UNRESPONSIVE LANDLORD?

[Cedric Moore]

My sister is currently in a lease contract with an awful landlord and she wishes to move before her lease contract is up... The landlord lives out of state and is unresponsive to almost all forms of communication and has yet to fix some property issues she's requested on several occasions... Is this breach of contract or what can she do to prove he is not doing his job?

[James DeRoest]

Each state will have it's own rules so you need to check them out.

In Florida for instance, If there are defects in the property that need to be addressed because they affect the habitability of the property, then you send a letter by certified mail and keep the receipts. I believe you can then withhold rent - and if it ever went to court the judge will ask "did you send a certified letter to the landlord?" "Well yes I did your honor" and at that point whatever case the landlord is making is more or less history.

Personally, I'd send the certified letter, withhold the next rent and the Landlord will soon be in contact when he hasn't been paid.