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Can I break my lease if my landlord give my personal information to strangers?

  • I am on Section 8 or HUD. I have not lived in the house I'm renting fo a whole month yet. I have not spoken to my neighbors besides and occasional hi here and there. Now I am having problems with my neighbors, who's names I don't even know, and it's because my landlord has been so kind as to give my personal information to these strangers. I don't want everyone in the neighborhood to know that I am on Section 8 and basically know my business. I am a very private person. When I first got started with Section 8, I knew their was a privacy thing that if I don't want someone to know they don't need to know. I told my landlord of course and that is it. So if anyone in the neighborhood know it's because my landlords have opened their mouths and told them. It's to the point that the landlord denied it and after insisting they gave my information to these stranger they finally admitted to have said something to someone. Right, I knew it all along. Now my issue is not only people knowing I'm on Section 8 but these people have fuel to start their fires. I have two small kids and due with my third next month. I am in no position to get into confrontations with anybody. So because my landlord have volunteered my personal info to these people who already weren't happy to have me in the neighborhood I am now having to deal with problems at my home. I had a woman screaming and cursing at me from across the street because my landlord has giving her the information she needed to get mad with me. I don't know this lady and to have her cursing at me and screaming while my kids are inside my home is completely uncalled for. I would have never had any problems with any neighbor if it wasn't for my landlord. He has made it so that I am uncomfortable in my own home. I already felt like an outsider because the area is all whites and I am of color but now I feel like all eyes are on me every time I leave my front door. I feel like everyone doesn't want me here and I would have never known for a fact that this is the case until now. By him talking to her about me it's like he is condoning the fact that I am different and do not belong in this all white neighborhood. That woman would have never felt comfortable enough to scream and curse at me if he didn't talk to her about me. I check the web and found that in the Tenant Privacy Rights a landlord can not give out personal information about a tenant to strangers unless a bank, creditor or other landlord. She most certainly isn't those. She's just a noisy neighbor who has nothing better to do than stay in her old fashion lifestyle. So after giving you all this information about how my landlord single handily ruined any chance of me making a life here with my kids, I need to know what actions can I take. I need serious answers only. I need to try to get out of this lease and away from all of this negativity. I haven't even been here a whole month I don't know how I can do a whole year with all of this hate. And it's not like I have the person that invited me to the neighborhood(my landlord) on my side. He's creating all the problem and sitting back like I don't know what you're talking about. I am scared of any hate crimes that might occur. I am pregnant I cannot defend myself. How do I get out. Simple as that.

  • Answer:

    No personal information was given out. The fact that he has a section 8 tenant is not only not personal to you, it is his business, and he can talk about his business. Personal information is something like your SSN, your bank account numbers, etc. The law is that those things can not be disclosed, him renting to section 8 is not close to being personal. If you break your lease you will lose your section 8,and that is for life.

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Other answers

1-there is no crime for a landlord to mention that he has section 8 tenants.... 2-keep your legs closed...you can't afford the 2 that you and now we have to pay for another one,,,,we work hard to pay for your stuff.....keep those legs closed tight....

Pari Lee

I won't ask you if your over reacting because obviously this has upset you very much. Whether or not the Landlord violated your civil rights is hard to say, you will need to consult an attorney. Read your lease and see if it has a privacy clause, if the landlord has violated the clause you may be able to terminate the lease and sue for damages. The keyword is damages, damages would be your cost of moving, if you had to pay more rent than you current lease, pain and suffering would more than likely be a no. But also consider people make mistakes and as they said in England in WWII, "loose lips sink ships". If the landlord had rented to section 8 tenants in the past the neighbor may have known, if the property was listed as section 8 tenants welcome before you applied the neighbor may have known. And if the landlord and neighbor are on good terms, it could be a very simple question like, "Hey Mr. Landlord did you get a tenant? Landlord, "Yes", Neighbor, "Did you use the section 8 program?", Landlord "Yes." You have to understand, normally for good or bad section 8 tenants do not have a good reputation. Perhaps by being a good neighbor and just letting things cool down you can prove people wrong. The Bible says do not return evil to evil to no one, let God repay. So getting into a shouting match with a neighbor is not a way to make friends.

NaturesDoctor

Sorry but your wrong. We have a section 8 home in our neighborhood and everyone knows it. What do you think the landlord went around the neighborhood and was telling everyone that he rents to section 8, and who cares everyones taxes is paying for your rent. If your getting tax dollars to pay your rent then all the neighbors should know. If you do not want people to know your on section 8 then get a job and stop having kids you can't afford and get off of welfare.

Appraiser guy

Maybe he only rents to section 8 people and he didn't tell anyone anything. If you are on subsidized housing you can't be too picky where you live but you can try to keep your family safe.

Bill

Someone being on section 8 is no big secret in a neighborhood. Your landlord probably didn't say anything. Theyprobably already have had section 8 neighbors there before.

Ann

Giving away that information without your permission is illegal full stop. You can take legal action and in the process terminate your contract with him.

Peter Salway

You have to ignore those people. I dont think your landlord spread the informatin around the whole neighborhood. They seem to be singling you out because you are not white but that will pass. One month is too little a time to get adjust and things to fall in to place. No, you cant break a lease because landlord talked to other people about you. If you break the lease, you endanger your housing status. Right now people need a scapegoat for their own troubles. Thats human nature under stress. If something does happen to threaten you, then you would have just cause to break your lease and not be penalized with Housing.

Flower

Something is missing here. What on earth would prompt a neighbor to start screaming at you from across the street? Unless this person is mentally ill, there had to be some exchange between the 2 of you. Ask your case worker how to get out of this. I doubt you can. If I remember correctly, when you are on Section 8, you cannot just up and move because you are uncomfortable with your neighbors or surroundings. You have to fulfill the lease or risk losing your voucher. Is this person calling you the N word? Why people tend to pull the race card is beyond me. It's a convenient excuse in this pc society we live in now.

Use Your Noodle

No one has the right to volunteer your personal information, there are laws to protect you from this sort of thing. I don't know if you can break your lease, but its something you can talk to your case worker about, just mention that you are getting harassed by neighbors due to your landlord illegally mentioning personal information about you without your permission. Do NOT do anything to add more fuel to this fire (like yell back, etc), because it could backfire and unfortunately cause more problems for you and your children. I feel awful for you and its obvious your only trying to make a better life for yourself and your children. I wish you the best of luck.

Faery Wings

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