Landlord won't provide copy of lease

[longrange]

Landlord and I executed lease. At the time, he made excuses as to why copy could not be provided. He still will not provide.
Others have indicated that it is not a valid lease/contract if each party does not have possession of fully-executed lease.
Opinions?

 

[mightymoose]

If you signed it then it is valid... so long as it complies with the law. There is no law against your landlord being a jerk.
Check with a neighbor and see if you can get a copy of theirs. The terms should be the same except maybe for the rent amount.

 

[longrange]

As a personal and professional practice, I like to retain copies of anything that bears my signature. Is there anything that I can do to compel him to produce a copy? a demand letter or some other vehicle?

 

[army judge]

As a personal and professional practice, I like to retain copies of anything that bears my signature. Is there anything that I can do to compel him to produce a copy? a demand letter or some other vehicle?

What makes you think one human (acting legally) can compel another human to do anything?

Only a court can compel people to act or not act!

And, even at that, all a court can do in the end (should one choose not to obey the court's order) is hold you in contempt and fine you or lock you away for a few days!

The time to have ASKED for a copy was at the time you signed the lease.

But, if the landlord isn't willing to give you a copy, maybe he never kept a copy?

Either way, without a lease, you're a month to month tenant.

You can write the landlord a letter and ask him to allow you to make a copy of the document.

All you need is a smartphone with a camera or a digital camera.

Other than that, you'll have to haul him into court and request a judge provide you with relief.

However, the landlord will probably say you never had a lease.

Good luck.