Adding a 3rd person to my lease

[beatle]

A friend of mine and I have been roommates for a year, sharing a 3 bedroom house. He's moving out, my girlfriend has moved in, the landlord raised the rent $100. No big deal thus far, as I didn't expect to have the same rent forever. However, when I told him I wanted to add a third person to the lease, he wants to raise my rent another $100. I pay all utilities, so I don't see how he can raise the rent based on that. I've always paid the rent on time, I keep the house up, and I've not had any complaints.

I've looked online for a law about this, but all I can find is discrimination laws against families. These mention that you cannot be turned down or discriminated against for having more children, provided the number of children is reasonable for the size of the residence.

If I just need to suck up the extra $100 to get a 3rd person on the lease, I'll do it, but it'd be nice to have that extra $$ in my pocket every month.

 

[amdskip]

Is it mentioned in your lease anywhere?

 

[JulesMaximus]

Here's a novel idea, why not ask your landlord?

 

[robothouse77]

Originally posted by: JulesMaximus
Here's a novel idea, why not ask your landlord?

lol

 

[KEV1N]

Well, when it's lease renewal time, the landlord can raise it to whatever. If it's higher than what rent is going for in your area, sure, you can try to argue its fairness.

If you want to rationalize it, maybe you were getting a discounted rate before since you only had 2 people in a 3bd and this new rate is the "actual" rate .

 

[AccruedExpenditure]

Probably has something to do with VTEC

 

[beatle]

I've already asked him about this. We have just signed a lease amendment that removes my old roommate and adds my girlfriend.

There was no mention of a "discounted rate." I've seen some places that do that. When the rent was raised $100 he was specific that it was due to property values (true, they have gone way up) and also inflation.

 

[mcvickj]

If you just signed a lease for X amount how can he legally raise it? Wouldn't that void the lease?

 

[Safeway]

Originally posted by: robothouse77

Originally posted by: JulesMaximus
Here's a novel idea, why not ask your landlord?

lol

Novelty gift?

 

[NuroMancer]

Suck it up. Nothing you can do.

mcvickj - The OP wants to add to the lease, so he wants to change it. Perfectly legal.

By putting them on the lease is it making your payments go down?

 

[shilala]

My leases all have a clause about this.
It goes to traffic.
If I rent an apartment to one person, I've set the rate based on one couple being there. (I assume apartments are not suitable for families in most cases, at least in our area).
If a single guy rents, I can assume there's going to be high impact traffic. That means the place will take a beating that's going to cost me at the end of the lease.
Make it two single guys and the beating will be more severe.
Make it three and I'll probably have to burn the place.
The only reason I'd consider taking the chance is because the first lessee has exhibited that he's a good tenant. I'd accept it on his word and raise the rent. I'd probably never consider tenant number three, but if I did, I'd damn sure raise the rent.
I can't envision a landlord in the world who wants a three single guy scenario in one of his properties. If he does, he's going to be sure he's well compensated for the chance he's taking.
Single guys fvck up houses bad. (Obviously not all the time, but in my experience it's all the time.)

 

[nakedfrog]

I'm pretty sure I've seen a lease before that states different amounts for different number of tenants. I could be wrong. It may suck for you, but he's probably within his rights.

 

[beatle]

I don't know about payments going down for me. My girlfriend is still in school so she's not paying as much as I am. With the rent going up $200, I might be paying about the same as I would if it was just my old roommate and I.

I've read that the landlord can amend the lease, but I've read that some things are not amendable based on certain things. I have a feeling I'll end up just paying the extra $100, but if there was a law against raising the rent based on adding an occupant, I'd want to know.

 

[tm37]

Originally posted by: beatle
I've already asked him about this. We have just signed a lease amendment that removes my old roommate and adds my girlfriend.

There was no mention of a "discounted rate." I've seen some places that do that. When the rent was raised $100 he was specific that it was due to property values (true, they have gone way up) and also inflation.

You are asking him to change the lease (which he is) and he is not only changing the residents he is changing the amount you pay. You have the right to stay with your original contract (with old residents) or sign the new one (with higher rent)

 

[Miramonti]

It can be a requirement that people who live there must be on the lease, and I highly doubt its illegal for him to charge you more. If you want to fight it, you probably have to forget adding a 3rd person.

 

[beatle]

Sounds like it's not worth the trouble if there's no written law about charging different amounts for a different number of people.

Though I wonder, when the apartment was listed at a certain amount, it did not specify the number of people that the amount was good for...

 

[Vette73]

Just let them move in and if he ask, they are guest per you. Not on the lease but still stay there. Kinda like him trying to charge extra to have a girlfriend stay over.

 

[JoeKing]

charge the 3rd person an extra $100 for his share of the rent, problemo solvedo.

 

[HardcoreRobot]

more people = more wear, thats the argument and they usually use it to charge you more