That 90 day payment term got me evicted from my office space

I was freelancing out of a shared studio in Austin and signed a contract with a new client who pushed for net 90 payment terms. Three months in I hadnt seen a dime and my rent was 2 months overdue. Landlord locked me out on a Tuesday morning while I was mid-call with a vendor. I had to borrow $1200 from a friend just to get back in the next day. Has anyone figured out how to push back on long payment terms without losing the gig?

2 comments

2 Comments

adam41415d ago

Did the landlord actually lock you out legally? In most states they have to give you a notice and wait a certain number of days before they can do that, even if you're behind on rent. It sounds like they broke the rules which might have let you fight it without needing to borrow money. You might want to check your local tenant laws just in case something similar happens again.

aaronroberts11d ago

Dude same thing happened to me in Austin two years ago. Landlord locked me out after I was literally just 10 days late on rent. I didnt know the law either but a friend told me to call the cops and they actually made him let me back in that night. Most states have a whole court process they have to go through first. Even if you owe money they cant just change the locks overnight like that. Its wild how many landlords try to pull that crap hoping people dont know their rights. Definitely worth looking into the local tenant laws in your city next time something sketchy happens. Saved me a ton of headache.