Property Manager changes address without proper notice

[howardas]

I've been a resident of a duplex apartment for what will be three years @the end of March 2011. Around February 2009 the property manager, without notice, changed the street address on the property to a totally out of sync number and withing 3 days requested that I sign a new lease with this new address. Well @that time I was in no position to move because of my student status and working part-time. The property manager claims that the builder got the map, box, plot mixed up and that is why the change was needed. BUT there is another duplex 2 houses down with THE SAME ADDRESS! This property has been vacant for the last couple of years until NOW, and someone now resides there for say 1 month. Within the last say 6 months I have had my paycheck stubs returned to sender, bank charges for returned mail, mail returned to family members, a for rent sign in my yard due to someone purchasing the property 2 doors down and confusing the property with where I reside, and now their mail is coming to my house. Not to mention having to put BOTH street numbers (old and new) on business& employment mailing correspondence to make sure I receive it. The light bill is still in the old address! UGH. Ready to move. Can i break my lease due to all of this?

 

[army judge]

Breaking a lease is never easy.
You are being inconvenienced.
But, your issues do not rise to the level where you can break the lease.

You might want to speak with the housing office on your campus. They might be able to offer you some solutions.



You could also speak with an attorney.

If your uni has a law school, see if the law school's legal clinic will assist you.

Check with the local postmaster about the address change.
Landlords are not powerful enough to change addresses.
The postmaster may be able to provide you with some insight about the address change.

 

[howardas]

Thank you...No longer in school. I will speak with the postmaster personally and see what he/she says. Hasn't the contract (lease) technically been broken on their behalf since the address had been changed without warning or proof?

 

[army judge]

Thank you...No longer in school. I will speak with the postmaster personally and see what he/she says. Hasn't the contract (lease) technically been broken on their behalf since the address had been changed without warning or proof?

No.




Remember, you voluntarily signed the new lease.
Had you not done that, a different result might have been possible.

You've only got another few weeks until the current lease expires.




Even if you could sue and win, that wouldn't happen as quick as the end of March arrives. That is now only about ten weeks away.

Why bother?

I'd just ride it out until March 31st.

 

[mightymoose]

Thank you...No longer in school. I will speak with the postmaster personally and see what he/she says. Hasn't the contract (lease) technically been broken on their behalf since the address had been changed without warning or proof?

Your address has not changed. The address is what it is, regardless of what the landlord wants it to be.
Your landlord sounds like a bit of a goof, and as said above, does not have the ability to just change the street number. Just because the landlord put a new number on the house does not mean your address changed. I am surprised the post office hasn't caught on.
For what its worth, I would argue that the new lease you signed is invalid since you don't live at the address on that lease. Your previous lease, which is month to month, should be the active lease.

 

[howardas]

Thanks to you both.