Edwin

City: 
San Jose
Residence Type: 
20 or more units
Landlord Type: 
Private Landlord -- Rent Control

My leasing agent called me at the end of the 12 month lease. He placed a standard 8% increase and offered me to renew the lease for either 6 month or 12 months. I felt pressured. I resisted and said I'm going MTM (month to month). He said they don't offer month to month lease renewals, but he can do a 2 months lease. I said no. He said that they needed a commitment. He wanted to know why I didn't want to renew my lease. I said I didn't want to commit. Then came a different form of pressure - he stated "By signing a lease, the power is with you over us to prevent you from being vacated". I suggested that they give me the standard 60 day notice to vacate if they didn't like my answer of not signing a new lease.
Till date I have received 3 messages on my door and one email requesting lease renewal - I have saved 2 of the paper messages.
Most people renew their leases and lock themselves with no real gain - not even a loyalty discount because they are not aware of the law.
No where on their lease renewal request do they mention that it is not required to renew your lease as you are on a month to month tenancy. Is this form of constant nagging legal?

I guess that how's they raise rents - by locking tenants into a lease renewal.

I read my original lease agreement and it states that the lease goes month to month after the 12 months of lease completed.
I can't find any rental law to prevent this type of misinformation being illegal.

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