The University of California, Riverside School of Public Policy reached out to lawyer Scott Talkov to join a discussion on the options and resources available to students who wish to terminate their leases due to COVID-19. The pandemic has forced the majority of universities nationwide to close off their campuses and re-open their studies online through virtual classrooms. This situation has developed into a larger issue for college students as they’re now stuck paying for rent on a room they’re no longer occupying. Typically, students will rent a college dorm or a house near campus during the school year.
In a turn of events, this housing will now remain largely vacant for the rest of the year as most students will return home. Real estate attorney Scott Talkov shares his expertise on the current real estate climate and provides helpful insights about lease contract breaches in a podcast episode “Can College Students Terminate Apartment Leases?” by UCR School of Public Policy.
- Just because you signed a contract does not mean you are completely confined to the terms. There are various legal defenses available to help you in breaching the contract
- Understand your position of power as an occupant
- Most rental property companies have not ever filed a lawsuit against a non-paying student occupant
These are definitely some important points to consider. Additionally, Talkov Law has written various blog posts on the topic like 12 tricks to tricks to terminate a student lease and a free template for a lease termination letter. These are free resources for college students to help leverage against a difficult situation. Scott was also quoted in The Press-Enterprise article on the same topic.
Real estate legal issues are rarely simple matters to resolve. Therefore, seeking an knowledgeable attorney to help you navigate through the legal landscape is ideally the best thing to do in helping you achieve the best possible outcome in your situation.
The podcast was aired on September 11, 2020. It can be viewed through various links here:
