Redditor Faces Dilemma As Landlord Requests They Temporarily Vacate Apartment To Make Room For Their Visiting Family

"Where on Earth do they expect me to stay?!"

Jesse

• Published in Interesting
• October 30, 2023

The day started just like any other for our narrator (Original Poster) until a message popped up on their phone. One that would send ripples of uncertainty through their world. 

It was a message from their landlord, a name they had known only as a signature on a lease agreement for their basement apartment.

The words on the screen were unexpected and somewhat unsettling. The landlord asked if OP could temporarily vacate their apartment for five days. The reason? To make room for their visiting family. 

The landlord pledged not to charge OP rent during the days of absence and offered them a closet to stash items in the meantime.

On the surface, this request seemed polite enough, maybe even harmless, but let’s face it - it was basically a temporary eviction.  

OP was still a rookie tenant trying to navigate the bustling maze of a new city. They’d only been here a few months and lacked a safety net of friends or family to crash with.

There was a slim chance OP’s upcoming work trip would fall on those very days - that is, if the dice of fate rolled in their favor. But if things didn’t pan out, what then? Staying at a costly hotel was the last thing they wanted to do.

If OP was being completely honest, he didn’t want the deal. So, with a month and three days left until D-day, he turned to the online community seeking counsel on his legal standing concerning the issue.

Let’s dig into the details

OP got a message from their landlord, and it’s a crazy one

OP is confused about how to approach this

Here’s what the Reddit community had to say:

“You have no legal obligation to vacate under these circumstances.“

OP plans to reject their landlord’s bizzare request even if the landlord offers to pay for their hotel

“You do not have to do this legally, BUT if you are on a month to month, the landlord can give you 21 days notice.”

“It's not against the law for them to ask. Unless they offer a hotel room paid in full, and have a plan in writing.”

“Ask for the whole month to be rent free and an additional 200$ per day to find suitable hotel accommodations.”

“Say no. You have no obligation to do that.”

“Kicking you out for several days purely for the landlord's own convenience is unreasonable and a violation of your lease.”

“You could choose to have your landlord get you an AirBnB or VRBO during this time.”

“They are free to ask, you are free to say no.“

Redditors assured OP he was under no legal obligation to accept but advised a tactical approach - for obvious reasons. 

OP should politely decline, explaining that he didn’t have anyone to stay with since he was new in the city. Also, since the cost of hotels outweighed the rent break for those days, it wasn’t practical.

There might be risks of a quit notice if the landlord is a jerk, but it’s definitely worth a shot.

Jesse