Today in court we met a couple who had so many problems with their apartment complex manager they decided to terminate their lease early. The management company sued the couple for unpaid rent. They tacked on a 40% collection fee, court filing fees and attorney fees per the agreement. Obviously, the couple disputed that they owed the rent due to problems with the apartment. Even though the management company did not dispute the problems with the apartment, they argued that the couple did not comply with applicable state law in making their complaint and ending their lease.
Fortunately, the couple had prepared and filed the appropriate legal documents. Because of this, they were able to reach a settlement agreeable to both sides. Had the couple not filed the appropriate documents, like an answer, responses to discovery requests and initial disclosures, the management company likely would not have settled for that amount and would instead have asked the court for a judgment.
You may have what you think is a completely defensible and reasonable case, but without the proper legal documents, that won’t matter. In addition, if you are considering terminating your lease early for problems with your apartment, you would be wise to consider consulting with a lawyer. A lawyer can help you plan how to leave the apartment without being sued later for unpaid rent.
If you need help with legal documents for your debt collection or eviction lawsuit, check out some of our resources here on DebtBrief. We’ll also soon have a section for attorney referrals who may be able to help you make plans to end your apartment lease early.
