment door - and I've scrawled in bright red magic marker all over it a suggestion for him to perform an anatomically-improbable act. The actual confrontation will have to wait until Monday or Tuesday, as he's impossible to find on the weekends.

I'll admit, though - I don't feel the compulsion to get in his face as strongly as I did initially. I'm happier just for being out of there, and I'm wondering if making another trip back there just to tell him off is really worth the effort.

[Aethian]

Happy with the new place?

[ADeMartino]

Happy with the new place?

It's a slightly larger apartment for right about the same rent I'd been paying up until now. It does need a little work - paint, mosty. Not a palace, but it will do.

[Jetfire]

Moving is an exhausting process, but liberating depending on why you're moving. (To get out of an abrasive landlord/lease situation, or when you're moving to a place of your own for the first time). Just the knowledge that you know it's over now is probably why you don't feel so eager to confront him. It's now in your past, and out of your hands. You know it's gonna blow up in his face, so take comfort in that.

Glad the move went so smoothly in any case.

[ADeMartino]

THE FINAL CHAPTER!

Well, the confrontation that I was eager for (and then not so eager for) …… happened anyway.

Wednesday morning, I went to my former landlord’s office to hand over the keys and let him know the apartment was vacant. He immediately insisted on a ‘walk through’, so we went to the building. And yup, his first gripe was the conspicuously empty space at the end of the kitchen counter.

Thus began the quarrel over who actually owned the refrigerator. He wasn’t particularly happy with the answer that HIS refrigerator – the broken-down one - was in the basement. No, he wanted MY refrigerator – the one I bought and paid for MYSELF when he refused to repair HIS busted fridge.

I told him in no uncertain terms that it was humming away merrily at my new digs – and that’s where it was going to STAY.

He complained that the fridge in the basement was broken. No shit, Sherlock. If you recall, I’m the one who informed you of that fact. But it is still YOUR fridge. It’s still on YOUR property. And that makes it YOUR problem.

He then tried to claim that the under new rental agreement, I was responsible for all repairs to the appliances. Nice try, but no. One, your fridge broke down MONTHS ago – long before you conceived that new rental agreement, and two, I NEVER SIGNED THE NEW RENTAL AGREEMENT for this very reason.

Then he threatened to sue me for the refrigerator AND this month’s rent (which is, technically, in arrears) – and that I’d never get my deposit back. It made him angry when I laughed in his face. Rather loudly, too. I absolutely LOVE it when they trip and fall right into it like that. My response was something along the lines of….. “Funny, isn’t it though? You’re keeping my deposit. And I’m keeping my final months’ rent. Why, it’s almost like I PLANNED IT THAT WAY….!”

He told me he could still sue me for the final month’s rent AND the refrigerator. My final words on the matter….”Yes, you can. But we both know how badly you’re going to lose, and I’m really looking forward to watching a judge slap you down.”

He was still yelling about something irrelevant when I got into my truck and drove away.

It’s funny, though. When I left, I’d decided that a confrontation with him probably wasn’t in my best interests. But now that it happened, I’m really glad it did. I’d shut him down thoroughly, protected what’s mine, AND conveyed my contempt for him without punching him in the face. And now, unless he’s stupid enough to actually try to sue me, I never have to deal with him again.

It’s over now. And it feels so damned good.

[taxguykarl]

Way to go. If you can do so online, keeps tabs on court filings in your county. Slumlord may try to pull a sewer service ploy (i.e. improper service) to get a default judgment--as you pointed out the last thing he wants is you in the courtroom to defend yourself. IANAL, but in most states the statute of limitations for this is two years--the clock is now ticking.

[Jay 2K Winger]

Mr. Kane, will you do the honors?



Bravo.