Opinion ID: 2973674
Heading Depth: 3
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: Rental Agreement

Text: It is fairly obvious that Plaintiffs and Zinious entered into an oral rental agreement, which allowed Plaintiffs to occupy Augusta House. Section 383.545(11) defines rental agreement as “all agreements, written or oral, . . . embodying the terms and conditions concerning the use and occupancy of a dwelling unit and premises.” Ky. Rev. Stat. Ann. § 383.545(11). In this case, Plaintiffs allege that they had an oral agreement with Mission House to use and occupy Augusta House. Plaintiffs support these allegations with evidence, namely, Plaintiffs’ residency at Augusta House prior to the eviction and Plaintiffs’ payment of rent to Mission House. Moreover, Laura Zinious, the manager of Augusta House, admits that she had an oral agreement with Plaintiffs permitting them to use and occupy Augusta House. Therefore, Defendants’ assertion that no rental agreement existed is unsupported both by Kentucky law and the record. Defendants argue that a rental agreement does not exist because Mission House did not believe that it was entering into a rental agreement and Plaintiffs’ “unilateral expectation” is insufficient to create a contract or agreement. This argument runs contrary to the facts. Zinious admits that she agreed to allow Plaintiffs’ to use and occupy Augusta House. Moreover, whether Zinious considered the agreement to constitute a “rental agreement” misses the point. Whether the operative terms and understandings between the parties to the agreement constituted a rental agreement under the applicable law involves a legal determination. Factually, in the instant case, Zinious admitted the agreement embodied certain terms, which rendered it a rental agreement under Kentucky law.