If you are entered into a lease, can a landlord terminate it just because he wants to use the house himself?

We just signed a one year lease on July 15 2006 for a single family home. With no mention from the landlord, 12 days after moving in, we found survey engineers on our front lawn. Six days after this a story appeared in our local paper naming our landlord and how he had obtained zoning to turn our new home into offices for his business. This is a SICK and dirty game to play with a family who has, at least for 18 days, been very happy. There is no telling what this guy is going to do to us in the coming weeks. Does he have the ability to terminate our lease based soley on these selfish reasons?

I could give you all the legal mumbo-jumbo, but I won't. In general when you sign a lease there is NOTHING the landlord can do to force you out, as long as you are abiding by the terms of the lease (pay on time, don't damage the property, etc)

In this case, however, you better read your lease from front to back to see if he put in some special clause giving him/her the right to terminate. For example, "Landlord may terminate lease with 30 days notice in the even that the property is sold..."

So,

1) Read the lease and know your rights.
2) Call your landlord, be friendly, but ask what is going on.
3) Be open to a cash offer to leave; perhaps your landlord will pay all your moving expenses and deposit (plus some extra) to get you out.

Good luck.

It will depend on conditions of your lease, but you described a one year lease was signed....and for that he will have to compensate you. I'd be warry of a "clause" in there somewhere giving him this right. Obviously survey technicians were not ordered after you moved in.

You probably should seek out a real estate attorney for a consult and then feasibly a wrongful action attorney.

You signed the lease for a year.
It is your house for a year unless you break the lease agreement.
If he breaks it ... you sue the hell out of him.

I think you will win if you sue him, but what a shame that it would have to come to that. If you are good renters I would have loved to have you in my house.

Not unless it was specified in the lease that he has first right of refusal. Check with a lawyer. If he tries anything you may be able to sue him over it.

The laws may vary by state, but in general a landlord has to comply with the terms of the lease. There are very few reasons that a lease can be broken.

Find out whether there is a tenants' union in your area, and if so, contact that organization for advice.

my suggestion would be for you to talk to your land lor and ask him/her what is going on so you know where you stand. then go to your local housing authority and pick up a free copy of renters and land lord right. you can also ask them what they know about it. but either way the land lord will have to compensate you. some legal cousil may have to be sought too depending on how things turn out. i'll keep my fingers crossed for you. good luck!!!

whoever breaks the lease agreement has to pay. read your lease carefully. i'm sure atleast he must give you a certain amt of time to vacate, and you might be able to get compensated