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Illegal Lockout by Landlord — title issue discovered after closing

Started by confused_freelancer_NC · Jul 18, 2025 · 1,390 views · 19 replies
For informational purposes only. This is not legal advice. Laws vary by jurisdiction. Consult a qualified attorney for advice specific to your situation.
CF
confused_freelancer_NC OP

Quick background on my situation — any input appreciated.

title issue discovered after closing. I've been dealing with this for about 11 weeks now and the situation isn't improving.

I have been renting for 1 years. My monthly rent is $2,677. I have a written lease.

What are my legal options here? Is it worth pursuing?

TL
Mod_TermsLaw Moderator

Licensed attorney — a few thoughts. Here's my take on the legal issues.

This is a common situation and the law is fairly clear. Under your state's security deposit statute, properly documented.

One important thing — there are strict deadlines for filing these claims. Don't wait too long.

PN
Photographer_NYC

Been there. Here's what I learned.

What worked for me was hiring an attorney to send the initial letter. It took 2-4 months but was worth it.

AF
asking_for_friend_worker_today

NAL, but from what I've read, you should document everything. That said, definitely get a lawyer to look at the specifics.

DI
desperate_investor_help

Have you tried reaching out to your state's attorney general? They sometimes have free resources or mediation services.

VA
VCAnalyst_SF

I've seen this play out several times in my field.

In my case, it took about 2-4 months to resolve. The key was hiring an attorney to send the initial letter.

AS
anon_student_2024

Have you tried reaching out to your state's consumer protection office? They sometimes have free resources or mediation services.

WD
worried_dev_question

Following this thread — I'm in a very similar situation. Would love to hear how it turns out.

AF
asking_for_friend_driver_FL

I work in this industry and unfortunately this is very common. The good news is that when people actually push back with legal representation, companies usually settle.

CA
ConsumerAdvocate

I've seen this play out several times in my field.

I ended up having everything documented, which cost about $3-6 but saved me a lot more in the long run.

DN
DataPrivacy_Nerd

I went through almost the exact same thing.

The biggest mistake people make in this situation is having everything documented. I'd recommend keeping a detailed timeline instead.

DN
DataPrivacy_Nerd

I've dealt with this before.

The biggest mistake people make in this situation is escalating to a supervisor/manager. I'd recommend following the formal complaint procedure instead.

CA
CorpCounsel_Amy

I went through almost the exact same thing.

I ended up filing with the appropriate government agency, which cost about $4-8 but saved me a lot more in the long run.

WC
worried_contractor_2026

I work in this industry and unfortunately this is very common. The good news is that when people actually push back with legal representation, companies usually settle.

PJ
Paralegal_Jen

I've dealt with this before.

In my case, it took about 3-6 months to resolve. The key was having everything documented.

TI
throwaway_investor_WA

Following this thread — I'm in a very similar situation. Would love to hear how it turns out.

CM
ContractorMike_CA

I've dealt with this before.

I ended up hiring an attorney to send the initial letter, which cost about $2-4 but saved me a lot more in the long run.

WD
worried_dev_CA

This happened to me too. Have you tried filing a complaint with the relevant agency? In my case they investigated and it got resolved without needing a lawyer.

ND
newbie_driver_GA

I work in this industry and unfortunately this is very common. The good news is that when people actually push back with legal representation, companies usually settle.

TR
TruckerRights_OH

Been there. Here's what I learned.

I ended up escalating to a supervisor/manager, which cost about $1-3 but saved me a lot more in the long run.

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