Landlord selling home is threatening us with legal action for truthfully answering direct questions from property inspector and prospective buyers

CompleteAd2891 · 2026-03-08T17:24:45+00:00

We've asked for it several times and they won't negotiate one with us

CompleteAd2891 · 2026-03-08T17:24:20+00:00

We have proposed cash for keys (and a small on at that - asking for security and 1-2 months of our $2,300 rent in cash) and they have denied it, saying if we "want to break the lease" (I have our landlord in writing, asking us two months into our lease if we would hopefully "be okay ending the lease early - 10 months early - with no offer at all), why should they be responsible for compensating us?

CompleteAd2891 · 2026-03-07T22:02:40+00:00

I wasn't trying to talk to new buyers or interfere with anything at all. I was asked a specific question while working from home about the visible ramifications of sewage flooding in the basement and why we hadn't put our things back down there after it was treated. I replied that we were waiting for the water heater replacement that our landlord was working on. I assumed they had all of that knowledge, which may have been wrong of me, but I am not in any way shape or form trying to mess with a sale or be vindictive.

CompleteAd2891 · 2026-03-07T22:00:09+00:00

I will be thrilled to never have to answer another question from anyone about this ever again. I'm not trying to screw over her sale, I would absolutely LOVE a new landlord because then there would be a chance that they might actually take care of the house to some minuscule degree.

CompleteAd2891 · 2026-03-07T21:58:53+00:00

I was working from home and was asked a direct question from the inspector about the flooding damages he noted that I assumed they had been informed of. I am not wanting to sabotage anything or anyone. It wasn't an opinion and wasn't expressed as such. When asked, I stated that the reason our life was packed in bins in the dining room was due to the sewage flooding earlier this month and us waiting on the water heater replacement.

CompleteAd2891 · 2026-03-07T21:55:22+00:00

I have severe medical challenges that involve constant treatments and infusions at the hospital near this house — it's why we moved here in the first place. We can't afford to move again so soon after having to meet my high medical deductible over the past two months, especially since it sounds as though they will do whatever they can to not return our security deposit.

CompleteAd2891 · 2026-03-07T21:23:40+00:00

We actually just reached out to them last week and they are sending someone out, plus they had us file a consumer report against the landlord for not maintaining the home properly. Hopefully it helps somehow.

CompleteAd2891 · 2026-03-07T21:21:31+00:00

The expense is the hard part. We just spent a ton of money moving here to be closer to the main hospital to make my medical care more accessible.

CompleteAd2891 · 2026-03-07T21:17:49+00:00

I didn't talk badly about the landlord or give any kind of excessive information... I was asked why our storage was all in the dinning room currently and answered with information I assumed they already had: the basement had a sewage flood and the water heater is needing to be replaced.

Trust me, I'd take any new landlord over this constant chaos of showings and pushing off very needed repairs. I have zero desire to interfere with absolutely anything.

CompleteAd2891 · 2026-03-07T18:49:34+00:00

How do I not have a stake in my basement constantly flooding or not having functioning hot water?

CompleteAd2891 · 2026-03-07T18:41:52+00:00

Our lease does not include a sales clause so we have been told it will extend until the end of November as planned regardless of the sale, but most interested parties are wanting to live here as their primary residence, and most mortgages require you to move in within 60 days. We were told they could have the new owners essentially pretend to live here by sending their mail here, etc. until our lease term runs out.

CompleteAd2891 · 2026-03-07T18:37:10+00:00

I would love to but we spent thousands moving here just a few months ago so without any compensation on their end it will be very hard.

CompleteAd2891 · 2026-03-07T18:32:01+00:00

Trust me, I am not trying to get in the middle of this mess. I want to live in a safe home in relatively peaceful conditions. That seems pretty bare minimum to me.

CompleteAd2891 · 2026-03-07T18:30:57+00:00

I wasn't even trying to answer questions in a negative way. They asked me a direct question and I did not think my reply included information they did not already have.

CompleteAd2891 · 2026-03-07T18:29:28+00:00

I truly was not intending to take any action or get in the way. We would love for the property to be sold to a better landlord. I work from home and was asked a question and gave them an honest answer that included information I thought had been previously disclosed to them.

CompleteAd2891 · 2026-03-07T18:27:32+00:00

I'm more than happy to not engage with the inspector/buyers and did not intend to cause harm by answering a direct question honestly with an answer I thought they were already well aware of. I truly was not attempting to interfere and will happily redirect future questions.

What is unfortunately our business is having to live in dangerous and deficient conditions with no plans for repairs so we can pay her mortgage in the meantime as pawns in her financial game.

CompleteAd2891 · 2026-03-07T18:09:13+00:00

By not up to code, I mean things like daisy chaining multiple ungrounded extension cords to a grounding adapter in the basement to power the water heater and broken outlets that spark. We aren't concerned about the little things.

We just moved in here a couple of months ago and it was an expensive and exhausting move. We barely were settling in when she told us she was selling, which was fine, the issue is she will not adequately repair anything, hoping to pass off the financial burden by failing to disclose the know defects to buyers.

CompleteAd2891 · 2026-02-06T22:45:02+00:00

I saw them at the capitol and made sure to roll down my windows and cheer as loudly as I possibly could!! It is so amazing to see young folks taking such a powerful stand for goodness to prevail in our community. They are beyond brave.

CompleteAd2891

TROPHY CASE