breaking a lease in CALI. Need some legal advice.

[tdawg30 10+ year member]

Try to be short here. Moved in on Jan 1st. It is now Feb 21st and we want out of our lease for numerous reasons.

1. No heater, and I know its california but it gets cold and we called the LAHD and they told us there had to be a wall unit in the apartment. LL told us she was gonna give us an electrical heater which wont work because we have dog and cat, both whom move around a bit and would easily knock the heater over.

2. I know roaches arent a huge reason but they are here and they spray for them EVERY MONTH and they are still around

3. Solicitors even though its illegal and the building is secured entrance, wondering how they are getting in and worried for me and my spouse if just anyone can come into the unit.

4. Noisy Neighbors and very filthy hallways with vomit that hasnt been cleaned up in 2 weeks.

Just wondering if we right a letter to the LL and state all of these reasons do we have a legitimate reason to break our lease due to the fact that we have no heat, dont feel safe, and the noise violations if they dont fix the problems within a set amount of time????? Thank you in advance!

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[97gp 5,000+ posts]

Just wait for one of our many lawyers to chime in.

 

[99grandprixGT 5,000+ posts]

do it

 

[tdawg30 10+ year member]

well I know no one here is a lawyer but maybe has delt with such an issue okie dokie.

 

[mcsoul 10+ year member]

I think in Cali there's some kind of arbitrator or government agency that you can

ruin your landlords day with and they will just beg you to leave.

 

[tdawg30 10+ year member]

I think in Cali there's some kind of arbitrator or government agency that you canruin your landlords day with and they will just beg you to leave.

any more info on this please, sounds interesting

 

[Seattle206 10+ year member]

A friend of mine is in the same boat. She's already moved out and living up here but still is stuck in the lease. Curious to see where this thread goes.

 

[mcsoul 10+ year member]

any more info on this please, sounds interesting

All I gots a bad memory and google //content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/laugh.gif.48439b2acf2cfca21620f01e7f77d1e4.gif

 

[tdawg30 10+ year member]

augh......I hope to god I can get out of here, its a shithole, our apartment is nice, but the area sucks and the kids in the complex are relentless to shut the eff up even at like midnight as well as the solicitors.............really worries me that just anyone can get in the building. not the safest area ya know

 

[tdawg30 10+ year member]

you are right but you are forgetting the fact that the heater she offered was not going to cut it, and the handyman kept talkin about not installing a wall unit because the building was too old even though ive seen the wall units in the building on the floor below me. the LAHD requires a wall unit in the complex so I guess what I need to start off doing is writing a complaint about everything that is going on. if she fixes it then we shall stay if not, I will write another letter as well as a complaint to the LAHD for them to come inspect our unit and the no heater if it comes to that and then I believe if the heater has not been installed would be means to break the lease because its a law violation on the part of the LL not getting it fixed.

 

[Flipx99 5,000+ posts]

Hopefully you can complain enough where she allows you to break the lease just to get you the fvck out.

 

[outspoken 10+ year member]

had a similar problem here in san fran, i first talked to a equal housing authority, (non profit outfit that helps low income and people in bad neighborhoods get th help they need, even though i'm not low income they had good information) my landlord was a property management company so it was relatively easy, they didn't want the trouble... i'd start there, maybe do a google search for something similar in l.a. they should be able to help you... you listed some legit reasons imo...

 

[tdawg30 10+ year member]

well the thing is I like the Manager the lady we are talking about, the LL is never around. I just dont want to take it to court because well one $$$$ and 2 I just dont want to waste time like that. I believe that this can be settled without the court room but I just need to have solid reasons and I thought these would be enough.

 

[outspoken 10+ year member]

well the thing is I like the Manager the lady we are talking about, the LL is never around. I just dont want to take it to court because well one $$$$ and 2 I just dont want to waste time like that. I believe that this can be settled without the court room but I just need to have solid reasons and I thought these would be enough.

i never went to court, i started at the housing authority and they represented me with a letter, the management company didn't want to bother after that... if it's a private owner representing itself then maybe they would take it to court. my reasons were basically an unsafe environment, and unruly neighbor, (with a long complaint history with both the landlord and the police, plus i started making complaints, and keeping a log of the c.a.d. #'s) to both me and my daughter... try to find an equal housing place locally and see what they say, it cant hurt...

edit, equal housing legal help is free!

 

[tdawg30 10+ year member]

i never went to court, i started at the housing authority and they represented me with a letter, the management company didn't want to bother after that... if it's a private owner representing itself then maybe they would take it to court. my reasons were basically an unsafe environment, and unruly neighbor, (with a long complaint history with both the landlord and the police, plus i started making complaints, and keeping a log of the c.a.d. #'s) to both me and my daughter... try to find an equal housing place locally and see what they say, it cant hurt...
edit, equal housing legal help is free!

Hey thanks a lot for the info. def going to check it out and let you know what happens. Same as you, I just dont feel safe because of people just coming into the building, there is a code to get in which I dont even know, ive got a key, but I see people hitting like 2 numbers on the key pad and getting into the building and wouldnt take very much for anyone to sit and watch the number sequence to get in. anyhow I just really am unhappy with the place for numerous things and I know it doesnt legally give me the right to break my lease but I will def check into that again thanks man.