Legal Question in Landlord & Tenant Law in Georgia

Landlord/tenent

We leased a home that needed repairs, the rent was reduced due to repairs that we agreed to do. There was no amount of time specified on the lease. We paid first and last months rent and started repairs. We painted entire interior of home, put in carpet, tile, and linolium floors. Replaced windows, and cleaned up yards and inside of home which was extremely dirty. The home had not been lived in for several years. We had not even been there a month when the tax accessors across the street walked over and asked why we were doing this, that the home was going to be tore down for a new courthouse annex to be built there. We contacted the real estate agent who said the owner did not know we had leased the home and had already made arrangements to tear it down. We spent $6,900 on labor and materials plus the rent. We had not even finished repairs, maybe three weeks into our lease when we were asked to stop. The landlord is a very wealthy landowner in our area, and we feel that we should have at least been reimbursed the materials that we had put into this home. Are we entitled to any reimbursment? We only received our first and last months rent back.


Asked on 1/13/07, 9:25 pm

1 Answer from Attorneys
Glenn M. Lyon, Esq. MacGREGOR LYON, LLC, Business Attorneys

Re: Landlord/tenent

First, I am confused on how the owner did not know that you were renting the house from him or her. Second, the wealth of the potential other party has no bearing on their liability. Generally, any improvements made to rental property stays with the property after the tenant leaves without compensation. Sometimes, you can make an equity claim that the landlord has unfairly benefited by the improvements, but in your situation, the house is being torn down. As such, there is no benefit to the owner.

If you would like to discuss any issues further, please feel free to contact my office. My contact information is below. Thank you.

The foregoing is general information only, not specific legal advice. No attorney/client relation has been created or should be implied.

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Answered on 1/26/07, 8:48 am


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