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  1. #1
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    Dec 2009
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    Default I Am a Landlord Selling a Duplex, Tenant Isn't Cooperating

    My question involves landlord-tenant law in the State of: My husband and I own a duplex in MI and we have recently listed it for sale and one of the tenants is giving us a hard time, saying she does not have to let people in to view the apt and that it invades her privacy and that she wants to end her lease early.
    What are our rights as a landlord when it comes to showing the house and can she end her lease early legally?

    Any information would be very helpful.

    Thank you.

  2. #2
    Join Date
    Jan 2006
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    38,867

    Default Re: I Am a Landlord Selling a Duplex, Tenant Isn't Cooperating

    what does your lease state concerning the landlords right of access to the unit?

  3. #3
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    Default Re: I Am a Landlord Selling a Duplex, Tenant Isn't Cooperating

    It states we need to give her 24 hrs notice of needing access to the unit.

  4. #4
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    Default Re: I Am a Landlord Selling a Duplex, Tenant Isn't Cooperating

    then you need to give her 24 hours notice as does a RE agent.

    If she does not comply, you have a few actions: evict for violation of the lease; sue her in court to seek an injunction.

    and no, as long as you abide by the state law and the terms of the lease, she has no right to terminate the lease prematurely.

  5. #5
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    Dec 2009
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    Default Re: I Am a Landlord Selling a Duplex, Tenant Isn't Cooperating

    Thank you...do you have any links that I can refer to that will show me that?

  6. #6
    Join Date
    Mar 2008
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    Default Re: I Am a Landlord Selling a Duplex, Tenant Isn't Cooperating

    Quote Quoting JayCole07
    View Post
    My question involves landlord-tenant law in the State of: My husband and I own a duplex in MI and we have recently listed it for sale and one of the tenants is giving us a hard time, saying she does not have to let people in to view the apt and that it invades her privacy and that she wants to end her lease early.
    What are our rights as a landlord when it comes to showing the house and can she end her lease early legally?

    Any information would be very helpful.

    Thank you.
    I'm a landlord, and I've sold and rented properties with tenants in them.

    I also learn from long experience that when tenants are coerced into showing rentals "because it is the law as it is in the lease", tenants often found ingenious ways to fight back.

    I had one guy fighting me tooth and nail, and when finally threatened with legal action he relented, for a rental. However, he turned the place into the most awful looking house you can imagine. After several months of showings, the rental listing agent said she'll no longer waste her time showing it since most propects lost their appetites going through the place, and the place looks worst every week.

    The tenant finally left, on the 1st, I spent a week cleaning and painting it, the place looked spanking new, and I had it rented out by the 15th of the month, by myself, without the rental agent.

    A friend who owns another rental forced a recalcitrant tenant to show the place. The tenant made sure he followed the propects around pointing out all the deficiencies of the place, and complaints he filed with "code enforcement". Told all the buyers that they better be ready to install a new furnace and roof.

    After failing to sell the place, my friend took the place off the market, and showed the place years later, when the price more than doubled. This time, he smartened up, had one unit of the 3 family vacant to show it, with appointments made for the others when the buyer makes a serious offer contingent on seeing the other units.

    He said he didn't need a mad tenant ruining things for him.

    Also, I myself had a bad experience allowing showings while absent. The landlord of my apartment demanded I allow him showing the apartment, and after my attorney reviewed the lease, said my landlord was within his rights. It was at one of these showings that all of my wife's jewelry were stolen.

    My attorney pointed out my lease clearly says that the landlord has the right to show the place once I gave the notice to vacate, and there is no 24 hour notice required once the notice is given, or any requirement that I have to be present. If the landlord is selling the place, then it is usual for a 24 hour notice. When I did it, I done it as a weekend open house, so the tenant has notice days ahead of time, ie. I call and say "hey, there is another open house this weekend".

    I'm a landlord now, but when I request permission from my tenants to show, I ask them as a favor to bring their valuables to a safe deposit box. If they answer that I'm violating their privacy, I just wait till they move.

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