Location: Tempe, AZ. I’m an international student living in Arizona, and I’m in a difficult situation with a landlord who is suddenly trying to evict me after I have already paid $1,500.
On July 1st, 2025, I signed a lease for a private room in a shared house in Tempe. The lease was supposed to run from August 1st to December 15th. The landlord offered an option where I could pay $1,500 upfront, which covered a $750 deposit and $750 for the first month of rent. In return, I could move in early and use July as a free month. I have a signed copy of the lease, as well as screenshots of the payment I made via Venmo and the $750 I withdrew in cash.
Within just a week or two of moving in, the landlord started texting me complaints, things like shoes in the hallway, a towel left in the bathroom, water on the floor, and so on. I responded politely, said I was still adjusting, and that I would make sure to fix the issues. I didn’t cause any damage or do anything illegal or dangerous.
Then, out of nowhere, I received a message saying I had opened a window, which he said was against his rule for “energy efficiency,” and that he was terminating the lease. He had told me verbally once that he didn’t want the windows open because of energy concerns. But my room doesn’t get any air circulation. There are air vents in the room, but no air is coming in or going out, and when I keep my door closed for privacy (which I prefer), the room gets extremely hot, usually around 86°F or more. That’s why I assumed I wasn’t breaking any rules when I installed a portable AC with a sealed window vent kit. It doesn’t leave the window open; it just vents through a sealed insert, so I didn’t think it was a problem.
There was no formal written notice, no 5 or 10-day warning, just a text message saying I had to leave, that I shouldn’t take any furniture he let me use, and that he would change the Wi-Fi password and the locks. I’ve been scared and unsure of what I’m supposed to do.
I’m hoping to get my $1,500 back since I didn’t violate anything serious that would justify being kicked out like this, and I’m worried that, as an international student, I’ll get taken advantage of. I don’t have the money for a lawyer, and I’m just trying to figure out if what he’s doing is even legal, especially the sudden lease termination and the threats to change the locks.
I have full documentation of everything: the signed lease, messages, texts, and payment records. Any advice would help.
Comments
He can’t just ask you to leave like that, if you’re a paying tenant. He would have to go through an eviction process.
Get a lawyer now. It means the landlord will have to pay you back and pay your fees too.
You can take this to small claims court as it’s illegal to evict you in AZ without a fault or lease term violations, and even in that case they need to give you a 30 day notice. When it’s a no fault eviction they have to have a reason such as selling the property.
If you have the copies of the lease signed by both you and the landlord they have to uphold their end of the agreement. For more information see here.
It’s understandable if you’re upset by this. One of the most helpful things you can do right now is to understand your rights as a tenant.
Every state in the U.S. has a process that a landlord has to follow if they want to evict a tenant. They can’t just tell you to leave. You can search online for tenant rights in your state. State governments, tenant rights organizations, and law firms often have sites that explain your rights in layman’s terms.
If you’re a student, the school you are attending might offer free legal help for students. It’s worth looking into that.
It is almost certainly illegal for your landlord to change the locks. This is called an illegal eviction or “self-help eviction.” If he does this, you can call the police. The police should come and have a firm conversation with your landlord explaining that he cannot do this. You might want to look up the police “non-emergency” number for your area and have that in your phone. You might also want to keep a copy of your lease on you at all times, either a paper or digital copy.
Even changing the wifi password might be illegal if your lease says that wifi is included.
If you know your rights and let your landlord know that you expect him to follow the law and your lease to the letter, he might back down. Or he might still try to make it unpleasant for you to stay there. If your landlord really wants you to leave, you might offer him a “cash for keys” option, where he pays you some amount of money to leave. This normally includes your full security deposit, any prepaid rent that you won’t be using, any costs that you incur due to moving, and an additional amount to compensate you for the inconvenience of having to move. A starting point for that additional amount might be your first month’s rent at a new place.