Last week, I signed a lease to move into a new apartment in six months, but was notified today that I lost my job because of the coronavirus pandemic. With the uncertainty of obtaining a new job because of the pandemic (I work in food service), I want to back out of the future lease because I was living paycheck-to-paycheck before losing my job. What are my options to back out and get back my deposit?
Unfortunately, no change in your own financial situation has any impact on your requirement to pay rent or gives you a right to break the lease. Once a lease is signed there is no legal "cooling off" period or period in which you can back out. If you don't occupy the lease, you will be liable for rent until the landlord can re-rent it (which in the current situation will be a LONG time since they probably can't show it very easily). Since this is six months off, you may want to hold off and see if your situation changes, or you may want to notify them of your intent not to honor the lease now. It depends. You won't trigger the landlord's obligation to try and re-rent until you notify them unambiguously of your intent not to honor the lease.
child custody
My neice's ages 15 and 10 are in an abusive situation. Their mother recently married and her husband is verbally abusive. Both children have voiced a desire to come and live with my husband and me. Do we have any chance at all of getting custody or temporary guardianship?
