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Help! Need advice/attorney. Signed lease, pd dep+1st mo

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Help! Need advice/attorney. Signed lease, pd dep+1st mo

Postby Marie » Wed Jan 29, 2003 5:58 pm

Help.
Need advice and leads to a good/aggressive landlord tenant attorney.

I am in a situation that keeps getting worse. I signed a lease, paid security deposit and 1st months rent. 2 weeks later landlord says I need to pay $1000 more for credit check (which he did prior to lease signing) and his condo board application. Prior to lease signing he said the max cost would be $200 for condo board (its not a coop). When I asked if he would split cost, he said no and that he had someone else that wanted the apartment. Then without further word, he sent me a cancellation of lease notice 2 days letter. After weeks of trying to reach him he left a voicemail saying that if I signed the cancellation agreement (basically giving up all claims to the apt.) he would return all my money. Well, I said okay if we met in person and did a simultaneous exchange of signed cancellation for return of money. For the next 2 1/2 months he continued to avoid all calls to his home and office. I finally told him I would need to contact an attorney if he didn't call me back. Next day, he sues me to keep all the money! (by the way, he is a landlord tenant attorney, so all his legal fees are free).

Does anyone have advice or leads to a good/aggressive attorney?
Marie
 
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Re: Help! Need advice/attorney. Signed lease, pd dep+1st mo

Postby TenantNet » Wed Jan 29, 2003 10:48 pm

Chances are he's a landlord atty (not a LL-T atty). Who is this guy? As for attorneys for you, there are a number of TENANT attorneys that advertise on TenantNet and we suggest you speak to one or more (and don't go with anyone who promises to solve all your problems - you want a fair assessment of the case and your chances. It's hard to comment on your situation but it appears you are not rent regulated so your lease would prevail. Check to see if credit checks/coop applications are charged elsewhere and what is a standard cost. Could be he's shaking you down.
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Re: Help! Need advice/attorney. Signed lease, pd dep+1st mo

Postby Lilly » Sun Feb 16, 2003 8:40 pm

perchance does his last name begin with a K?
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