Frequently Asked Questions
My landlord is offering me money to move out. What if I don’t want to move out?
A buyout is when a landlord pays a tenant to move out. Landlords looking to sell their property at a higher profit or looking to get higher rent offer tenants money as an incentive to move out of their rent-controlled unit. Usually this is a bad deal for tenants in the long run no matter how much money your landlord is offering.
A buyout is not an eviction and you do not have to move if you receive a buyout offer. If you do not want to move, write a letter to your landlord that you do not want to give up your tenancy and that you are declining the offer.
What if I want to consider it? What should I be aware of when considering this option?
Before you decide, it is important to consider the following:
- Where will you move? If you are staying in San Francisco or the Bay Area, it is likely that your rent will be much higher after you move out of your unit. You will likely run out of the buyout money in the first year or two. Even with the buyout money, will you be able to afford a higher rent payment for the long term? If you are moving out of the Bay Area, will you be able to adjust to a new environment?
- Always do the math! Consider a bottom-line number for the buyout negotiation based on the current rental market. Compare what you are paying for rent now to what you will pay if you rent elsewhere. Will you lose money in a few years if you move out?
- What if a deal cannot be reached? You do not have to accept a buyout offer. Learn about your rights. Landlords often tend to intimidate tenants to force them out. However, unless your landlord has a valid legal reason to evict you, you have the right to stay in the unit even if a deal cannot be reached.
If you decide to discuss a buyout, make sure your landlord follows the San Francisco Rent Ordinance Guidelines on Buyouts (Topic Number 263). Your landlord is required to submit a Pre-Buyout Disclosure to Tenant and a Pre-Buyout Notice to the San Francisco Rent Board before any buyout discussion. Buyout agreements are required to be filed and registered with the San Francisco Rent Board. Remember you have 45 days to cancel a buyout agreement after signing.
Consider your options thoroughly before agreeing to anything. These negotiations can be complicated, please consult with an attorney who can help with tenant buyout.
Blank Pro Per Letters
- Buyouts Letter No. 2B - If you are willing to have discussions, but want to set ground rules
- Buyouts Letter No. 1B - If you don’t want to have any discussions regarding buyout
我的房東給了我一些資金讓我遷出。如果我不想遷出，應該怎麼辦？
買斷指的是房東向租戶付費讓租戶遷出的情況。想要以更高的利潤售出房產或想要獲得更高租金的房東會向租戶提供資金，以激勵租戶遷出他們的租金管制單元。通常而言，從長期來看，不論您的房東提供多少資金，對於租戶而言，這都不是一筆好的交易。
買斷不是驅離，您在收到買斷要約後並不是必須遷出。如果您不想要遷出，您可以向您的房東寫信，表示您不想放棄租賃以及您要拒絕要約。
如果我想要考慮一下，應該怎麼辦？在考慮這個選擇時，我應該注意哪些問題？
在做決定之前，重要的是要考慮到以下幾點：
- 您將搬到何處？如果您要留在三藩市或灣區，在您遷出您的單元後，您的租金可能比現在高出很多。您可能會在買斷後的第一年或第二年就用光買斷資金。即便還有買斷資金，您又是否能夠長期支付更高的租金？如果您搬出了灣區，您是否能夠適應新的環境？
- 總是做好盤算! 基於當前的租賃市場，考慮好買斷談判的底線數字。對比您現在所支付的租金和您租到別處將需要支付的租金。在您遷出後，您是否會在短短幾年內虧損資金？
- 如果無法達成交易，應該怎麼辦？您並不是必須接受買斷要約。瞭解您的權利。房東通常會恐嚇租戶，以迫使他們遷出。但是，除非您的房東有合法有效的理由去驅逐您，否則，即便無法達成交易，您也有權留在單元中。
如果您決定要討論買斷問題，請確保您的房東遵守三藩市租務條例的買斷指引（主題編號 263）。您的租戶需要在任意買斷討論之前，向三藩市租務委員會提交一份《給租戶的買斷前披露》和一份《買斷前通知》。買斷協議需要向三藩市租務委員會備案和登記。切記，您在簽字後有 45 天的時間取消買斷協議。
在同意任何事項之前，請先徹底考慮您的選擇。談判可能很複雜，請諮詢可以在租戶買 斷方面提供幫助的律師。
The information contained herein is general and not applicable in all cases. For legal advice, please contact the Asian Law Caucus.
本文包含的一般信息並不適用於所有情況。 尋求法律建議，請聯繫亞洲法律聯會。