Can I void my lease since information was withheld from me about equipment in my apartment before I signed?
Get Legal Help Today
Compare Quotes From Top Companies and Save
Secured with SHA-256 Encryption
Can I void my lease since information was withheld from me about equipment in my apartment before I signed?
I have lived in my apartment for 14 months. I was notified about 3 weeks ago the cable company has equpiment for the whole building in my attic. Since I was unaware of this before signing either of my leases with my apartment complex, can this lease be voided because I entered into it under false pretenses? I don’t want anyone I don’t know in my apartment when I am not there, and I don’t want to have to rearrange my schedule to keep letting the cable people in, especially when there hasn’t been issues until recently.
Asked on July 1, 2011 under Real Estate Law, Alabama
Answers:
SJZ, Member, New York Bar / FreeAdvice Contributing Attorney
Answered 12 years ago | Contributor
This may indeed give you grounds to void the lease, since having common or building-wide equipment in your space will likely, as you note, require you to give access to the landlord or service people much more often than the typical tenant does. Since there is no reason for you to have expected this would be the case unless told, it may be a "unilateral mistake"--in other words, an excusable mistake on your part--which allows the lease to be voided. However, before doing anything, it is recommended that you consult with an attorney who can advise you based on the specifics of your case; you don't want to take a chance on terminating the lease when you're not allowed to, since that could give rise to substantial liability. Good luck.
IMPORTANT NOTICE: The Answer(s) provided above are for general information only. The attorney providing the answer was not serving as the attorney for the person submitting the question or in any attorney-client relationship with such person. Laws may vary from state to state, and sometimes change. Tiny variations in the facts, or a fact not set forth in a question, often can change a legal outcome or an attorney's conclusion. Although AttorneyPages.com has verified the attorney was admitted to practice law in at least one jurisdiction, he or she may not be authorized to practice law in the jurisdiction referred to in the question, nor is he or she necessarily experienced in the area of the law involved. Unlike the information in the Answer(s) above, upon which you should NOT rely, for personal advice you can rely upon we suggest you retain an attorney to represent you.