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  1. #1
    Join Date
    Jan 2013
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    Default Can a New Landlord Terminate Your Lease Early to Convert to Low Income Housing

    My question involves landlord-tenant law in the State of: Tennessee

    I have a 12 month lease set to expire June of 2016. Recently, my apartment complex has established new ownership. They state they are turning our apartments into low income housing, we make too much to qualify and that they do not have to honor our lease. They have given me 60 days to move out. Is this legal? Can I force them to honor my lease?

  2. #2
    Join Date
    Jan 2006
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    38,867

    Default Re: New Ownership = Eviction

    I have to research it to be able to speak knowledgeably but have they said why they don't have to honor the lease? If they say the law allows them to terminate the lease given the change of usage of the premises, ask them to provide the statute that allows them to terminate existing leases.

    Offhand I don't know if they can or cannot. Some states do allow similar issues to allow the termination of existing leases so it may not be so far fetched but, if they are going to claim they do not have to honor the lease, they should be able to cite law to back them up.

  3. #3
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    Jan 2013
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    Default Re: New Ownership = Eviction

    They said I signed the lease with the previous owners, not them, so they don't have to honor it. If I remember correctly, they bought the establishment in May and I signed a new lease in June.

  4. #4
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    Default Re: New Ownership = Eviction

    Quote Quoting me37043
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    They said I signed the lease with the previous owners, not them, so they don't have to honor it. If I remember correctly, they bought the establishment in May and I signed a new lease in June.
    was this a normal sale or was it the purchase of a foreclosure or anything else other than a typical sale?



    generally speaking, unless your lease states otherwise, they are obligated to honor your lease. I cannot say that with 100% certainty but so far I have not found anything to support a right to terminate by them for anything you have presented so far.

  5. #5
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    Jan 2013
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    Default Re: New Ownership = Eviction

    I am unsure of the sale details due to the office management not knowing.

    I cannot find anything within my lease that states they can do it either.

  6. #6
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    Default Re: New Ownership = Eviction

    If they are arguing that a lease becomes invalid if the premises are sold, they are wrong. Your lease runs with the premises. If they want you out early, they either need to find a basis to evict you for cause, or they need to offer you enough money (or other incentive) that you choose to leave early.

    If they are arguing that they purchased the premises in May, and the person who supposedly renewed the lease the following month was not their agent and had no authority to renew the lease, that's another issue. How did you sign a lease with the former owners in June if they sold the property in May?

  7. #7
    Join Date
    Jan 2013
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    6

    Default Re: New Ownership = Eviction

    They are not arguing that they purchased the premises in May. I'm saying they did because I remember getting a notice on my door about a new owner in May.

    I did find this in my lease....

    Liens or Sales by Lessor:

    This lease is subject and subordinate to all present or future ground or underlying leases, mortgages or deeds of trust affecting the premises and the community entered into by lessor. Resident hereby appoints lessor as attorney-in-fact to execute and deliver any and all necessary documents to evidence such subordination. Foreclosure of any mortgage or any sale of all or any portion of the community shall not constitute a constructive eviction of resident and resident agrees to attorn to the purchases at such foreclosure or sale as if this lease was by and between resident as tenant and such purchaser as landlord. Upon any such foreclosure or sale, lessor shall be released from all obligations hereunder accruing from and after the date of such foreclosure or sale and resident shall look solely to the then owner of the community for the performance of the duties of lessor hereunder, including the return of the total deposits as long as lessor has assigned such total deposits to such purchaser.

    Layman's terms?

  8. #8
    Join Date
    Jun 2015
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    988

    Default Re: New Ownership = Eviction

    Double talk that says the new owner performs duties of lessor..but that you are screwed under terms of lease as to your security if lessor failed to assign them to new buyer ...questionable if a court will uphold that kind of stuff but I didn't read thru your state law on security deposits.

  9. #9
    Join Date
    Mar 2013
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    18,340

    Default Re: Eviction

    Quote Quoting me37043
    View Post
    My question involves landlord-tenant law in the State of: Tennessee

    I have a 12 month lease set to expire June of 2016. Recently, my apartment complex has established new ownership. They state they are turning our apartments into low income housing, we make too much to qualify and that they do not have to honor our lease. They have given me 60 days to move out. Is this legal? Can I force them to honor my lease?
    Try calling the TN Housing Development Agency:

    http://thda.org/

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