Adding tenant’s partner to lease

[Lisa Montana]

Hey everyone—

Baltimore City landlord here. A tenant is moving her partner into her apartment, and I’m putting both of them on the lease. The tenant has a year-to-year lease that renews every June 1. I would like to keep the June 1 renewal because it’s easier to find a new tenant for June 1 than for August 1. Unfortunately, the date of the new lease offer is today, July 24. So I’d like to offer a 10-month lease that renews year-to-year on June 1. Will this look weird in court, if I have to evict or sue the tenants? I obviously don’t want to do anything that will make my case get thrown out. Thanks in advance for any advice you have.

[Marlon Johnson]

@Lisa Montana I'm not sure about Baltimore eviction laws but I don't think it would cause a problem as long as the length of the lease is spelled out and all parties agree. Of course everything should be properly signed but I've had to evict someone on a year lease as well as someone on a month to month. As I said before I don't know anything about landlording in Baltimore. I'm in KY and 10 month lease may be out of the norm yet it's a signed lease therefore enforceable.