Tenant Demanding $3000 to move out

[Asia Jones]

I need Help!!! Just a heads up long post.

I had to move for work and was debating on renting my house out. In Jan 2019 I made an agreement with text message proof “not sure if that means anything “ with my cousin that he could stay in the my home and rent it out until 02/01/2019. I hired a property management company and they provided the tenant with the wrong move out date “05/19/2020” on the lease agreement. On my original contact between me and the property management company I set the move out date to be 02/01/2020. I informed the tenant that the date was an error and that it would be updated.

Now fast forward to Dec 2019 and I am listing the house for sale due to unforeseen circumstances. My “tenant” refused to allow the house to be shown and demanded I pay $3000 for him to move out by 1/31/2020. Somehow my realtor sweet talked him and he only allowed the house to be shown on a Friday and Sunday. After few hours he cancelled the rest of the showings for the day and Sunday. Thankfully I got a buyer. I’m set to close on 02/14/2020 with no idea if he is going to move out. I even offered him $1,000 cash for keys and he refused saying that was not enough and he wants $3,000 to move. My PM company did provide him with a 60 day notice that is set to expire 02/19/2020.

My PM company has been trying to contact him for a little over a month with no response. I have been trying to contact him as well and no response. He told my realtor “everyone is getting something out of this but me”.

What should I do? I really could use any advice. Thank you in advance for any help.

[Jon Reed]

@Asia Jones Do you have a signed lease between the PM, yourself, and the tenant? 

If so, and they have the lease until 5/19/2020 then they have all legal right to stay in that property until then or unless you both agree on a different date.

Your only other chance is if the lease has some clause which can be used to terminate the lease.