[fnord_too]

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Some questions (Drew appreciate anything you can add to this):

1) If you sign a lease, and the apartment suddenly becomes almost unlivible, what actions should you take? Particularly if a lawyer would be a huge and near impossible investment? At the moment I am logging all contact dates/times/names, and sending written correspondence but will this help me?



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I think this is the same most places, but in VA, you can call up a city inspector (or maybe they are state employees) and have the place condemned if it is not up to code. If the property is not brought up to code in 30 days, you can go void the lease (you have to go to court to do this I think, but I don't think it is a big deal). A friend of mine did this when he was in college to break a lease.

If it is unlivable for a different reason, you probably have to go to court. If the reasons are something like you cannot live with your roommate for some reason, I think you are SOL. If it is something like your neighbors are disruptive, I have no idea.