3 Situations in Which You Should Sue Your Landlord

If you're like most people, you want to do your best to get along with everyone, especially your landlord. In an ideal world, you would have a professional and courteous relationship with your landlord where you both hold up your end of your agreement: your landlord supplies you with a safe place to stay, and you pay your rent on time. Unfortunately, sometimes your landlord doesn't hold up their end of the bargain. In this case, you may have to bring a civil suit against them. Here are three reasons you may have to sue your landlord:

1. Your apartment is unsafe.

If your apartment is unsafe due to the fault of your landlord, it is their responsibility to fix it. This means your landlord has to make necessary major repairs in a reasonable time frame. For instance, if your roof or wall is damaged due to a natural disaster, your landlord is required to have it repaired. According to Stimmel Law, if you have to pay for the repair yourself, you may deduct the amount from your rent. If your landlord refuses to let you do so, it may be time to get a civil litigation lawyer involved.

2. Your landlord won't refund your security deposit.

If you left your apartment in pristine condition upon moving out, but your former landlord kept your security deposit, you may have grounds for a civil suit. You will have to be able to prove that your deposit was kept unnecessarily, so make sure to take photographs before moving out of the apartment. Without photos, it's your word against the landlord's, and you may not be able to win a civil suit.

3. Your landlord is attempting to wrongfully evict you.

There are several reasons for which a landlord cannot legally evict you. You cannot be evicted based on your sex, religion, or race. You also cannot be evicted for reporting or suing your landlord for illegal behavior towards you. If your landlord tries to evict you for an illegal reason, you should contact a civil litigation attorney immediately. You will not be evicted for the duration of your case, and if you win the suit, you will be able to continue living in your apartment.

Suing your landlord can sound like an extreme step to take, but it's important that you defend your rights. As a tenant, you are legally entitled to certain things from your landlord, and you should never let your landlord push you around. A civil litigation lawyer can help you by representing you in court. Allow them to exercise their knowledge of civil law on your behalf, so you can come out on top of this situation.

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