Legal Question in Real Estate Law in Maryland

Re: changed mind after signing lease

You may have a defense based on the lack of delivery of the acceptance of the contract. The ambiguity in the rent amount will probably be construed to mean $725/mo., as that is clearly the intent of the parties (unless the evidence is to the contrary). But you can argue to the contrary, particularly since the landlord probably drafted it (one rule of interpretation is to construe a contract against the party who drafted it). Or argue that it is void for a fatal ambiguity in such a critical term as the rent. Other than the delivery argument, these theories would likely not prevail in regular court, but you can get away with running them up the flag pole in small claims. The bottom line, though, is that you signed a lease which presumably did not contain language allowing you to back out, and then you breached it. The property mgr. likely did not have authority to accept your rescission, so you are still bound.

Re: changed mind after signing lease

I agree with Mr. Press but would add that you might

want to make an argument based on agency that the

property manager was held out to you to have authority

to rescind the agreement and that you relied to

your detriment on his agreement to rescind, rented

another place (assuming that you did) and that the

rental company should now be estopped from suing you

on breach. Who knows? Might even work...