Apartment lease question

[swissarmykate.livejournal.com]

Hey, I'm subletting an apartment in Medford while I'm out of the country for the semester.
I just received an email alerting me that I have to notify my landlord immediately if I want to renew the lease in June or not.

Considering I'm not even in the country to review my other options, can I be pressured like this to give a decision? I don't have a copy of the lease with me, but this doesn't seem fair.

I do understand the high demand for the apartment, but I'm just wondering how to respond without compromising my living situation.

Comments

[inahandbasket]

You don't have to resign it on the spot, just notify them of your intention to stay on.
And if your lease doesn't have an extension specified, they're perfectly within their rights to simply not renew it, so yes you have to get back to them.

[csbermack.livejournal.com]

It's pretty early for them to ask about june. That's six months from now...

The lease probably says something about two months's warning; that's typical. But landlords vary. You could try talking to them about your situation and ask that you tell them a couple weeks after you return to the country.

[marphod.livejournal.com]

As long as your landlord doesn't otherwise violate the law (with respect to gender/race discrimination and the like), they can choose to renew or not a lease for whatever reasons they feel like, and require you to tell them whenever they want.

Now, 6 months is a long time out, but they may be trying to sell the building and need to be able to tell the new owners about their tenenats and tenants intetions. Or maybe they want to know if they can rent to a relative or whatever.

[treacle-well.livejournal.com]

IME and O, it is a bit early for them to be asking. (Two months is more typical.). I say email back, explain the situation (about being out of the country -- which presumably someone knows because usually you're supposed to let the landlord know when you sublet) and let them know you'd be happy to reply by X date.

As someone else suggested, maybe there's a specific reason for them wanting an answer so early. Probably not a bad idea to ask.

[amethystmoon.livejournal.com]

considering they can't make you sign the lease now, you could always say yes you intend to stay and not worry too much about whether or not you really will.

[kpht.livejournal.com]

that was going to be my suggestion. just let 'em know if you change your mind. you're not held to it, things come up.

stall and ask for more information

[artic-monkeys.livejournal.com]

That is strange because most people don't decide until a couple of months before the lease ends. Explain to them that you are not sure but maybe you could decide or that you need to check a couple of things in order to decide. Stall a little, and ask them why do do they need to know so far in advanced? Explain that their request is kind of unusual. You either going to get some information back that might help, like that the owners will be out of the country a few months and they want to have it all squared away before they leave. Or you are going to find out that they just want you out or that they are trying to get you to sign early to lock you in.

How much time do you have and need to check your options? How long before you are back here? If you have a couple of months to shop, you should be ok. I don't know how great the deal is that you have right now but you might even find something better.