LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WDRB) -- We have a heads up for anyone who rents an apartment. If you are under a lease, you figure you're protected from rent hikes. 

But that doesn't mean the landlord can't tell you to move out.

Consumer Reporter John Matarese explains this catch so you don't waste your money.

Across the country this year, tenants are getting hit with rent hikes as landlords upgrade their apartments.

But in some cases, the landlord is telling them they have to move out. Is this legal?

Emilia Vinokur is an Ukrainian immigrant who has called a small apartment home for over a decade, until she received a notice telling her to move out in 60 days.

"Please vacate the premises by February 29th," the notice read.

It caught her completely by surprise. 

"What is this about," she said.

But her dated 1960s apartment is about to undergo a major rehab, and the owner needs her out.     

"They don't want anybody on the property, when they renovate, they don't want anybody," Vinokur said.

So can a landlord toss you out if he decides to renovate? We checked the law, and found that if you are under a lease, the landlord needs to move you into another apartment during construction.

But if your lease has ended, and Vinokur's just did, you are at the landlord's mercy.

That's one of the big risks of a month to month lease. Nick Dinardo of Legal Aid Society said in that case, you may need a lawyer's help

"If you have an attorney representing you, like I said, we can get a good outcome for our clients in more than 80% of our cases," Dinardo said. "If you don't have an attorney, the chances of being successful even if you have a good defense are quite low."

We contacted the owners which said "the building needs to be rehabbed. It has not been updated in years. But we are giving tenants double the legally required 30 days to vacate."

The good news is the company tells us it will give Vinokur a little more time to move. 

But that's still not much help to a woman who said she's been a model tenant all these years.

"How tough will it be to pack all this stuff up? It will be tough, very tough," Vinokur said.

Unfortunately if your lease has ended, all a landlord has to give you is 30 days notice. So try to keep that lease renewed so you don't waste your money.

To read more Don't Waste Your Money stories, click here. 

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