questions & answers

Question: I have a month to month lease agreement. This is a room rental in my home that I reside in as well. The lease agreement was basic. The issue is he got involved in drugs. In less then one months time he lost the house keys and both times told me I needed to change the locks. This past time he was arrested and ended up in jail. He voluntarily went into a sober home. I did not offer to give him a replacement key nor denied him access. Just timing and events. He did ask after therapy if he could like with me again. I told him no. I did offer to wash clothes and bring to him. Can he sue me

Answer: Without knowing all the details, it is impossible to say for sure whether or not the tenant has a legal basis on which to sue you – but if he left voluntarily and did not pay his rent during his absence, a court would take that into consideration. However, it is always a good idea for a landlord who has rented out a room in his/her house to a tenant and is not sure whether or not their month-to-month rental agreement has ended to provide that tenant with 30 days written notice. If you are concerned about what you should do in your current situation, you can always contact an attorney. There are links to organizations offering free or low-cost legal services on this website, and the LegalLEARN Helpline toll-free telephone number is 1-866-637-5341.