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Long story short...Moved into an apartment on May 1st in Massachusetts.

 
JB Umphrey's Avatar
  • Answered by:JB Umphrey
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Customer Question

Long story short...Moved into an apartment on May 1st in Massachusetts. Signed a year lease. 2 weeks later, landlords went on Vacation to Canada (where they are from) for the summer. Since they have been gone, kitchen sink plumbing has gone bad (the pipes were not done legally and have burst 2x). Oven does not work (1 working burner, Oven itself leaks natural gas because there is a missing pilot light), Electricity has been off multiple times, found out the fuse box is in the downstairs tenants apartment and we cannot access it. This is actually an illegal in-law apartment. Where we are now...We notified landlords via email that we are leaving on Sept 1st (email sent July 17th). We do NOT have an address for them right now for certified mail. They had threatened eviction several times before this be3cause they had "heard" that my boyfriend "yelled" alot. Can I leave Sept 1st without legal penalty? How can I get out of my lease? If the Board of Health comes...am I saved?

 

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State/Country of Question: Massachusetts

Already Tried:
Just need to know how I can get out of this lease (already signed another lease) and not suffer crazy penalties...

Submitted: 1015 days and 3 hours ago.
Category: Legal
Value: $20
Status: CLOSED
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Expert:  JB Umphrey replied 1015 days and 3 hours ago.

Thank you for using JustAnswer!

Yes, you should file a complaint and report the property to Board of Health. Notify your landlord that you are terminating the lease because it is not habitable and list all of the problems with the property. Keep a copy of the e-mail for your records and a copy of the report prepared by the Board of Health. Take photos of the property for your records.

In the event your landlord tries to later sue you for breach of contract, you should have enough evidence to win.

Good luck and best wishes! I hope that you find this information to be helpful and this answer to be ACCEPTable!

Customer replied 1015 days and 3 hours ago.

Hi JB Umphrey- Is this an acceptable answer for Massachusetts?

Accepted Answer

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Expert:  JB Umphrey replied 1015 days and 3 hours ago.

You bet! Slumlords have no rights.

Expert TypeAttorney
Pos. Feedback: 97.8 %
Accepts: 8686
Answered: 8/11/2009

Experience: Explains legal matters based on 14+ years experience.

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