Hi. I have schizo-affective disorder. I don't get much sleep. I live in an apartment complex that has 7 apartments. About three nights ago at around 2am I was smoking a cigarette out on the porch and I heard a firework go off. I didn't see it. Yesterday my landlord flagged me down when I was leaving for college and said she saw me light the firework off. I went to tell her I didn't and she said shut up right now. I know that you're girlfriend has been staying with you. That's going to stop. She's allowed here no more than 3 hours a day. There have been complaints from the other tenants that you have been having parties. You're not allowed to have any friends over here AT ALL anymore. And then she said that since my girlfriend was staying that if I don't pay her 25$ extra a month she is going to go to the cops and tell them she saw me light the fire cracker. She said that's attempted arson and I can go to jail. My girlfriend stays the night a lot but she doesn't shower here or anything. She has her own apartment and got a letter of residency signed. I applied for food stamps and I had to have my landlord sign some paper and she also said that if I don't pay the 25$ extra a month she is going to tell the food stamp people that I lied on my application and that there is someone else living here. I don't have partys and I'm real quiet and when my girlfriend is here, we're real quiet. I get nervous around a lot of people. The most I've ever had here was my two friends and they only stayed about an hour. I don't have a lease but I did sign this paper. This is what it reads:
SECURITY DEPOSIT
1. Apartment to be used by tenant only.
ABSOLUTELY NO EXTRAS unless approved by landlord.
2. NO ANIMALS allowed for any reason.
3. Thirty (30) day notice be given to obtain refund of security deposit.
4. Floors must be moped and waxed, carpets shampooed.
5. Stove (including oven & burner wells on stove top), refrigerator and cupboards cleaned.
6. All garbage and trash removed
7. Walls & woodwork are to be cleaned - no hand prints, etc.
8. Bathroom cleaned including sink, shower stall or bath tub, and toilet
9. Absolutely no painting, wallpapering or other changes made in apartment unless done by landlord.
10. No defacing of walls unless approved by landlord. (No nail holes or other marks on walls).
11. Drapes provided by landlord are to be cleaned by landlord. SOME DRAPES CAN NOT BE WASHED!!
Failure to comply with any of the above at any time, security deposit will not be refunded and tenant will be subject to eviction. Absolutely NO EXCEPTIONS made for any reason.
Can she raise my rent like that? Isn't that extortion or black mail or something? I read the Tenants Rights Guide Line by the Attorney General and under the OTHER PROVISIONS sub section APARTMENT SHARING it states:
It is unlawful for a landlord to restrict occupancy of an apartment to the named tenant in the lease or to that tenant and immediate family. When the lease names only one tenant, that tenant may share the apartment with immediate family, one additional occupant and the occupant's dependent children, provided that the tenant or the tenant's spouse occupies the premises as his primary residence.
Does that mean my girlfriend is allowed to stay here with me even though the paper I signed said Apartment to be used by tenant only? Please help and respond quick because she said she'll give me a couple days to decide before she goes to the cops.
Thanks.