Legal Question in Real Estate Law in Maryland

Breaking the lease due to harrassment by roommate

My roommate and I are 5 months into our 15 month lease and I desperately need to get out! She has been having mood swings lately making it unbearable to live with her. She leaves notes for me, cussing me out in them. She took all of her furniture, basically the entire living room, and moved it to one side of the room, packed into a corner. Yesterday, she came home and turned the water off while I was in the shower, then left. I recently ran into an old friend of hers who testified to her being crazy and warned me of a time when her and her mother tried to poison her old boyfriend. Now I live with my bedroom door locked at all times. I need to get out because I honestly do not feel safe in my own home. I am afraid to come out of my bedroom and also afraid to come home after work. I was told the only way to break the lease without cost was to file for an ex-parte order, however that is only if we were married or had children together. Is there another way to get out? Also, if I have to file some sort of legal action against her, what exactly do I do and what proof do I need? Please save me from having a nervous breakdown!


Asked on 6/01/01, 11:50 am

1 Answer from Attorneys
Robert Sher Wagshal and Sher

Re: Breaking the lease due to harrassment by roommate

You have a difficult situation if you're on a long term lease, as the landlord is unlikely to let you out of it unless you find a replacement tenant. It doesn't sound like your roommate will be willing to leave. The police are unlikely to get involved unless she assaults you or at least threatens you overtly with bodily harm.

If you're not on a lease, try giving the landlord 30 days' notice and hope he/she doesn't pursue you if the roommate doesn't pay the rent.

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Answered on 6/27/01, 5:19 pm


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