Legal Question in Real Estate Law in Rhode Island

Terminating an apartment lease because of excessive break-ins

I am asking this question for my boyfriend. He was a tenant in a fairly large apartment complex in Rhode Island. Someone broke into his apartment twice! He filed a police report both times. The first time their was no sign of forced entry. The second time the door was damaged as they attempted to break-in through it but they succeeded with breaking through the sliding glass door. Approximatly $4000 worth of items were taken. The apartment complex had agreed to move him to another unit in the same complex or to move him to another complex that they owned. The other complex they owned was about an hour and a half from his job so that was not reasonable. He also did not want to move to an apartment in the same complex because he was afraid the intuders would see his move and just enter the new apartment. One break-in was on a sunday afternoon when he had left the apartment for only a few hours, obviously he was being watched very closely. My question is, should he be able to terminate his lease and receive his deposit back?


Asked on 3/12/03, 4:01 pm

1 Answer from Attorneys

Jules D'Alessandro D'Alessandro & Wright

Re: Terminating an apartment lease because of excessive break-ins

Yes, he should be able to break the lease because the apartment complex is failing to provide a safe habitable apartment for him to live in. The lease is a contract which requires the lessor to comply with minimum housing laws and to provide adquate security when they have been placed on notice that there is a security issue. unfortunately it is not that easy to do this as you have to issue proper termination notices. We can help your boyfriend to terminate the lease correctly.

Jules J. D'Alessandro, Esq.

D'Alessandro Law Associates, Inc.

1515 Smith Street

North Providence, RI 02911

Tel: (401) 353-0440

Fax: (401) 353-0344

E-Mail: [email protected]

Web: www.dlawinc.com

Read more
Answered on 3/12/03, 5:29 pm


Related Questions & Answers

More Real Estate and Real Property questions and answers in Rhode Island