I am in real estate so I get calls about things besides the selling of homes. During the last two years I’ve had two friends and one blog reader call me with questions. All three were renting, all three had landlords who at some point had decided not to continue to pay their mortgages.
Two of the three people asked me if they should keep paying their rents to the owners now that they knew that money was not going to the proper parties. I directed each of them to The Cleveland Tenants Associaton (CTO). My suggestion was that they needed to find a legal and reportable way to show they are paying in good faith. I also told them that yes, they may have to move.
Should you start looking as soon as you find out your home is going to be for sale or bank owned? I say yes. The worst case scenario when your landlord loses the home is that not only they are out of a home but you as a renter as well.
Since the phrase ‘forewarned is forearmed’ applies here, I have another blog post I want you to read. The Berkshire Group blog from Colorado has posted really good tips on how to check out a potential landlord. I’m guessing a lot of people do not realize they can do this. Kudos to a great blog post. Also check out the CTO site above.
Another place for answers:
Rental Rights Workshops
Every Wednesday from 5:30 – 7:30 pm, Cheryl Boyer is at Lakewood Christian Service Center, 1412 Marlowe Ave, Lakewood, Ohio, to answer individual questions about landlord – tenant rights and responsibilities.
Peace Out – 3C
0 responses so far ↓
1 Linda Davis // Oct 28, 2007 at 12:16 pm
Excellent point Carole! Biggest problem here is that tenants, besides losing the place they were living, lose their security deposit as well.
2 Carole Cohen // Oct 28, 2007 at 1:11 pm
I’m glad you brought that point up Linda; more reason to check things out ahead of time, thanks.
3 moni // Oct 28, 2007 at 7:45 pm
Excellent post Carole. I’ve seen many tenants lose their deposits as well as the place they called home.
4 Bob Carney // Oct 29, 2007 at 6:37 pm
Whoa, I never thought of that, what a great public service message. Blog Fodder…expect a pingback. I need to look up some info in my area.
5 Carole Cohen // Oct 29, 2007 at 6:56 pm
Moni I have to admit in my renting days it’s not something I thought about but now days it’s important!
Bob I bet Maryland has some of the best tenant rights ‘stuff.’ I’ll be looking for your post!
6 Vali Wimberly // Oct 31, 2007 at 5:50 pm
Carole this is such a great topic and one all renters would want to avoid.
A tenant needs to ‘interview’ the landlord making sure they are signing themselves into a win-win situation!
~ thx for the informative post.
7 Carole Cohen // Oct 31, 2007 at 6:28 pm
Val the ‘informative part’ about this started in Denver
Thanks, it’s something that I bet most renters do not think about.
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