Haunted House Causes Tenants Fright
It’s Halloween and what better topic for today than haunted houses? This question was recently asked at the Texas Association of REALTORS®: “A tenant recently moved into a property I manage and says that the house is haunted. She wants to vacate. What is the best way to address the issue?” While the situation may be frightening to the tenant and one could argue over whether it is indeed a haunted house or not, here in Texas a haunting is not a legal reason to break the lease. While the tenant may break the lease, they may also be responsible for terms set forth under the lease agreement regarding early termination. The best solution would be for the landlord to try and determine what is causing the tenant to think they are living in a haunted house and from there try and remedy the problem. Sometimes what may seem like a haunting has a logical and reasonable explanation. So next time you hear those floorboards creaking late at night, don’t pack your bags to leave just yet…call your landlord first and see if you can find a resolution.
Happy Halloween everyone!
image courtesy of a_marga
I beg to differ. I live in Ohio and my daughter rented a house i the suburbs with her two small children, Jeremey 1 and Heaven 8. Her house has a demon in the walls bang the demons has shown itself to her and eight policemen witnesses the whole things. There should be rights for the tenant, people know when their house is haunted and I fought the landlord for not disclosing that information.
Monisa – every state sets their own laws when it comes to tenant/landlord issues, so what applies here in Texas, may not apply in Ohio. States vary greatly in their protections for both tenants and landlords and some places are definitely seen as more pro-tenant (or pro-landlord). I know from my time living on the East Coast that many states there provide a lot of protections for tenants that we do not have here in Texas. It just all depends on local laws and as with most legal matters, it’s best to consult with an attorney to see what your rights are in your area.
. my daughter and 3 year old child just moved into an apartment in Frankfort Indiana. 2 days ago on good Friday, her 3 year old son awoke from his nap and came to his n
Mommy saying, there is a boy in my bedroom.” 3 year olds don’t lie about such things. The downstairs tenants have implied that the top apartment is haunted and tenants quickly move out. Top apartment is my daughter’s new apartment. The landlord never disclosed this haunting to my daughter. What rights does the tenant, my daughter and grandbaby have. They need to get out fast but need all their money back to afford moving again.
You’d have to check with a local attorney in Indiana. Here in Texas, a haunting is not a legal reason to break a lease, disclosed or not.