Does Lack of Lead Notice nulify a Lease

[ddrowe]

Does the lack of the EPA's Lead Paint Disclosure for a property that is later discovered to have lead in the water pipes, the tub enamel and flaking paint cause a lease to be null and void? I have read in the EPA documentation that "before a purchaser or lessee is obligated under any contract to purchase or lease target housing, certain requirements must be met." These include the EPA lead paint pamphlet, disclosure of any known lead in the house, etc. I leased a house in western Pa and encountered the above scenario. There were 4 children, 2 teenagers and 2 seven year olds drinking and bathing in that house. Since it was not disclosed or the pamphlet given then the lease should have been void and no obligation exist. We mentioned this and mold to the owner and were told that we were leasing the house, it was our problem. We asked if we could leave he agreed, and then turned around and sued for unpaid lease payments and damages.

Please advise.

Thank you for your time.

 

[Cvillecpm]

Frankly, viewing the age of the home, you SHOULD have assumed that there was lead at the property...just because you did not have a government provided/easily downloadable brochure in your hands BEFORE you agreed to lease the property does not void the lease....and frankly, unless the children have documented medical conditions directly attributable to living at the property, you have ABSOLUTELY NO CASE.

Your landlords wanted you OUT and you failed to get the proper lease cancellation documentation prior to moving