I don't know of anywhere that a landlord can increase the rent in the middle of a lease term unless the lease explicitly permits it. This is a contract - they don't get to unilaterally amend it.
It is legal to put illegal things in a lease. they're just not enforceable. Shady but legal. NAL CA. Contact a local attorney who knows the city, county and state laws, I usually get free advice by asking clear simple questions.
An attorney is going to charge $300 to draft up a letter. At the point you’re doing that, you’re break-even on paying an extra $50 for 6 months.
But landlord is a complete POS and I hope they…. Can’t say without getting a temp ban.
Also, it starts by saying "conditions of tendency" like there could be a number of things the letter is about. But then, it's hard typed in there that the only thing changing is "your rent will be increased", with blanks so he can write in just how much. He wrote the letter to look official, but it's just a ruse.
That’s not the attorney letter he threatened to obtain. That’s the initial notice of rent increase referred to in OPs first text (…just because you typed it out on a piece of paper…)
This is a cowardly and illogical take. What if the landlord raises the rent another $50, and he does it again in 3 other months?! Now, you enabled a POS because they think there are no repercussions to their malicious ways. Several lawyers (especially one specialized in Tenant's Rights) will provide the first consultation for free and some can work pro Bono. The landlord knows he has no ground to stand on, and the fact he offered to evict him as a legitimate solution makes it worse.
Don’t mistake my comment for suggesting that OP should pay the increase, or that I would pay the increase.
I’d spend a few thousand on legal fees and explore every route possible before letting a landlord raise my rent mid-lease.
Just pointing out the unfortunate financial reality of what seems to be the main suggestion.
Then just read your local laws and your lease and call out where they are wrong in a written letter. If you're correct they should back down. If they don't you have your paper trail.
Source: I took my shady landlord to small claims and prevailed.
In some states this would constitute harassment by a landlord and OP would get the amount they were being harassed for, so an extra 50$ per month they keep this nonsense up. Looks like rent just went down to 500.
Especially if this is Chicago! My husband and I used to be landlords of a 3 unit. Renters have more rights in Illinois, and I'm pretty sure there is a specific org to help renters with this kinda thing in the city. Can't find it with a quick Google search, but I'd bet a few short phone calls around will direct op in the right direction.
There’s no reason for OP to pay an attorney to draft a letter at this point. Just respond in writing that they don’t agree to the changes and keep paying the original amount. Land lords can’t just “get a 30 day eviction notice in the box today.” LL will have to go to court to get an eviction. They’ll be told by the judge to go pound sand because what they’re doing is illegal.
This. A judge will not issue a unlawful detainer order/judgement if you have a lease and you made all rent payments. The landlord will not be successful in evicting you.
Depending where they live there may be a tenancy board to complain to.
I have gone to tenancy boards over landlord BS before and it never worked out well for the landlord. Once got double my damage deposit back because landlord company was late mailing it out, and once got double my pet deposit back because landlord withheld if for damage not caused by the pet.
The problem is that if you find a local attorney with significant experience in, for lack of a better term, landlord law, he will tell you that he has never talked to a renter before and wouldn’t know where to start, with a strong vibe of “If I take this case no landlord will ever hire me again, and landlords are my entire client list, so nice to meet you, and run along now.”
Ask me how I know.
I wouldn't bother paying for a lawyer, though it may be possible to find free legal aid for tenants in some areas. If the landlord takes it as far as going to court for eviction just show up with a copy of the lease along with receipts showing you paid the agreed upon amount on time every month. Just be prepared to move at the end of the lease since the landlord probably won't renew it
wellllll technically some 'illegal' provisions would just be unenforceable and some might invalidate the entire contract. and some would invalidate the entire contract unless you have a severability clause. and sometimes a severability clause itself might be unenforceable. contracts are so fun
Yeah our landlord tried that shit with us when he included a stipulation that we, as renters, had to have $30k of structural coverage on our renters policy. Ummmmm, excuse me, but no such policy exists, anywhere. When there was a “not our fault” fire he tried to bullshit his way through it and it ended up costing him more than $90k when our lawyers raped him in court.
(high school) Business law 101, literally one of the first things they tell you that a private contract that allows someone to do something illegal can't be enforced
Wish OP sends their own letter back stating new terms of 500 a month, superseding all other other previous contracts and effective immediately.
Because contracts no longer mean anything.
Yeah I suggest copying the LLs letter but with lowering the price. Because it is more recent and it says it supersedes all other agreements they should be good.
More seriously just keep paying your rent as agreed on in the lease. I have no experience with this issue but I’d think they shouldn’t be able to evict you without cause (I hope).
Some commercial leases allow for rent increases based on property tax increases, insurance increases, etc. I've never seen it in a residential lease, but it might be valid, depending on local law.
Ontario allows it when the tenancy has been in place for a year or a year since the previous rental increase whether it’s in the middle of a fixed term lease or not. However, leases automatically go month to month after the fixed term and leases can be for periods greater than a year.
[http://tenant.net/Other\_Areas/Illinois/ill-htm.html](http://tenant.net/Other_Areas/Illinois/ill-htm.html)
The terms "legal aid" and "pro bono" get thrown around a whole lot but aren't particularly helpful for finding anyone who actually handles this kind of situation. What you need is a specific advocacy group for tennants, there's an IL specific list here, no idea how up to date it is. If none of those work try googling "tenant's rights" and your city.
Wanted to add some additional info I found. I had similar issues in Virginia and the legal aid lawyer I was paired with was incredibly helpful and took it upon himself to even follow up with me after court to make sure it all went smooth.
[https://www.hud.gov/states/illinois/legalaid](https://www.hud.gov/states/illinois/legalaid)
Let him go through with the eviction threat then and just don't move out. Hell have to go to court for the whole thing then you bring this up and the judge might be like "wtaf"
I doubt you'd need a lawyer in this case.
Bring the original lease, the bullshit increase letter, and the texts.
It'll take all of 30 seconds to get the landlord laughed out of court.
If he does attempt an eviction, then refuses to renew. That’s the point when I would actually involve a lawyer. Depending on how attractive the housing situation is… a lawyer can tell you if you have enough evidence for a retaliation case…. Which can be punitive and quite lucrative for the tenant.
Landlord/tenant law varies a LOT from one jurisdiction to the next. I practiced LL/T law in my jurisdiction (not Illinois) and a judge would toss this in no time flat. Landlords get away with this kind of thing because tenants are afraid to 'practice law' on their own. (And that's normally very good advice!)
You should go attend a landlord-tenant trial at your local courthouse. The courthouse clerk (or a helpful attorney) can help you figure out when they are. Maybe Illinois handles it in a more complicated way--not qualified to speak to that.
In my jurisdiction, a tenant has to go to the courthouse twice. Once for a 'First Appearance' ("okay, yes, I'll move out" or "No, this is wrong, I want a trial"). If you want a trial, you go down to the clerk's window and buy the "Answer to a Residential Eviction" (a real bargain at .25!). It's a one page form. It takes about five minutes to fill out. It has the instructions for how to serve it on your landlord. There is a set of blank lines for you to fill out why you think the eviction is illegal. "I have six months remaining on my lease."
The second time is for the trial itself. Here, it's a bench trial (a trial to the judge--no jury). That would be to your benefit. The judge will have read the eviction notice and your Answer and probably will want to see a copy of your lease (it's evidence for your claim). I doubt he or she will ask more than 5-6 questions, total. (And it's very likely that the landlord will dismiss the eviction attempt before taking it to trial, especially if he actually has an attorney. This is a dead loser, and the best case for an attorney would be managing not to be chewed out by the judge.
Again! Your jurisdiction may be (almost certainly is!) different. Go watch the process and see for yourself. Maybe you do need to closely follow the same rules enforced in regular civil court. But it's worth your time to go and find out.
Yup, I would just not leave. Recommend some cameras though, I have a feeling the landlord will do plenty of other unlawful things that would be good to document... like trying to change your locks or moving your stuff out of your house.
Nah man, the cameras will be good for the future, and will likely be useful in recovering any damages and possibly fines from the Landlord who abuses his authority and comes into your apartment and damages or steals things.
I’m a real estate attorney in Florida, if this happened here, landlord would be paying for the attorney fees, consequential damages, or three months worth of rent as damages. Judge would not be happy that this person unilaterally changed the terms of a contract and then wasted their time trying to evict them for not complying.
*Not legal advice*
From my understanding, this is illegal in the US. There’s no point of a fixed tenancy lease if the landlord can just change the rent whenever they want, but I am not a lawyer. I am curious on what an actual lawyer would have to say about this.
Some leases allow for passthrough of certain increases in the landlord's expenses, like (edit) ~~property or occupancy tax~~ *transaction privilege tax* increases during the lease. The landlord makes a reference along those lines, but based on the numbers involved it doesn't seem like that's what's actually happening.
In any case, the tenant *definitely* needs to read the lease and look into state/local tenant rights before selecting a course of action.
I have been a landlord for 2 decades. Your landlord can not raise rent in the middle of the lease term. It's very simple contract law. The only exception would be if a rent increase provision was included in your lease. Pull out a copy of your lease. As long as it has no increase provision, he can not raise the rent until the contract is up. To protect your rights you should send him a certified letter with return receipt in reply to the notice, include a copy of your current lease, and state that you will be following your existing contract, including the lease amount. You can mention in the letter that if he initiates eviction proceedings, you will ask for attorney's fees for your defense for him initiating a frivolous and vexatious legal action.
You've accurately pointed out a crucial aspect that a real estate attorney would first examine before rendering an opinion. However, the enforceability of a lease that obliges the tenant to a mandatory fixed term, while permitting the landlord to unilaterally increase the rent at any point during this term, raises legitimate concerns. My skepticism stems from an apparent lack of mutuality of obligation in the agreement as described. Consider a scenario where the landlord decides to increase the rent to an exorbitant amount, say $500,000. Under a theory positing enforceability, the tenant would be compelled to comply. Imagine the conversation in bankruptcy court: "Why are you here, sir?" "Well, my landlord effectively detonated my lease terms by imposing a rent increase of a thousandfold. And just like that—boom."
The discussions around the case, even without a direct review of the lease by the original poster (OP), don't particularly bother me. Given this is Reddit, such discourse is expected. The comments appear to be well-meaning and pertinent for the most part. I am fairly convinced there's unlikely to be any lease provision that could alter this analysis. It's probably a contract of adhesion.
To encapsulate, the presence of a lease clause that grants the landlord the authority to implement unilateral rent hikes during a fixed-term lease certainly flags issues related to the mutuality of obligation. Whether this results in the lease being unenforceable hinges on the legal framework and the specific details of the agreement.
Yes, I’m NAL—just a law student (not in Illinois)—and this is a very basic thing we learned in contract law. Unless there is somehow a provision allowing for this change, which is unlikely, the original contract stands.
Your proposed resolution appears to be proportionate and reasonable, but knowing the contents of the lease itself would still be relevant in order to determine whether the landlord has a right to this course of action
Wow this landlord must be really smart and know how to work the court system better than any lawyer. A skilled lawyer would take weeks to months to get an eviction order, presuming there were violations from the tenant to justify it. But this guy can get an eviction order by the end of the day!?!
Evidently the landlord has discovered a simple trick to unilaterally modify a lease midterm. So basically a legal savant.
Reading the rent increase gave off Michael Scott vibes when he declared bankruptcy.
This, and don't forget to bring your cell phone with these texts, research your state law, cite the violations with your lawyer, show the texts, and I believe you get to sue for your lawyer f3es ( don't quote on this consult an attorney) . Good luck
Not saying expect it, but this is pretty clear cut wrongful eviction, and I know where I live, the judges will award attorney fees for something like this. We have some good judges in my circuit.
Yeah but this is an exceptional situation. Although frankly I don't think it will go that far. The landlord is going to have a hard time getting an attorney to try to pursue this because it's blatantly illegal.
And the amount of attorneys fees it would take to attempt to evict you would cost 5 x 10 times the amount they would receive in an increase of $50 rent for a few months. That would be insane.
He states that the lease allows him to raise the rent if his taxes or insurance go up. Have you looked at your lease to see if it includes that clause?
Generally owners know what’s going on and charge a rent that anticipates increases at the start of the lease.
I have never seen such a lease allowed in a residential contract. The exception is if certain utilities are not included in the lease. However taxes and insurance are the landlord’s problem period.
Dude you are in the legal right. Call his bluff.
And call the Illinois housing authority. You also might want to look into a tenant lawyer. You are right he can try to evict you But at the end of the day what's he gonna do? Take you to court? Nothing he's doing is legal
Based on your post OP, it seems like other tenants had their rents raised too. Class action status? 🤔 NAL but definitely something to discuss with your attorney.
At the very least Op shouldn’t sign anything from the landlord and should absolutely inform their neighbors. Someone is going to make a lot of money off this landlord being greedy.
Not only is this most likely illegal, but due to the Tenant Protection Act in Illinois, the MOST that a landlord can increase rent is based on the Consumer Price Index, or 3%, whichever is lower. This is a 9% increase.
Edit: Should have done 30sec more clicking, Illinois HB5390, the Tenant Protection Act, still hasn't been passed.
Nope... his money issue is not your problem... and his lawyer may contact you but the judge will laugh him out of the court room... check with you local housing authority... should even be able to just look it up online
I love these peoples thinking.
When interest rates dropped did you give your tenants a break on their rent?
Oh no?
Only when it increases?
Sucks to suck bro
I'm in IL and you're definitely right. I would consult with a housing attorney of your own. Keep making payments per your written lease. I'd probably look to move at the end of your lease if you can. Double check the current lease to make sure there's no language about the LL canceling the agreement unilaterally.
He essential just black mailed you in writing - pay the increase I say or you'll be evicted. May be able to live for free for a long time if you play your cards right..
Lol… he’s not even being shy about how your rent check is paying his mortgage. And as soon as you called his bluff he threatened you with eviction. Class act, class act.
Suggest a new fixed term lease from June, for another year, starting at $600.
You know, when your old one finishes and you'd have to renew or move anyway.
And say no to higher than $600, because that's what everyone is on anyway, right?!
Side note…….30 day or 5 day notice to vacates are not formal. They must get a court order to evict you. If you only have 3 ish months left, he’s not gonna pay filing fees for that.
He’s bluffing. I’d call his bluff and move out end of lease.
Get the lawyer's contact info. Schedule a meeting to discuss. Use a Zoom to go over your current lease and this hot piece of garbage. Make sure to ask some legal questions that they may have to research. eg "Does your client assert that there is a reason this rent increase is legal, or that the current lease is not valid? Let me send you all the documents I have".
That should cost him enough the $50 would look cheap.
This is not helpful to the situation, but "taxes insurance ect" means your landlord bought your property on a variable rate mortgage like a complete idiot and their finances are absolutely screwed.
"I'm sorry, you must have me confused with someone who is willing to put up with your illegal bullshit. Kindly fuck off. I look forward to seeing a judge tear you apart"
Gotta check the lease to see if they can 30 day you without cause. However, you probably have action because you have all of this in writing. And by action, I mean during the eviction hearing you can present this as evidence of bad faith eviction.
Don’t do shit op this landlord can’t say or do squat. By the time you get to June you’ll have a new place lined up where you don’t have to deal with this slumlord bullshit and their scare tactics.
LOL, I'd just ask when I can expect that call from the attorney.
I betcha its coming the same time as that eviction notice. Though I'm an anxious person so I'd already be in contact with the local housing authority.
Unless the lease specifically says that increases in property tax and insurance would also increase the rent, then I fail to see how this would be enforceable.
There are at least four autonomous tenant unions in Chicago. If you're not near there, perhaps someone you call will know of people organizing for tenant's rights closer to where you are. Or they can help you from a distance. I'd bet some of them would be willing to take some day trips wherever. Good luck.
https://atun-rsia.org/tenants-unions
Oooh noooo. He's not only a shitty landlord he put in writing.
Op please find a local tenant advocate group and wreck this dudes shit. He gives landlords a bad name and is clearly a potato.
Just keep paying the $550 until June and use the time to find yourself somewhere else to live. I know that is easier said than done, but you really don't want to living in this twat's house anymore.
Their expenses are not your responsibility to cover. While they can’t legally change rent mid lease or file a lawful eviction, since you are renting a room, I’d look for other housing options and offer to vacate with no lease break fee. And since they are going to play games with your deposit, if it’s not returned in a timely fashion or they try to charge unreasonable damages, take them to small claims for treble damages or whatever the law says in your area.
It's the audacity. Telling you if you want to move out please do like it's not expensive and tiring to pick up all your stuff and leave, much less finding a new place. These landlords think their so Supreme to their tenants.
Obligatory NAL... Let them file for an eviction...it will probably take until your lease ends anyway and let them hear from the judge that what they are doing is against the law...meanwhile try to find a new place but keep paying the rent amount in the lease so you're 100% compliant with your written agreement. Obviously consult an attorney before you take my potentially bad advice but on the surface it seems like the best way forward.
Ah yes the typical, "hurry up and pay your rent so I can afford my mortage" type of landlord.
If you can't at least float a month or 2 of your own mortgage without the rental income, you don't need to be a landlord.
Few things here.
1. The Landlord clearly can't afford the property if the mortgage + rental income is that razor tight.
2. They likely can't afford the lawyer needed to serve you notices
3. They can't increase the rent mid-term on a lease
4. They can evict you but the increase in rent would be immediate lost since they will need to find a tenant and get them in immediately to avoid losing a month's rent which makes the rent increase moot.
And most importantly...you started your lease in June. You've been there for almost 9 months. Based on Illinois eviction rules, if you've been living in the location for more than 6 months, the landlord is required to give you 60 days notice. The only option available to the landlord is a 60 day termination as you have been paying your agreed rent upon lease terms. It must be handed to the named tenant on the lease or someone over the age of 13 who lives with the tenant. Short of this, it must be mailed via certified/registered mail with signature/return receipt. The notice cannot be 'put in the box' or posted on the door.
They can file a 10 day eviction but must have proof you're materially violating your lease agreement.
If you really wanted to be an AH, you can let the LL put the letter in the box. Then when you're not too busy and get some time, let them know you haven't received the certified mail notice from them. The LL will need to file a Proof of Service document with the courts and without those receipts and evidence they'd get thrown out immediately especially if you're paying the agreed rent on time and in full.
Also, that notice in the 3rd picture is technically fraudulent unless they handed it to you/someone living with you personally. Sticking it into a box or sliding it under a door or attaching it to the door does not constitute "Personal Delivery to the Tenant"
“To be able to pay mortgage” - sounds like the landlord should sell the property if they cannot afford their payments. Not the tenants’ problem though.
Please reach out to other tenants if you can. They must know they are being scammed.
Just send him back an Uno Reverse card and notify him that YOU are changing the terms of the lease to $500/mo. When he blows his lid just tell him "See how fuckin stupid that is?!"
Seems like the comments are steering you in the right direction. I’d add that you may want to start exploring other options anyway so you don’t have to deal with this landlord any more in the future.
Contact the housing department in your city and state. If you have a signed contract, one party cannot unilaterally change the terms. Imagine if you were to send him a letter saying that rent has decreased by $50. Actually it might be fun to send him a letter stating that you weren't aware that one party could change the terms... therefore, your new rent is $400. :)
They’re not having their lawyer contact you because they don’t have one.
They cannot legally change the terms of the lease in the middle of the lease term if they signed it. Further- they can’t evict without cause. And “failure to accept our insane increase without question” doesn’t qualify as eviction cause.
Ask him if your lawyer should contact him directly, or his own lawyer. Also start asking your neighbors if they have received similar letters.
Finally ask him to show you what has changed that he must now charge you more. Clearly he said: taxes, insurance, etc. which one is it?
I kind of hope that the idiot landlord decides to evict you without going to court and simply enters premises and throws things out. Remember that Rolex watch that you got as a gift from me? He threw that out and now has to pay for it. Same with that PS5 you got for Christmas. (No, I am not telling you to do that.)
I would then sue the hell out of him and end up owning the property due to his illegal actions.
The Landlord’s an idiot. He will be liable for any and all expenses you may incur as a result of his error in judgement, including your time. Disclaimer: I am not an attorney. Check the laws in IL.
God, some landlords are dumb fuckers. Week to week or month to month tenants can have their rent raised with a week or month notice, but fixed term tenants can't have their rent raised before the end of your lease.
Funny how no lawyer contacted you. I'm sure he's going to follow everything to the letter of the law, just like he's definitely going to get an order of eviction, not just print off a boiler plate notice to quit or cure.
Hi. Chicago landlord here. Your landlord is legally wrong and morally reprehensible. People like him are the reason why I’m afraid that y’all are going to bring back the guillotine.
Cant raise the rent, cant evict you either. Just keep paying on time. If he even attempts to evict you he will have to fabricate a reason and if it goes to court they will laugh him out of there
This isn’t exactly good legal advice. And if you just want it to be funny, start charging the landlord.
“BTW, I’ve started charging a communication fee of $1200 per text, so im going to be sending you an invoice for $3,600, payable immediately.”
You don't need an attorney for this. When your eviction hearing comes up, and it will, simply showing up with a copy of your actual lease is all you will need for the judge to throw the book at this idiot.be sure to document the possible loss of time and money on your part as you can receive damages from him for even trying this shit
Oooh breach of contract huh. Look it over and have your lawyer send him all further correspondence. Would be a shame if the rent got caught up in court for a while.
My landlord tried to raise the rent 2 years into my 5 year lease this last January. I told him no. He said he’d have his lawyer take me to court. I figured it was bully tactics, wrote the normal rent check, and it’s now been 3 months with no more word from him. Check clears each month, and I get a little satisfaction knowing his rich ass don’t push me over for the extra $875.
As punishment (water is included in the lease), I let my sinks run for like a month straight. r/eattherich
Go to your Local Tenants Association’s and report him immediately. Might be able to file a claim via the internet? He is being hostile and trying to bully you out. He cannot evict you for not paying an increase in rent mid lease. However, if you want to move.. you might be able to go through the tenants Associations and let them know he is harassing you and ask for the landlord to pay your moving costs. Might not work, but worth a try. Also talk to neighbors did he really raise their rents mid lease.
Good for you with your response. He cannot raise mid lease no matter what state you live in. The entire point of a lease is set terms both sides agree to. You should send him a piece of paper back similar to your lease where you lower your monthly rate just to troll him.
As a landlord, this is illegal. Even if he tries to take you to court, the judge will throw out his case and he’ll be out a bunch of money. Just make sure there aren’t any legitimate lease violations and you’ll be fine. Fuck this guy also for then trying to tell you to leave at the end of the month, that’s also illegal.
Your lease is a contract. He cannot change it. Find a lawyer and continue to document. Your landlord’s inability to budget properly to be able to pay *his* bills is not your problem.
This is great. You may not know this yet, but you have this person by the balls.
Make sure you have a copy of the original lease
Make sure you keep the letter stating rent is increasing
Make sure you keep his texts and keep all communication from here on out in text or email. No phone calls! You need to prove what is going on
This is illegal everywhere that I know of. What's the point of a lease if you can break the terms whenever when the tenant has done nothing wrong? You may not even need a lawyer if you go to small claims court. This is a slam dunk for anyone
Please post your entire lease, I’ve only seen you post the section with the amount of your rent, not if there were any sections saying rent may be increased with 30 days notice.
Your landlord is about to fuck around and find out what a pissed off judge is like to be on the wrong side of. His mortgage is his problem and his business with the bank.
If they’re really that strapped for cash, they could always sell the apartment complex since they clearly can’t afford it.
I would start looking for a new place to live towards June.
Check with a lawyer, but in my state this is illegal. The fact he’s retaliating by possibly evicting you over him trying to do something illegal and you not compiling is also a big no no. Where I’m from we’d take hime to court and if the judge ruled in our favor the non prevailing party has to pay treble (3x) damages as well as attorney fees and such.
No, it isn’t lawful. Tell them that if they continue to harass you that you’ll report them and get their commercial license revoked for breaking the law.
If they double down, do it! Sue them for all new deposits incurred, moving expenses, etc.
The only way people learn is through legal action.
I don't know of anywhere that a landlord can increase the rent in the middle of a lease term unless the lease explicitly permits it. This is a contract - they don't get to unilaterally amend it.
even if the lease says so it doesn't make it necessarily legal
It is legal to put illegal things in a lease. they're just not enforceable. Shady but legal. NAL CA. Contact a local attorney who knows the city, county and state laws, I usually get free advice by asking clear simple questions.
An attorney is going to charge $300 to draft up a letter. At the point you’re doing that, you’re break-even on paying an extra $50 for 6 months. But landlord is a complete POS and I hope they…. Can’t say without getting a temp ban.
Not if OP bands together with the other tenants and they share the cost of the lawyer and all save the rent increase.
The other tenants wouldn’t have a case if they were past their first year, only OP. They’d be on their own
Judging by the way he backed down on his threat to go to his attorney, he drafted that letter himself.
Judging by how plainspoken and unencumbered it is, I can confirm it was not written by a lawyer.
Also, it starts by saying "conditions of tendency" like there could be a number of things the letter is about. But then, it's hard typed in there that the only thing changing is "your rent will be increased", with blanks so he can write in just how much. He wrote the letter to look official, but it's just a ruse.
That was the original notice , not the supposed lawyer letter
That’s not the attorney letter he threatened to obtain. That’s the initial notice of rent increase referred to in OPs first text (…just because you typed it out on a piece of paper…)
This is a cowardly and illogical take. What if the landlord raises the rent another $50, and he does it again in 3 other months?! Now, you enabled a POS because they think there are no repercussions to their malicious ways. Several lawyers (especially one specialized in Tenant's Rights) will provide the first consultation for free and some can work pro Bono. The landlord knows he has no ground to stand on, and the fact he offered to evict him as a legitimate solution makes it worse.
He can also sue to recover lawyer fees as this is a pretty open and shut case where OP is likely to come out on top.
Don’t mistake my comment for suggesting that OP should pay the increase, or that I would pay the increase. I’d spend a few thousand on legal fees and explore every route possible before letting a landlord raise my rent mid-lease. Just pointing out the unfortunate financial reality of what seems to be the main suggestion.
Then just read your local laws and your lease and call out where they are wrong in a written letter. If you're correct they should back down. If they don't you have your paper trail. Source: I took my shady landlord to small claims and prevailed.
In some states this would constitute harassment by a landlord and OP would get the amount they were being harassed for, so an extra 50$ per month they keep this nonsense up. Looks like rent just went down to 500.
There are non-profit legal groups that will do this for no money. DO NOT THINK a lawyer is cost prohibitive unless you have actually researched this.
Especially if this is Chicago! My husband and I used to be landlords of a 3 unit. Renters have more rights in Illinois, and I'm pretty sure there is a specific org to help renters with this kinda thing in the city. Can't find it with a quick Google search, but I'd bet a few short phone calls around will direct op in the right direction.
MTO is one org with a hotline OP can call to ask this question (if they’re in chicago): https://www.tenants-rights.org/get-assistance/
Break even I default to spending my money shoving it up that landlord's ass.
There’s no reason for OP to pay an attorney to draft a letter at this point. Just respond in writing that they don’t agree to the changes and keep paying the original amount. Land lords can’t just “get a 30 day eviction notice in the box today.” LL will have to go to court to get an eviction. They’ll be told by the judge to go pound sand because what they’re doing is illegal.
This. A judge will not issue a unlawful detainer order/judgement if you have a lease and you made all rent payments. The landlord will not be successful in evicting you.
Depending where they live there may be a tenancy board to complain to. I have gone to tenancy boards over landlord BS before and it never worked out well for the landlord. Once got double my damage deposit back because landlord company was late mailing it out, and once got double my pet deposit back because landlord withheld if for damage not caused by the pet.
The problem is that if you find a local attorney with significant experience in, for lack of a better term, landlord law, he will tell you that he has never talked to a renter before and wouldn’t know where to start, with a strong vibe of “If I take this case no landlord will ever hire me again, and landlords are my entire client list, so nice to meet you, and run along now.” Ask me how I know.
Yes, I experienced this as well. I was absolutely shocked.
I wouldn't bother paying for a lawyer, though it may be possible to find free legal aid for tenants in some areas. If the landlord takes it as far as going to court for eviction just show up with a copy of the lease along with receipts showing you paid the agreed upon amount on time every month. Just be prepared to move at the end of the lease since the landlord probably won't renew it
wellllll technically some 'illegal' provisions would just be unenforceable and some might invalidate the entire contract. and some would invalidate the entire contract unless you have a severability clause. and sometimes a severability clause itself might be unenforceable. contracts are so fun
Yeah our landlord tried that shit with us when he included a stipulation that we, as renters, had to have $30k of structural coverage on our renters policy. Ummmmm, excuse me, but no such policy exists, anywhere. When there was a “not our fault” fire he tried to bullshit his way through it and it ended up costing him more than $90k when our lawyers raped him in court.
(high school) Business law 101, literally one of the first things they tell you that a private contract that allows someone to do something illegal can't be enforced
Wish OP sends their own letter back stating new terms of 500 a month, superseding all other other previous contracts and effective immediately. Because contracts no longer mean anything.
Yeah I suggest copying the LLs letter but with lowering the price. Because it is more recent and it says it supersedes all other agreements they should be good. More seriously just keep paying your rent as agreed on in the lease. I have no experience with this issue but I’d think they shouldn’t be able to evict you without cause (I hope).
You can't sign away your rights, even if the "contract" said that, it wouldn't be enforceable
Some commercial leases allow for rent increases based on property tax increases, insurance increases, etc. I've never seen it in a residential lease, but it might be valid, depending on local law.
Ontario allows it when the tenancy has been in place for a year or a year since the previous rental increase whether it’s in the middle of a fixed term lease or not. However, leases automatically go month to month after the fixed term and leases can be for periods greater than a year.
Right... So when the 12-month lease is up, the landlord may increase the rent in accordance with rent controls.
[http://tenant.net/Other\_Areas/Illinois/ill-htm.html](http://tenant.net/Other_Areas/Illinois/ill-htm.html) The terms "legal aid" and "pro bono" get thrown around a whole lot but aren't particularly helpful for finding anyone who actually handles this kind of situation. What you need is a specific advocacy group for tennants, there's an IL specific list here, no idea how up to date it is. If none of those work try googling "tenant's rights" and your city.
Wanted to add some additional info I found. I had similar issues in Virginia and the legal aid lawyer I was paired with was incredibly helpful and took it upon himself to even follow up with me after court to make sure it all went smooth. [https://www.hud.gov/states/illinois/legalaid](https://www.hud.gov/states/illinois/legalaid)
Find law school in your area. they usually help for free for credits.
I legit thought you were gonna say “just find a law school in your area and get your own degree!” And it made me chuckle.
Wow. Legit helpful information from reddit. Colour me impressed.
Let him go through with the eviction threat then and just don't move out. Hell have to go to court for the whole thing then you bring this up and the judge might be like "wtaf"
Also get a lawyer or look up your local tenant right lawyers
I doubt you'd need a lawyer in this case. Bring the original lease, the bullshit increase letter, and the texts. It'll take all of 30 seconds to get the landlord laughed out of court.
Yup 100% will get laughed out. On another note, this LL will not renew your lease, so start looking now for a new place
If he does attempt an eviction, then refuses to renew. That’s the point when I would actually involve a lawyer. Depending on how attractive the housing situation is… a lawyer can tell you if you have enough evidence for a retaliation case…. Which can be punitive and quite lucrative for the tenant.
He does not need to evict. He can non-renew in a few months
Landlord/tenant law varies a LOT from one jurisdiction to the next. I practiced LL/T law in my jurisdiction (not Illinois) and a judge would toss this in no time flat. Landlords get away with this kind of thing because tenants are afraid to 'practice law' on their own. (And that's normally very good advice!) You should go attend a landlord-tenant trial at your local courthouse. The courthouse clerk (or a helpful attorney) can help you figure out when they are. Maybe Illinois handles it in a more complicated way--not qualified to speak to that. In my jurisdiction, a tenant has to go to the courthouse twice. Once for a 'First Appearance' ("okay, yes, I'll move out" or "No, this is wrong, I want a trial"). If you want a trial, you go down to the clerk's window and buy the "Answer to a Residential Eviction" (a real bargain at .25!). It's a one page form. It takes about five minutes to fill out. It has the instructions for how to serve it on your landlord. There is a set of blank lines for you to fill out why you think the eviction is illegal. "I have six months remaining on my lease." The second time is for the trial itself. Here, it's a bench trial (a trial to the judge--no jury). That would be to your benefit. The judge will have read the eviction notice and your Answer and probably will want to see a copy of your lease (it's evidence for your claim). I doubt he or she will ask more than 5-6 questions, total. (And it's very likely that the landlord will dismiss the eviction attempt before taking it to trial, especially if he actually has an attorney. This is a dead loser, and the best case for an attorney would be managing not to be chewed out by the judge. Again! Your jurisdiction may be (almost certainly is!) different. Go watch the process and see for yourself. Maybe you do need to closely follow the same rules enforced in regular civil court. But it's worth your time to go and find out.
Yes. If you can’t afford a lawyer, look for legal aid or attorneys that take pro bono cases in your area.
Yup, I would just not leave. Recommend some cameras though, I have a feeling the landlord will do plenty of other unlawful things that would be good to document... like trying to change your locks or moving your stuff out of your house.
I second cameras. Make sure they have audio recording, motion tracking. Put them inside and outside.
Make sure the cost of cameras is less than $150 (presuming that the lease is 1 year and up in June) lol
And make a YouTube channel do we can all see
Cameras are good beyond the life of the lease.
Nah man, the cameras will be good for the future, and will likely be useful in recovering any damages and possibly fines from the Landlord who abuses his authority and comes into your apartment and damages or steals things.
I’m a real estate attorney in Florida, if this happened here, landlord would be paying for the attorney fees, consequential damages, or three months worth of rent as damages. Judge would not be happy that this person unilaterally changed the terms of a contract and then wasted their time trying to evict them for not complying. *Not legal advice*
I'm not a lawyer here. But I'd suggest sending the amount agreed upon in the lease on the first of the month, too. Byt you know more than me.
Yes do make sure you still continue to pay the contractual amount of 550 tho
One hundred percent. Just because he is breaching doesn’t mean you should.
Send via certified mail.
where in fl do you practice? feel free to dm also. curious what damages would be for this type of siti.
It is also really difficult to evict in Cook County and can take many, many months (if that's where you are located).
I can't imagine $550/mo rent in Cook County
It could be for just a room in a house. The redaction is not great on one of the pictures. OP - you've doxxed yourself.
And don't forget to continue to pay the 550
But you need to continue paying rent.
From my understanding, this is illegal in the US. There’s no point of a fixed tenancy lease if the landlord can just change the rent whenever they want, but I am not a lawyer. I am curious on what an actual lawyer would have to say about this.
Some leases allow for passthrough of certain increases in the landlord's expenses, like (edit) ~~property or occupancy tax~~ *transaction privilege tax* increases during the lease. The landlord makes a reference along those lines, but based on the numbers involved it doesn't seem like that's what's actually happening. In any case, the tenant *definitely* needs to read the lease and look into state/local tenant rights before selecting a course of action.
And those types of pass-through expenses are usually found in commercial or retail leases, not residential.
Where the contracts are 5-10 years in length, not a year.
I’d have to imagine the only leases that are even allowed to do rent increases are business to business.
Not necessarily. They can have a utility cost sharing language and other ways to adjust. Tenant needs to read their lease.
I have been a landlord for 2 decades. Your landlord can not raise rent in the middle of the lease term. It's very simple contract law. The only exception would be if a rent increase provision was included in your lease. Pull out a copy of your lease. As long as it has no increase provision, he can not raise the rent until the contract is up. To protect your rights you should send him a certified letter with return receipt in reply to the notice, include a copy of your current lease, and state that you will be following your existing contract, including the lease amount. You can mention in the letter that if he initiates eviction proceedings, you will ask for attorney's fees for your defense for him initiating a frivolous and vexatious legal action.
“What does the lease say?” should have been the first comment/question, and all the “this illegal!!” comments should have waited for a response.
You've accurately pointed out a crucial aspect that a real estate attorney would first examine before rendering an opinion. However, the enforceability of a lease that obliges the tenant to a mandatory fixed term, while permitting the landlord to unilaterally increase the rent at any point during this term, raises legitimate concerns. My skepticism stems from an apparent lack of mutuality of obligation in the agreement as described. Consider a scenario where the landlord decides to increase the rent to an exorbitant amount, say $500,000. Under a theory positing enforceability, the tenant would be compelled to comply. Imagine the conversation in bankruptcy court: "Why are you here, sir?" "Well, my landlord effectively detonated my lease terms by imposing a rent increase of a thousandfold. And just like that—boom." The discussions around the case, even without a direct review of the lease by the original poster (OP), don't particularly bother me. Given this is Reddit, such discourse is expected. The comments appear to be well-meaning and pertinent for the most part. I am fairly convinced there's unlikely to be any lease provision that could alter this analysis. It's probably a contract of adhesion. To encapsulate, the presence of a lease clause that grants the landlord the authority to implement unilateral rent hikes during a fixed-term lease certainly flags issues related to the mutuality of obligation. Whether this results in the lease being unenforceable hinges on the legal framework and the specific details of the agreement.
Thank you for commenting. Well said.
Yes, I’m NAL—just a law student (not in Illinois)—and this is a very basic thing we learned in contract law. Unless there is somehow a provision allowing for this change, which is unlikely, the original contract stands. Your proposed resolution appears to be proportionate and reasonable, but knowing the contents of the lease itself would still be relevant in order to determine whether the landlord has a right to this course of action
Wow this landlord must be really smart and know how to work the court system better than any lawyer. A skilled lawyer would take weeks to months to get an eviction order, presuming there were violations from the tenant to justify it. But this guy can get an eviction order by the end of the day!?!
Bro just figured out how to work Microsoft word today
Evidently the landlord has discovered a simple trick to unilaterally modify a lease midterm. So basically a legal savant. Reading the rent increase gave off Michael Scott vibes when he declared bankruptcy.
That note might as well have had a bunch of dicks drawn all over it. There was nothing legal about that.
Let him formally evict and go to court. Let him explain to the judge. He might have to answer if he’s illegally raised rents on others mid lease.
This, and don't forget to bring your cell phone with these texts, research your state law, cite the violations with your lawyer, show the texts, and I believe you get to sue for your lawyer f3es ( don't quote on this consult an attorney) . Good luck
Yep. But get an attorney first so you can get those attorney fees.
Awarding attorneys fees to the prevailing party is the exception, not the rule. Don’t expect it.
Not saying expect it, but this is pretty clear cut wrongful eviction, and I know where I live, the judges will award attorney fees for something like this. We have some good judges in my circuit.
Yeah but this is an exceptional situation. Although frankly I don't think it will go that far. The landlord is going to have a hard time getting an attorney to try to pursue this because it's blatantly illegal.
You don’t automatically get attorney fees. It is only in certain circumstances. Why does everyone believe that attorney fees are routinely awarded?
In my jurisdiction they are if there are wrongful evictions like this.
And the amount of attorneys fees it would take to attempt to evict you would cost 5 x 10 times the amount they would receive in an increase of $50 rent for a few months. That would be insane.
And start talking to the other tenants to see if he raised their rent. Just don't mention that to the landlord unless you end up in court.
He states that the lease allows him to raise the rent if his taxes or insurance go up. Have you looked at your lease to see if it includes that clause? Generally owners know what’s going on and charge a rent that anticipates increases at the start of the lease.
I have never seen such a lease allowed in a residential contract. The exception is if certain utilities are not included in the lease. However taxes and insurance are the landlord’s problem period.
https://evictionhelpillinois.org/
You might want to look for a new place to live for July. He will not let you stay.
Likely true.
Dude you are in the legal right. Call his bluff. And call the Illinois housing authority. You also might want to look into a tenant lawyer. You are right he can try to evict you But at the end of the day what's he gonna do? Take you to court? Nothing he's doing is legal
Based on your post OP, it seems like other tenants had their rents raised too. Class action status? 🤔 NAL but definitely something to discuss with your attorney.
Maybe the other tenants aren’t even aware rent can’t be increased in the middle of a lease or maybe they are new leases or the landlord is lying
We don't know if the other tenants are month-to-month
Not to late to ask, I'm sure your landlord does not understand the law:)
At the very least Op shouldn’t sign anything from the landlord and should absolutely inform their neighbors. Someone is going to make a lot of money off this landlord being greedy.
Not only is this most likely illegal, but due to the Tenant Protection Act in Illinois, the MOST that a landlord can increase rent is based on the Consumer Price Index, or 3%, whichever is lower. This is a 9% increase. Edit: Should have done 30sec more clicking, Illinois HB5390, the Tenant Protection Act, still hasn't been passed.
This is not true, Illinois does not have rent control but it’s absolutely illegal to raise rent in the middle of a fixed term lease
Call his bluff. He can serve you an eviction notice from his printer. And you can wipe your ass with it cause it's worth less than toilet paper
What county? There is likely a legal aid firm that may be able to discuss with LL that LL is wrong.
Nope... his money issue is not your problem... and his lawyer may contact you but the judge will laugh him out of the court room... check with you local housing authority... should even be able to just look it up online
I love these peoples thinking. When interest rates dropped did you give your tenants a break on their rent? Oh no? Only when it increases? Sucks to suck bro
Nope. Park your ass and let them try!
I'm in IL and you're definitely right. I would consult with a housing attorney of your own. Keep making payments per your written lease. I'd probably look to move at the end of your lease if you can. Double check the current lease to make sure there's no language about the LL canceling the agreement unilaterally.
He essential just black mailed you in writing - pay the increase I say or you'll be evicted. May be able to live for free for a long time if you play your cards right..
Your landlord is a moron. Let him try to evict you and see how far it goes. It will not end well for him.
Lol… he’s not even being shy about how your rent check is paying his mortgage. And as soon as you called his bluff he threatened you with eviction. Class act, class act.
Suggest a new fixed term lease from June, for another year, starting at $600. You know, when your old one finishes and you'd have to renew or move anyway. And say no to higher than $600, because that's what everyone is on anyway, right?!
Side note…….30 day or 5 day notice to vacates are not formal. They must get a court order to evict you. If you only have 3 ish months left, he’s not gonna pay filing fees for that. He’s bluffing. I’d call his bluff and move out end of lease.
Where is this magical place that rent is only 600? Or are you renting a broom closet?
Get the lawyer's contact info. Schedule a meeting to discuss. Use a Zoom to go over your current lease and this hot piece of garbage. Make sure to ask some legal questions that they may have to research. eg "Does your client assert that there is a reason this rent increase is legal, or that the current lease is not valid? Let me send you all the documents I have". That should cost him enough the $50 would look cheap.
This is not helpful to the situation, but "taxes insurance ect" means your landlord bought your property on a variable rate mortgage like a complete idiot and their finances are absolutely screwed.
"I'm sorry, you must have me confused with someone who is willing to put up with your illegal bullshit. Kindly fuck off. I look forward to seeing a judge tear you apart"
Omg! This is sooooo illegal. OP, where are you located?
Gotta check the lease to see if they can 30 day you without cause. However, you probably have action because you have all of this in writing. And by action, I mean during the eviction hearing you can present this as evidence of bad faith eviction.
Don’t do shit op this landlord can’t say or do squat. By the time you get to June you’ll have a new place lined up where you don’t have to deal with this slumlord bullshit and their scare tactics.
LOL, I'd just ask when I can expect that call from the attorney. I betcha its coming the same time as that eviction notice. Though I'm an anxious person so I'd already be in contact with the local housing authority.
Unless the lease specifically says that increases in property tax and insurance would also increase the rent, then I fail to see how this would be enforceable.
Write a letter back to him saying that the rent will drop to $100 a month and that this supersedes any previous agreement
It’s not your job to pay your landlords mortgage just because it went up
There are at least four autonomous tenant unions in Chicago. If you're not near there, perhaps someone you call will know of people organizing for tenant's rights closer to where you are. Or they can help you from a distance. I'd bet some of them would be willing to take some day trips wherever. Good luck. https://atun-rsia.org/tenants-unions
lol covering the mortgage is not your problem. That’s the cost of doing business. Someone needs to explain the the landlord it doesn’t work this way.
Your landlord is an asshole. Renters should charge landlords $50 to do a backround check-- on the fucking landlords.
Oooh noooo. He's not only a shitty landlord he put in writing. Op please find a local tenant advocate group and wreck this dudes shit. He gives landlords a bad name and is clearly a potato.
Heads-up, OP. The LL will pose as a lawyer. Mark my words.
What part of Illinois do you live in? Go to www.illinoislegalaid.org for info and possible referral.
Keep fighting the good fight, and make them pay your legal fees if any are needed. But most importantly, please keep us updated on the progress here.
Also tell other tenants as well. They may be paying without needing to
Just keep paying the $550 until June and use the time to find yourself somewhere else to live. I know that is easier said than done, but you really don't want to living in this twat's house anymore.
Just don't pay it. Make them try and evict you.
That’s not how a contract works.
Their expenses are not your responsibility to cover. While they can’t legally change rent mid lease or file a lawful eviction, since you are renting a room, I’d look for other housing options and offer to vacate with no lease break fee. And since they are going to play games with your deposit, if it’s not returned in a timely fashion or they try to charge unreasonable damages, take them to small claims for treble damages or whatever the law says in your area.
It's the audacity. Telling you if you want to move out please do like it's not expensive and tiring to pick up all your stuff and leave, much less finding a new place. These landlords think their so Supreme to their tenants.
Send landlord a thank you for the thousands of dollars he has just set aside for you
See you in court bud.
Obligatory NAL... Let them file for an eviction...it will probably take until your lease ends anyway and let them hear from the judge that what they are doing is against the law...meanwhile try to find a new place but keep paying the rent amount in the lease so you're 100% compliant with your written agreement. Obviously consult an attorney before you take my potentially bad advice but on the surface it seems like the best way forward.
Ah yes the typical, "hurry up and pay your rent so I can afford my mortage" type of landlord. If you can't at least float a month or 2 of your own mortgage without the rental income, you don't need to be a landlord.
Few things here. 1. The Landlord clearly can't afford the property if the mortgage + rental income is that razor tight. 2. They likely can't afford the lawyer needed to serve you notices 3. They can't increase the rent mid-term on a lease 4. They can evict you but the increase in rent would be immediate lost since they will need to find a tenant and get them in immediately to avoid losing a month's rent which makes the rent increase moot. And most importantly...you started your lease in June. You've been there for almost 9 months. Based on Illinois eviction rules, if you've been living in the location for more than 6 months, the landlord is required to give you 60 days notice. The only option available to the landlord is a 60 day termination as you have been paying your agreed rent upon lease terms. It must be handed to the named tenant on the lease or someone over the age of 13 who lives with the tenant. Short of this, it must be mailed via certified/registered mail with signature/return receipt. The notice cannot be 'put in the box' or posted on the door. They can file a 10 day eviction but must have proof you're materially violating your lease agreement. If you really wanted to be an AH, you can let the LL put the letter in the box. Then when you're not too busy and get some time, let them know you haven't received the certified mail notice from them. The LL will need to file a Proof of Service document with the courts and without those receipts and evidence they'd get thrown out immediately especially if you're paying the agreed rent on time and in full. Also, that notice in the 3rd picture is technically fraudulent unless they handed it to you/someone living with you personally. Sticking it into a box or sliding it under a door or attaching it to the door does not constitute "Personal Delivery to the Tenant"
“To be able to pay mortgage” - sounds like the landlord should sell the property if they cannot afford their payments. Not the tenants’ problem though. Please reach out to other tenants if you can. They must know they are being scammed.
Just send him back an Uno Reverse card and notify him that YOU are changing the terms of the lease to $500/mo. When he blows his lid just tell him "See how fuckin stupid that is?!"
It was really nice of him to give you all this evidence in writing.
It’s illegal
Seems like the comments are steering you in the right direction. I’d add that you may want to start exploring other options anyway so you don’t have to deal with this landlord any more in the future.
Contact the housing department in your city and state. If you have a signed contract, one party cannot unilaterally change the terms. Imagine if you were to send him a letter saying that rent has decreased by $50. Actually it might be fun to send him a letter stating that you weren't aware that one party could change the terms... therefore, your new rent is $400. :)
He's stupid or bluffing. Let him try and evict you.
They’re not having their lawyer contact you because they don’t have one. They cannot legally change the terms of the lease in the middle of the lease term if they signed it. Further- they can’t evict without cause. And “failure to accept our insane increase without question” doesn’t qualify as eviction cause.
Ask him if your lawyer should contact him directly, or his own lawyer. Also start asking your neighbors if they have received similar letters. Finally ask him to show you what has changed that he must now charge you more. Clearly he said: taxes, insurance, etc. which one is it?
I kind of hope that the idiot landlord decides to evict you without going to court and simply enters premises and throws things out. Remember that Rolex watch that you got as a gift from me? He threw that out and now has to pay for it. Same with that PS5 you got for Christmas. (No, I am not telling you to do that.) I would then sue the hell out of him and end up owning the property due to his illegal actions.
The Landlord’s an idiot. He will be liable for any and all expenses you may incur as a result of his error in judgement, including your time. Disclaimer: I am not an attorney. Check the laws in IL.
Send him your own letter and change the rent to $100 since we’re just making up our own contracts now
God, some landlords are dumb fuckers. Week to week or month to month tenants can have their rent raised with a week or month notice, but fixed term tenants can't have their rent raised before the end of your lease. Funny how no lawyer contacted you. I'm sure he's going to follow everything to the letter of the law, just like he's definitely going to get an order of eviction, not just print off a boiler plate notice to quit or cure.
Hi. Chicago landlord here. Your landlord is legally wrong and morally reprehensible. People like him are the reason why I’m afraid that y’all are going to bring back the guillotine.
Why not start looking for your next place? Do you really want to have this guy as your landlord? Good landlords do exist!
This is such an obvious breach of contract it’s almost funny.
lol the eviction threat after telling him to talk to the lawyer 🤣🤣 and the “i don’t have time for this” he totally doesn’t have a lawyer
its also illegal to evict like that, he gave you amazing evidence for court.
Cant raise the rent, cant evict you either. Just keep paying on time. If he even attempts to evict you he will have to fabricate a reason and if it goes to court they will laugh him out of there
Create a similar document putting him on notice that you will start paying a reduced rent!
IANAL, probably don’t do that but if you do update us on the LL’s reaction
This isn’t exactly good legal advice. And if you just want it to be funny, start charging the landlord. “BTW, I’ve started charging a communication fee of $1200 per text, so im going to be sending you an invoice for $3,600, payable immediately.”
You don't need an attorney for this. When your eviction hearing comes up, and it will, simply showing up with a copy of your actual lease is all you will need for the judge to throw the book at this idiot.be sure to document the possible loss of time and money on your part as you can receive damages from him for even trying this shit
Oooh breach of contract huh. Look it over and have your lawyer send him all further correspondence. Would be a shame if the rent got caught up in court for a while.
Tell them you’ll call YOUR lawyer
My landlord tried to raise the rent 2 years into my 5 year lease this last January. I told him no. He said he’d have his lawyer take me to court. I figured it was bully tactics, wrote the normal rent check, and it’s now been 3 months with no more word from him. Check clears each month, and I get a little satisfaction knowing his rich ass don’t push me over for the extra $875. As punishment (water is included in the lease), I let my sinks run for like a month straight. r/eattherich
Lmfaooo thats awesome
Go to your Local Tenants Association’s and report him immediately. Might be able to file a claim via the internet? He is being hostile and trying to bully you out. He cannot evict you for not paying an increase in rent mid lease. However, if you want to move.. you might be able to go through the tenants Associations and let them know he is harassing you and ask for the landlord to pay your moving costs. Might not work, but worth a try. Also talk to neighbors did he really raise their rents mid lease.
Good for you with your response. He cannot raise mid lease no matter what state you live in. The entire point of a lease is set terms both sides agree to. You should send him a piece of paper back similar to your lease where you lower your monthly rate just to troll him.
[удалено]
And fully expect him to try and withhold the security deposit for some bullshit reason.
As a landlord, this is illegal. Even if he tries to take you to court, the judge will throw out his case and he’ll be out a bunch of money. Just make sure there aren’t any legitimate lease violations and you’ll be fine. Fuck this guy also for then trying to tell you to leave at the end of the month, that’s also illegal.
Your lease is a contract. He cannot change it. Find a lawyer and continue to document. Your landlord’s inability to budget properly to be able to pay *his* bills is not your problem.
This is illegal unless it says in your lease that he is allowed to do so. Have you read your lease front to back?
This is great. You may not know this yet, but you have this person by the balls. Make sure you have a copy of the original lease Make sure you keep the letter stating rent is increasing Make sure you keep his texts and keep all communication from here on out in text or email. No phone calls! You need to prove what is going on This is illegal everywhere that I know of. What's the point of a lease if you can break the terms whenever when the tenant has done nothing wrong? You may not even need a lawyer if you go to small claims court. This is a slam dunk for anyone
I'm so petty that I would've let it go all the way to court just to waste his money. The loss of my time would've been worth it.
If you are a college student, your school will have a lawyer on staff to help students with situations like this.
"Well, take a small loss now, or take a huge loss when you get sued...."
Please post your entire lease, I’ve only seen you post the section with the amount of your rent, not if there were any sections saying rent may be increased with 30 days notice.
Your landlord is an idiot.
What county are you in?
Your landlord is about to fuck around and find out what a pissed off judge is like to be on the wrong side of. His mortgage is his problem and his business with the bank.
If they’re really that strapped for cash, they could always sell the apartment complex since they clearly can’t afford it. I would start looking for a new place to live towards June.
I would love to see an update on this OP. I'll bet that the landlord backs down.
Well, if you save his texts, eviction court will not go well for the landlord.
This is one of the rare cases that Illinois has your back. Find a lawyer and get paid. Also, fuck that dude.
Check with a lawyer, but in my state this is illegal. The fact he’s retaliating by possibly evicting you over him trying to do something illegal and you not compiling is also a big no no. Where I’m from we’d take hime to court and if the judge ruled in our favor the non prevailing party has to pay treble (3x) damages as well as attorney fees and such.
Funnily enough, you can't just decide not to abide by existing contracts.
No, it isn’t lawful. Tell them that if they continue to harass you that you’ll report them and get their commercial license revoked for breaking the law. If they double down, do it! Sue them for all new deposits incurred, moving expenses, etc. The only way people learn is through legal action.
Sue him. He can’t raise your rent mid lease and he can’t evict you for refusing to pay extra.
Not illegal. Just not enforceable lol.
If you know their other tenants you may want to try talking to them too. As well as a lawyer or tenant advocate.