Tenant Rights

Dear Doctor Dot Connector,

I recently found out that my landlord may be selling our apartment building in a few months. What questions should I ask, and what rights do I have as a renter??

J in Somerville

J in Somerville,

First off, your rights as a tenant vary from state to state, so it makes a difference what state you’re living in. One way to find out what your rights are is to do an internet search for “tenant rights in (the state where you live)”.

Here in Massachusetts, I found the following on the website of the Attorney General:

“If my landlord sells the apartment building I live in, will my written lease continue to be valid?”

“A: Yes, if your landlord sells your apartment building, the new owner would be required to honor your written lease agreement. In most instances, your lease would continue under your new landlord and your former landlord would be required to transfer any security deposit or last month’s rent you gave them to the new owner. Your landlord would not be able to change any of the terms of your original lease agreement, including the amount of rent or your security deposit until your original lease expired.”

-Massachusetts Attorney General’s Office

Aside from knowing your legal rights, there are some critical actions you should take to protect yourself…

Regardless of the law, ask your current Landlord whether the new owner will honor your current lease. Their response may provide you with additional information about the sale, and if there’s any potential sliminess on their part, you may be able to sniff it out before it becomes a problem for you.
If the landlord indicates that the new owner may not honor the lease, contact your state or local tenant advocate for help and clarification of your rights. This could be your state Attorney General’s office, or the offices of the city you live in.
Be prepared to find a new apartment. Start looking now, just in case. Have a backup plan in case the apartment sells faster than expected.

In most cases, the laws favor the tenant in situations like these, and it’s likely that all of this will blow past you without incident. Who knows, you may even be better off with the new owner. There is always wisdom however, in knowing the facts and being prepared.

Here’s to a happy and secure home!

-Doctor Dot-Connector