Legal Question in Landlord & Tenant Law in California

Leasing house - House being sold.

Dear sirs,

I am currently leasing a single family home in Los Angeles,

California. The owner of the house has decided to sell the

house and has already accepted a bid. My lease is supposed

to be good through April, 2004. Am I entitled to relocation

compensation? Also, can the owner just break the lease

whenever they want? Thanks for your time.


Asked on 9/08/03, 11:59 am

2 Answers from Attorneys
Michael Johnson

Re: Leasing house - House being sold.

Your message fails to explain why you think the sale of the house terminates your lease, which is not necessarily the case.

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Answered on 9/08/03, 2:49 pm
Wayne Wisong Wayne Wisong, Attorney at Law

Re: Leasing house - House being sold.

I concur with Mr. Johnson. Unless your landlord has some kind of "escape clause" in the lease covering this situation, he cannot just boot you out before the end of your lease because he wants to sell the house. He can still sell the property in that case, but any buyer would take it subject to the terms of your lease. This is not exactly a "relocation compensation" situation, but if he has no right to terminate your lease early, you have every right to ask him to "buy you out" if he wants you to leave to facilitate the sale. Bascially, that would be a negotiation situation.

Although my offices are in Georgia, I am also a member of the California Bar, so your question was referred to me.

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Answered on 9/08/03, 6:26 pm


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