Comments on: Can you be released from your house lease if you become handicapped?

By: You asked so...

You asked so... — Sun, 22 Nov 2009 20:47:59 +0000

Talk to your landlord and read your lease. Oh yeah, call Americans with Disability office. If the apartment complex cannot accommodate a wheelchair, you should be able to get out of your lease.

Read the ADA

By: goz1111

goz1111 — Sat, 21 Nov 2009 23:46:45 +0000

What an unfortunate chain of events, in general under the federal ADA the landlord must make reasonable accommodations for disable people, usually the tenant bears the cost, but in your situation it may be immaterial the cost, since access is only through a neighbors yard which can not be maintained in winter, In my opinion since it sounds like it’s impossible for the landlord to deliver the reasonable accommodations since access is dependent on the neighbor you should be able to terminate lease without penalty

If the landlord balks and implies the neighbor is cool with access, explain to neighbor by agreeing to access they are availing themselves to liability for any injuries sustained while crossing their portion

Talk to a lawyer; see if the ADA has a state resource

By: joe

joe — Thu, 19 Nov 2009 21:31:59 +0000

I cannot answer for Kentucky specifically, however there are concepts in the law generally. I would approach your landlord and explain the situation. I would try being nice first. Tell him why you need to break the lease and see what he says. Maybe give him thirty days to find another tenant. Be sure you confirm anything that is discussed in writing.

If he turns out to be an A-hole about it, you might start dropping comments like, your only alternative would be to see a lawyer about what rights you may have under the Americans with Disabilities Act to require the landlord to make the property handicapped accessible…that ought to scare him enough to just let you go.

By: Barry C

Barry C — Wed, 18 Nov 2009 22:12:07 +0000

if the landlord is required to make a place accessible (and they might be, they made a ramp already) they may need to make sure the rest of the path to the sidewalk (or whereever) is accessible too.

including the inside of the place too.