Philadelphia Weekly

REAL ESTATE

When does lease-breaker's rent duty end?

Rent it Right

By Inman News Feed

Add Comment | Comments: 0 | Posted Dec. 8, 2011

With luck, you'll persuade her that business reasons alone point to dropping this obnoxious practice -- fines are likely to be high, especially when the landlord's policy is both long-standing and affects a large number of people.

If reason doesn't prevail, the wise course will be to drop this client. Being charged with a fair housing violation will not only be expensive, but it will sully your reputation and in the end may prove to be much more costly than the value of this particular account.

And don't forget the toll this practice will take on your integrity and your ability to hold your head high. In so many ways, you cannot "afford" to follow this owner's directions.

Janet Portman is an attorney and managing editor at Nolo. She specializes in landlord/tenant law and is co-author of "Every Landlord's Legal Guide" and "Every Tenant's Legal Guide." She can be reached at janet@inman.com.