If the apartment that we just rneted is infested with roaches, is the lease voided?
Get Legal Help Today
Compare Quotes From Top Companies and Save
Secured with SHA-256 Encryption
If the apartment that we just rneted is infested with roaches, is the lease voided?
My mother recently signed a 6 month lease for an apartment, 2 days ago to be exact. The apartment is infested with roaches. We didn’t realize it until the night after we moved everything and they started coming out. We paid nearly $900 in rent and security deposit. The landlord is refusing to give any money back because of the lease we signed. We are immediately moving out. I was wondering if there were any laws or standards about this that would nulify the lease?
Asked on September 1, 2012 under Real Estate Law, Virginia
Answers:
MD, Member, California Bar / FreeAdvice Contributing Attorney
Answered 12 years ago | Contributor
Yes, this is completely uninhabitable. Immediately serve your landlord with notice that you consider this lease void, that the landlord did mislead your mother and therefore there was no binding contract since your mother was not informed of cockroaches. Immediately take pictures and contact your health department and consumer protection agency and show the photos. If the landlord still does not give your mother her money, sue in landlord tenant court.
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.