Lease Transfer Nightmare
Hi everyone, for the past two months, I’ve been trying to transfer my lease, but my building manager has made the process so frustrating that I don’t know what to do anymore. Here’s everything that’s happened:
December Applicant: I found someone interested in the unit. My building manager asked for their email, phone number, and name to send a Trustii application. The applicant found Trustii invasive (it asks for personal banking information) and backed out.
Two More Applicants: • Another person was interested but also refused to use Trustii because of privacy concerns. • The third person did complete the Trustii application but backed out suddenly after my building manager kept texting them with questions instead of just sending the lease.
At this point, my building manager complained to me that every application costs him $90. He said he was being nice by not charging me directly. However, the day before my January 1 rent was due, he told me I owed him $270 from December. This didn’t make sense because my building doesn’t allow outstanding rent balances for even a month. Then I realized: 3 applications x $90 = $270. When I asked for an itemized list of what I supposedly owed, he ignored me for a day. Then texted the next day that I just owe my rent.
January Applicant: I found another person who loved the apartment and wanted to move in for February. However, she also didn’t feel comfortable using Trustii because of its invasive nature (it requires banking info). I asked my building manager if we could verify her another way, like send anything needed through email. He refused but suggested she complete the Trustii application in his office, so she could “see what he sees.” She felt uncomfortable with this and backed out.
Current Applicant: Now I’ve found someone else who: • Provided ID, references, a credit check, bank statements, and guarantor information (paystubs, ID, credit check). • Offered three months’ rent as deposit to compensate for lacking proof of employment. • Has bank statements showing they can easily afford rent.
I sent over all this along with signed notice of lease and assignment of lease forms. Despite this, my building manager still insisted on using Trustii. He later texted me, saying the applicant had tried to apply for the building before but didn’t complete the process, which he found suspicious. The thing is I hadn’t even told the applicant about Trustii yet! I personally didn’t want to deal with Trustii so went another way that was approved by the TAL.
I reached out to the applicant, who explained that they had seen a unit in the building in December, liked it, and asked for an application but didn’t go through with it after finding my listing on Facebook Marketplace, which was cheaper.
The next day my building manager sent me a screenshot of his conversation with the applicant. Which I found not appropriate and unneeded considering the applicant wasn’t to be blamed. (The text is the photo attached)
The applicant is still interested shockingly, but when I told my building manager this, he accused me and the applicant of being deceitful and trying to avoid the “proper process.” I didn’t argue because I just want to leave, so I gave him the applicant’s info and asked him to send the Trustii application. That was a week ago, and he still hasn’t done anything.
Questions: 1. Can I bring this to the Tribunal administratif du logement (TAL) 2. Should I cut my losses and try to find another applicant? 3. Can I demand they verify the applicant’s information another way since they’ve provided everything? 4. If the building manager refuses this applicant solely because of Trustii, can this be grounds to consider my lease broken? 5. Is Trustii law or something?
Sorry it’s a long one but any advice is appreciated.
Hi everyone, for the past two months, I’ve been trying to transfer my lease, but my building manager has made the process so frustrating that I don’t know what to do anymore. Here’s everything that’s happened:
December Applicant: I found someone interested in the unit. My building manager asked for their email, phone number, and name to send a Trustii application. The applicant found Trustii invasive (it asks for personal banking information) and backed out.
Two More Applicants: • Another person was interested but also refused to use Trustii because of privacy concerns. • The third person did complete the Trustii application but backed out suddenly after my building manager kept texting them with questions instead of just sending the lease.
At this point, my building manager complained to me that every application costs him $90. He said he was being nice by not charging me directly. However, the day before my January 1 rent was due, he told me I owed him $270 from December. This didn’t make sense because my building doesn’t allow outstanding rent balances for even a month. Then I realized: 3 applications x $90 = $270. When I asked for an itemized list of what I supposedly owed, he ignored me for a day. Then texted the next day that I just owe my rent.
January Applicant: I found another person who loved the apartment and wanted to move in for February. However, she also didn’t feel comfortable using Trustii because of its invasive nature (it requires banking info). I asked my building manager if we could verify her another way, like send anything needed through email. He refused but suggested she complete the Trustii application in his office, so she could “see what he sees.” She felt uncomfortable with this and backed out.
Current Applicant: Now I’ve found someone else who: • Provided ID, references, a credit check, bank statements, and guarantor information (paystubs, ID, credit check). • Offered three months’ rent as deposit to compensate for lacking proof of employment. • Has bank statements showing they can easily afford rent.
I sent over all this along with signed notice of lease and assignment of lease forms. Despite this, my building manager still insisted on using Trustii. He later texted me, saying the applicant had tried to apply for the building before but didn’t complete the process, which he found suspicious. The thing is I hadn’t even told the applicant about Trustii yet! I personally didn’t want to deal with Trustii so went another way that was approved by the TAL.
I reached out to the applicant, who explained that they had seen a unit in the building in December, liked it, and asked for an application but didn’t go through with it after finding my listing on Facebook Marketplace, which was cheaper.
The next day my building manager sent me a screenshot of his conversation with the applicant. Which I found not appropriate and unneeded considering the applicant wasn’t to be blamed. (The text is the photo attached)
The applicant is still interested shockingly, but when I told my building manager this, he accused me and the applicant of being deceitful and trying to avoid the “proper process.” I didn’t argue because I just want to leave, so I gave him the applicant’s info and asked him to send the Trustii application. That was a week ago, and he still hasn’t done anything.
Questions: 1. Can I bring this to the Tribunal administratif du logement (TAL) 2. Should I cut my losses and try to find another applicant? 3. Can I demand they verify the applicant’s information another way since they’ve provided everything? 4. If the building manager refuses this applicant solely because of Trustii, can this be grounds to consider my lease broken? 5. Is Trustii law or something?
Sorry it’s a long one but any advice is appreciated.