Expert: Dennis Herman - 3/19/2009

Question
Hi, the house my husband and I rent is about to be foreclosed. I talked to my landlord, she says there's not two much she can do the house is in her husbands name. we tried to quick deed the house she said just let it go into foreclosure. Someone came by the other day to take pictures of the house, We have no idea what to do.Need to know what rights if any. When she told me her husband had not paid the rent and was sending the mother to his mother  I was floored. Help, Help, Help.

Answer
Sorry to hear your situation.  There is not much you can do as a tenant.  If the property was sold you would probably have tenants rights, which means your lease is sold with the building.  This is true in the State of Wisconsin.  Your state may be different.  

But in a foreclosure, the tenants have been moved out.  You should receive some type of notice.  There was talk about a new law that would allow tenants current on rent payments to stay in the property.  I am not sure if this was attached to any of the new bills we have seen passed in the past 2 months.

I would try an Internet search to locate a local tenants rights organization.  A phone call to them may get the answers you are looking for.

Search

tenants rights organization (your city name)

Lots of luck.  Let me know what you find out.