Landlord lied to vacate the house!!!

[spap008]

Hi Friends,

I have been staying in this condo for 5 years and I just moved out of there a couple months back. I had renewed my contract for the old place in jun2021 for another 2 years for a rent of $2350, an increase of $250 from previous rent. 7 days after renewing the contract, my landlord, his wife and the agent, incidentally who is also his brother, requested for a meetup and so i did. The landlord told me through the agent that his daughter is getting married in mar23, and she still hasnt got her hdb ready because of the covid delays. He requested if i can vacate the house by oct22 so she can come and stay. As i have been staying in the house with no prior issues or demands from the landlord and considering it a genuine situation i immediately agreed for it. The agent immediately wrote it down on a pice of paper the details and got my and owners signature.
I started looking for another house from that day onwards and boy it was a mayhem! People were renting out shitholes for a premium. I couldnt find a suitable place after searching continuously for a couple of months. Me being a fool, already proven, thought the propert market would cool down maybe after another 6 months, so I got the permission from my company to work from overseas (my natives) for 3 months. I told the same to the owner stating how difficult it is to find a house where you dont feel you are being ripped off so i have decided to stay abroad for a few months.
While at my home after a long search i found a propeety back in SG with a high rent ofourse, coz no other choice. I moved in in mid jan23. All this while i had an inkling that i may have been made fool by my previous landlord. Based on that hunch a few days back i went to my previous apartment on the pretext of getting my mails. When i went a different nationality opened the doors, my landlord is chinese btw. So told the guy who i am and what i want. He was kind enough to help me with my mails. While talking to him i started recoding the converstation and i asked him when he moved and how much rent he is paying, ge answered he moved in around end nov and he is paying 4k, double of what my rent was!
I was shocked angry and dissapointed I still am on how the landlord broke my trust and fooled me, conned me. All that mental and physical anguish i had to bear because of him, money apart, was too much. I want him to pay for what he did.
I need your opinion on what should or could i do? Can i sue him? Should i lodge a police complain? Seek legal advise?
Appreciate your suggestion and guidance.

[sundaymorningstaple]

Chalk it up to lesson learned. Move on.

[jalanjalan]

Ouch. Sorry to hear that, but, sue him for what? Unless a contract was breached (and it sounds like you willingly agreed to vacate), there's nothing the landlord is liable for. You mutually agreed to end the lease without penalty. Rental market is nuts right now - in future be very careful what you sign.

[PNGMK]

Never end a lease prematurely without compensation.

[abbby]

Nothing you can do as it's the owner's house and you agreed to vacate early. Agree with PNGMK.

But it's good to leave such landlord, since he/she is just not being honest. I find it hard to deal with dishonest creeps.

[x9200]

Nothing you can do as it's the owner's house and you agreed to vacate early. Agree with PNGMK.

It's called misrepresentation and he can likely sue for damages. He entered a new agreement based on deceitful information/action of the LL. The question is what evidence he can provide. Probably none. Another question, is it worth the effort.

[malcontent]

I once agreed to move out of a company provided apartment in the US on the pretext that a cancer patient needed the place because it had a lift. Looking back, I also should not have agreed so quickly. It was a real pain to move, and the agent who said they would help me move, never did. I probably should have gone back to verify, but I didn’t want to make myself more upset about it.

The lesson: never agree until after you are fully taken care of - words are just words.

In this particular situation, put the onus on the LL and/or agent to find you reasonably close equivalent condo at a price that you are satisfied with, and only agree AFTER everything is completed with a new lease in place.

[Lisafuller]

Hi Friends,

I have been staying in this condo for 5 years and I just moved out of there a couple months back. I had renewed my contract for the old place in jun2021 for another 2 years for a rent of $2350, an increase of $250 from previous rent. 7 days after renewing the contract, my landlord, his wife and the agent, incidentally who is also his brother, requested for a meetup and so i did. The landlord told me through the agent that his daughter is getting married in mar23, and she still hasnt got her hdb ready because of the covid delays. He requested if i can vacate the house by oct22 so she can come and stay. As i have been staying in the house with no prior issues or demands from the landlord and considering it a genuine situation i immediately agreed for it. The agent immediately wrote it down on a pice of paper the details and got my and owners signature.
I started looking for another house from that day onwards and boy it was a mayhem! People were renting out shitholes for a premium. I couldnt find a suitable place after searching continuously for a couple of months. Me being a fool, already proven, thought the propert market would cool down maybe after another 6 months, so I got the permission from my company to work from overseas (my natives) for 3 months. I told the same to the owner stating how difficult it is to find a house where you dont feel you are being ripped off so i have decided to stay abroad for a few months.
While at my home after a long search i found a propeety back in SG with a high rent ofourse, coz no other choice. I moved in in mid jan23. All this while i had an inkling that i may have been made fool by my previous landlord. Based on that hunch a few days back i went to my previous apartment on the pretext of getting my mails. When i went a different nationality opened the doors, my landlord is chinese btw. So told the guy who i am and what i want. He was kind enough to help me with my mails. While talking to him i started recoding the converstation and i asked him when he moved and how much rent he is paying, ge answered he moved in around end nov and he is paying 4k, double of what my rent was!
I was shocked angry and dissapointed I still am on how the landlord broke my trust and fooled me, conned me. All that mental and physical anguish i had to bear because of him, money apart, was too much. I want him to pay for what he did.
I need your opinion on what should or could i do? Can i sue him? Should i lodge a police complain? Seek legal advise?
Appreciate your suggestion and guidance.

Unfortunately, there's nothing you can do. You signed a legally binding agreement. There are some really scummy landlords out there.

[Lisafuller]

I once agreed to move out of a company provided apartment in the US on the pretext that a cancer patient needed the place because it had a lift. Looking back, I also should not have agreed so quickly. It was a real pain to move, and the agent who said they would help me move, never did. I probably should have gone back to verify, but I didn’t want to make myself more upset about it.

The lesson: never agree until after you are fully taken care of - words are just words.

In this particular situation, put the onus on the LL and/or agent to find you reasonably close equivalent condo at a price that you are satisfied with, and only agree AFTER everything is completed with a new lease in place.

I agree. I think it's important to make sure whatever you're signing includes clauses that take care of your needs. Nobody else is obligated to have your best interests at heart but you.

[Lisafuller]

Nothing you can do as it's the owner's house and you agreed to vacate early. Agree with PNGMK.

But it's good to leave such landlord, since he/she is just not being honest. I find it hard to deal with dishonest creeps.

Agree. If they can fool you once, they will have no qualms about doing it again.

[Lisafuller]

Nothing you can do as it's the owner's house and you agreed to vacate early. Agree with PNGMK.

It's called misrepresentation and he can likely sue for damages. He entered a new agreement based on deceitful information/action of the LL. The question is what evidence he can provide. Probably none. Another question, is it worth the effort.

Let's say he wins against the LL. How much could he possibly win?