Tenants beware: foreclosure doesn’t just affect homeowners

If you rent a house or apartment, you may not think that the foreclosure crisis that has plagued the U.S. can affect you at all.

If you think that, then you are very wrong.

Across the nation, foreclosures suffered by the owners of properties from rental homes to apartment complexes have been causing massive problems for renters who can find utilities shut off and eviction notices – even if they have what they think are valid leases.

In a story this week in The Miami Herald, these kinds of problems were highlighted in South Florida for renters in everything from apartments to condos.

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As a renter, you need to know your legal rights and be sure to talk with a qualified attorney to be sure that your rights are being represented if your landlord is having financial problems.

In some Florida cases, according to the story, landlords give up on their mortgages and leave town, essentially leaving their tenants to fend for themselves. And for renters, that means big problems when landlord-paid utilities fall into arrears and utilities are shut off even though renters still live in the properties.

“The tenants have become the hidden victims of the foreclosure crisis,” Purvi Shah, a Florida Legal Services attorney, told the newspaper. “There are hundreds of tenants in Miami-Dade County living in really serious conditions.”

These kinds of problems can affect renters in every kind of housing setting, from single-family house rentals to low-income properties to small apartment buildings to larger apartment communities as well as luxury properties.

If you find yourself in a situation as a renter where your landlord is in a foreclosure mess, then it behooves you to take action on your own to protect your own rights and your belongings.

Talk with a qualified attorney who can answer your questions, assist you in getting answers from your landlord and from officials with banks and mortgage companies that are seeking to foreclose on the property in question.

The more you know about your rights, your legal standing and about your responsibilities, the better off you will be.

Yes, you can certainly be affected by the mortgage foreclosure crisis even if you are not a property owner.

The best defense in such a case is a good offense.

Give us a call here at MyPhillyLawyer if we can help you as a renter in such a situation. We will listen, advise you and represent you to fight for your rights.

You don’t have to wade through such a crisis alone. Go in with strong advocates who care and who will stand by your side to make sure you are heard.

When winning matters most, call MyPhillyLawyer.