Drug dealing/domestic violence neighbors can i get out of my lease?

[slaine]

After we moved into our apartment, a group of people moved in upstairs. They started doing drugs in the apartment (we called the landlord and the police), they started selling drugs on the balcony and the parking lot (we called the landlord and the police), they started having domestic violence disputes within the apartment and on the shared staircase connecting the apartments (we called the landlord and the police.) The police came every time we called and we herd them even threaten to break the door down during one of the domestic violence disputes. We requested that the Landlord evict the tenants due to all this activity and they said no. Now we want them to let us out of our lease because they are not providing safe housing. We read Washington state law and believe this is within the terms of the Landlord - tenant agreement. Please hep us figure out how to get out of our lease as it is not safe here for us, my husband is going to be gone for almost the remainder of our lease training for work. I am 6 months pregnant and have a two and a half year old son. I do not feel safe here and feel I should not have to live in this environment. Thank you in advance.

[culley96]

If you read the state law, and you believe that breaking the lease in this situation is within your rights as a tenant, then I don't know what your question is exactly. If you want confirmation of your legal rights, call an attorney or a tenants rights organization in your state.

[jocheved]

The crimes committed did not happen to you. The landlord is not responsible for the others actions. You have not been harmed, disturbed and worried but not harmed. You have no legal grounds to get out of your lease.

[ashbey15]

Has any of your neighbors actually been charged with drug dealing and domestic violence?

If not, then you have no case because you can't say he's providing you with an unsafe environment because those people haven't actually done anything (that you can prove in court) except be too loud from time to time. The fact that you're still living there doesn't help your case that you feel unsafe living there.

If you really don't feel safe, then break your lease and move. Surely having to pay an extra few months rent is well worth protecting your family right, if it's as unsafe as you claim?

[khalid]

Do you have a lease or not? If you do, then read the lease. If you are asking strangers if your lease includes a clause concerning the neighbors and noise and such, I have no idea. If you are asking if the law prohibits you from entering into a lease that makes no mention of noise, it does not. BTW, the term "quiet enjoyment" has nothing to do with noise or quiet. If refers to claims of others to your home.