Legal Question in Landlord & Tenant Law in Virginia

I live in Norfolk, VA. My cousin and I are roommates and we signed a lease to an apartment. This cousin is psycho. She is mean. She acts likes a loud drunken toddler when she gets high on her prescriptions meds (which is often). She is always nitpicking on minor things like how often I should sweep (I am willing to sweep once a day but she wants it to be done 4-5 times a day because she has a dog and a cat). I am tired of the screaming and the arguments. Right now, she has a pile of clothing in the house that is caked in her feces because she pooped herself while she was high. To her credit, she put the poopy clothes in a garbage bag under her bed but still...that's crazy. I offered to wash the clothing but she refused to let me do it. I have tried to help her but there can be no help for those who don't feel that they have a problem. I am listed as head of household on the lease. She is listed as "other adult". Right now, I am in some cheap motel because she kept screaming at 3AM in the morning and asking me the same question over and over again. How can I break this lease or boot her out? I shouldn't have to flee my own home for some peace.


Asked on 12/19/16, 11:00 am

1 Answer from Attorneys
Michael Hendrickson Law Office Michael E. Hendrickson

So, supposedly before signing this lease, you had had no opportunity to discover

that this cousin of yours was "psycho" and therefore would be unlikely to

make a compatible leasemate for you? (Unfortunately, your landlord would

most likely find this argument less than compelling and would therefore probably be unwilling to allow you to terminate your lease prematurely or to initiate action to evict your cousin, but, of course, you could always ask and see what s/he has to say about it--if you haven't already done so.)

Read more
Answered on 12/29/16, 3:02 pm


Related Questions & Answers

More Landlord & Tenants questions and answers in Virginia