Landlord Lease Broken

[Raylene J]

Jurisdiction

California

Good afternoon, I am currently a full time student and work full time. As of May 18th 2019 moved out my school dorm because I will not continue to live on campus due to the increasing rent. On May 1,2019 I contacted this guy who had a room for rent . He had 1 room at $550 and the bigger room at $700. On his ad he stated that everything will have utilities included. The guy contacted me the same day for me to call him so he can get to know me a little before letting me view these two rooms. Everything went will and I was able to view his rooms. When I arrived I told him he I am interested in getting the room for $550 and he stated if I take the bigger room he will not rent the other room to know one and that he is not trying to rent the smaller room. So we calculated everything I gave him my statements , I.d and any other info he would needed to make his mind. I agreed I'm okay with renting out the room but I will need to make two separate payment for thehe deposits and which he viewed all documents and said he will contact me. A week later or so , he contacted stating that if I can come by again. And that he will have the rental agreement ready for me the next time I come. I made it to his home and we went over everything again, he viewed. I explained to him again about the two different payments for the deposit due to some other issues. He agreed and wrote the info on the rental agreement and I was able to sign the agreement after that. When I was finished signing he told me that he rented the smaller room outs that was odd but I said Okay. The same day hours later he called me and said he do not think it went well and believe I did not have my payment in order so he will see if me and the other tenet can switch rooms and will call me in the morning. I wanted the smaller one in the beginning. I'm addition I just said okay I have no other choice it's approx. 2 days before I have to move out my dorm. The next day he text me saying I cannot move in anymore a day before my move out date from school. I explained I signed the lease agreement and he just kept saying good luck I cannot deal with the drama with you blacks. He took a picture of my income, my identification, and I have a copy of my rental agreement. I have now taking out money so I can put my items in a storage facility. Am I able to take this to court.

 

[mightymoose]

Read about fair housing laws in California that restrict landlords from discriminating against possible tenants by race, religion, etc. If you think you have a clear violation and evidence to support it (the text message) you might consider speaking with an attorney to determine what reasonable damages you have. Just because it happened doesn't mean it is with pursuing.

 

[army judge]

Am I able to take this to court.

Maybe.

Your university housing office MIGHT be able to offer you tips, and even direct you as to how to seek a remedy. Start by contacting someone at your university housing office IN PERSON tomorrow!

Once you've done that, all of this other stuff might be unnecessary.

Renting a room can be very unsafe, no matter a person's gender, ethnicity, religious practices, sexual preference, height, weight, age, etc...

A potential lodger has no idea if the person renting you a room is the home owner, squatter, renter himself/herself/itself, murderer, sexual predator, sexual sadist, voyeur, thief, pervert, serial rapist, honest, dishonest, etc ...

California law says a person who rents a room in a house is known as a lodger. Lodgers have many of the same rights as regular tenants, and these rights are governed by the rental agreement that spells out key provisions such as the rental period, who is allowed to live in the room, and how much rent the lodger has to pay. State landlord-tenant laws apply to a room you are renting, regardless of whether you signed a lease.

Tenant's Right to Privacy
An owner who lives in the house has the right to enter the room you are renting at any time of the day or night for any reason. However, the homeowner cannot harass you or take your possessions. A nonresident landlord can only enter your room to make necessary repairs and decorations, to inspect the room, or to show prospective lodgers around at the end of the tenancy. The landlord must give at least a 24-hour advance notice of the entry except in an emergency.

If you live in a house where the owner lives and there are no other lodgers, simplified eviction rules apply. The homeowner can evict you simply by giving written notice of termination equal to the length of the rent payment period, regardless of how long you have lived in the room. For example, if you pay rent each month, then the notice must be a 30-day notice. When the notice period ends, you have no legal right to remain in the owner's house. The owner can ask the police to remove you as a trespasser without initiating eviction proceedings through the court.

These links might be helpful:

File a complaint | DFEH

Obtain a Right to Sue | DFEH

Overview of unlawful housing practices | DFEH