Legal Question in Landlord & Tenant Law in Missouri

Recently my fiance ran into an old friend of his family. Coincidentally he was looking for a tenant and we were looking for a place. He owns a rather expensive home that is way out of our price range but has offered us to live there rent free in exchange for cleaning it up to be put on the market. The lease he has written up states that we will be paying 2770 a month for 12 months to be paid before we occupy the premises in the amount of $32400. Him and his father own the home and they both run construction companies in the local area. I have looked them up online and it seems very legit. I wonder if there is more to it though. He does not live there because he is a prior convicted felon and his house was raided. They found a firearm and arrested him on a bad check charge. He was released from jail, but failed to appear in court and was issued a warrant. Basically he is on the run. He said he has had 2 other people stay in the home and the cops have came by looking for him and searching the house. He said to prevent this he is going to have his lawyer fax the lease to the police department to show it is being rented out now. Would this be correct procedure?


Asked on 6/26/10, 10:24 pm

1 Answer from Attorneys
Anthony Smith LawSmith

The more urban a residence is, the more likely teh police will come to the door looking for a former tenant, or law-didging offsite owner. If you rent a residence from a felon, you are not violating the law. If the Police come to the door, and yous show themt eh lease, they will probably go away and change their data base. (that is as long as you and yoru boyfriend do not have outstanding warrants)

Your description of the lease agreement seems confusing. You say that you will be fixing the premises up for sale in exchange for rent, but then you say that the lessor wants you to sign a lease saying you will pay $2770 a month. There is no need for the $2770 lease if ou are doing reparis in lieu of rental payments. Have a lawyer look at the written agreement before you sign it.

As to sending the cops a copy of the lease, there seems to be nothing wrong with doing that. Again, assuming you have no other reason for the cops to be wanting you.

Good luck

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Answered on 7/07/10, 10:40 am


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