Left high and dry

[blacktigr.livejournal.com]

By our landlady, who apparently wants to move her sister into our place with less than 60 days notice.

Seeking: 2(+?) bedrooms, with cats, somewhere between the Charles and 23 for less than 2100.

Would prefer MBTA-friendly, parking for one car.

Would rather not live in Winter Hill, but am willing to try just about anything at this point, because I've been to Porter, Davis (x2) and Winter Hill realtors who pretty much laughed at me. Also noticed how barren craigs' is at this time of year.

We were told on the 4th that she wants us out by 8/1. I'm not sure this is possible, in a college town.

I'm kinda at my wits' end and I'm trying every avenue I can to search.

Comments

[junesrose.livejournal.com]

I'm sure there has to be some sort of tenant-law protection (I'm not saying this very well, but I hope you get my idea) thingy. I remember years ago (from my then fiance owning a two family house), that the Massachusetts laws favor the tenants. I'm sure there has to be some recourse on your part for not getting enough notice. I know you probably don't have the time, but I would look into this.

I hope that you find something. And I won't say what I think of this landlady.

Wishing you well.

[smacaski.livejournal.com]

Yeah, even if you're tenant-at-will, you have to be given 30 days notice (I think if you have a lease, you have to be given at least 60 days notice of non-renewal, although that might just be custom rather than law). In some cases, I think the landlord can even be required to help pay for your moving expenses. It doesn't help you find a place, but contact a tenant-rights lawyer--they may be able to buy you time or financial compensation.

[blacktigr.livejournal.com]

Thanks. Some of the people I have been talking to have been counseling me to just stay until I find something that works. I would never do so normally, but I am considering this an extreme circumstance.

[vonelftinhaus.livejournal.com]

30 day minimum notice from both from either party is required by Mass law, that is a tenant-at-will type law unless there is a lease/contract that says a specified date otherwise.

[blacktigr.livejournal.com]

You know that, and I know that, but I don't think my landlady knows that. Or if she knows, she doesn't care.

[marphod.livejournal.com]

http://www.masslegalhelp.org/receiving-proper-notice

Unless you have failed to pay rent, you cannot be asked to move out with less than 30 days notice (If you are on a weekly rental or semi-monthly rental, that may be different, but I believe it is 30 days minimum, or the rental period, whichever is longer).

A 30 day notice to quit isn't sufficient to require you to move -- the notice has to be prepared and delivered properly for it to be valid. And even if you've been asked to move, in 30 days, you can contest the eviction.

Which isn't to say you shouldn't try to move out, but you shouldn't sweat it, and you should inform your landlord that their notice was not sufficient, and that you are planning to move out, if and only if you have successfully found housing, by 1st September or 1st October, whichever you feel more comfortable with.

Also, see the above link and think about contacting an attorney. You may qualify for legal aid (application from that link) or you can get a referral for a 25$ consultation through the State Bar Association.

[rhi-chan.livejournal.com]

You can also go to http://www.gbls.org/
They have workshops on Monday with volunteer lawyers to walk you through the paper work and everything. (But you do have to call to set it up.)

Also, monkeygothapartments and queerexchange on fb are great resources right now for apartment searching- a lot of people seem to be wanting to break leases, so are looking for people to take over. It's dried up a little bit, but I have found it more successful and less scammy than craigslist.

[blacktigr.livejournal.com]

I have no doubt you have found it less scammy than craigs. Someone claiming to have moved out of town tried to rent me a space in Central.

[blacktigr.livejournal.com]

Thank you for the resource. I am hoping not to need it, but it is always good to know what's out there.

[rhi-chan.livejournal.com]

You're welcome! Best of luck in finding a new home!

[blacktigr.livejournal.com]

Thanks. I will look into that.

[teko.livejournal.com]

I'd suggest checking out the "roommates needed" ad that was just posted on DS LJ.

[aliothsan.livejournal.com]

Erm, I did indicate that we're looking for a Sept 1 or Oct 1 start date, yes? Yes I did.

Actually, OP, you sound like you'd be a good fit for our situation, and I went and talked to our roomies who are moving out to see if there was a chance they could bump it up to August, but apparently it's no go. (They already closed on their schmancy new house, but the renovation is running behind.)

I don't know from tenant law but I wish you the best of luck, and give us a shout if you end up looking for a Sept or Oct move-in date!

[teko.livejournal.com]

I'm terribly sorry that I didn't properly cross-reference your two ads in my effort to be helpful. Given that the OP was being given advice that they could possibly delay their move-out to your window, and they seemed like a good fit, I figured I'd point it out.

[aliothsan.livejournal.com]

Okay, I could have been less snarky about it, I apologize for that.

[blacktigr.livejournal.com]

Forgive me, but my husband and I are not looking for roommates.

[madrigal.livejournal.com]

I agree with the above commenters about looking into the tenant law. Your landlord did not get you enough notice to move out.

Have you considered East Arlington? We recently left Somerville to move to East Arlington. We're a mile from Davis/Alewife, there's a lot in the area, and a couple of bus routes are nearby. It looks like there are a couple of options in your price range on Craigslist.

[blacktigr.livejournal.com]

I have not, but Arlington normally fills me with dread, as I have a car. For my husband, Arlington may work fine, but I think of it as a place that is stop-and-go.

[madrigal.livejournal.com]

I'm not quite sure what you mean by stop and go. We're on Broadway, just over the Somerville line (I can walk to Stop and Shop on Clarendon in 5 minutes). I drive and there's maybe a small patch of traffic in the morning because of the schools, but it is still faster than what my commute was when I lived in Somerville. I don't really drive unless it is because of work since we usually walk to get to places (spy pond, capitol theater, arlington center).

[blacktigr.livejournal.com]

I worked in Concord for a few months. Trying to get anywhere through the Alewife traffic in a car is terrible. That's mostly what I mean about stop-and-go.

[annalauwa.livejournal.com]

Skip the Alewife traffic and go down Lake St.

[obie119.livejournal.com]

...although if you are in Arlington and have to head west, you can join rt 2 west of Alewife and cut tons of time off your commute. When we moved from Teele Square to Arlington Heights, my husband's commute became SO much shorter and had so much less hassle! Anyway, good luck wherever you go!

Thanks for the tip

[blacktigr.livejournal.com]

I thought I had a good Medford solution, but my husband suddenly decided to up the budget, so now we are looking at loft spaces and such.