What do you do when you have a landlord that does not repair the roof and it leaks, this has been 3 years?

Question

Most of the shingles have blown off and he has been approached 4 times by myself and he still has not done anything. What can I do?

Answer 1

First of all, you do not want to stop paying rent without being advised to do so by an attorney. If you make that choice, your landlord has more rights to evict you. You need to protect your renters rights. There should be a Legal Aid office in your county. Those attorneys do pro bono work to protect renters. You can get legal advice and find out exactly what your rights are and learn the steps you need to take to protect them. The attorneys there can help you file the neccessary paperwork. Best of all, this service is free to you, or based on a sliding scale.

Under most state and local laws, landlords must offer and maintain housing that satisfies basic habitability requirements, such as adequate weatherproofing, available heat, water and electricity, and clean, sanitary, and structurally safe premises.

Local building or housing codes typically set specific standards, such as the minimum requirements for light, ventilation, and electrical wiring. Many cities require the installation of smoke detectors in residential units and specify security measures involving locks and keys.

Your local building or housing authority, and health or fire department, can provide information on local housing codes and penalties for violations.

If a tenant requests repairs and the landlord or property manager doesn't meet the habitability requirements, a tenant usually has several options, depending on the state. What can be done if a landlord won't make repairs?

These options include:

1. Send a letter to the landlord listing all the problems.
2. Ask the local housing inspector to visit and verify problems.
3. Keep a copy of the letter and inspection report.

If repairs aren't made in 14 days, you can file a court action called a rent escrow. In rent escrow, rent is paid to court instead of to the landlord.

It's not a good idea to make the repairs and deduct the cost from rent unless a court order allows you to repair and deduct. These options below will also depend on what the attorney advises as well:

4. withholding the entire rent until the problem is fixed
5. paying less rent while the rental remains substandard
6. calling the local building inspector, who can usually order the landlord to make repairs, or
7. moving out without responsibility for future rent, even in the middle of a lease.
8. A tenant can also sue the landlord for a partial refund of past rent, and in some circumstances can sue for the discomfort, annoyance, and emotional distress caused by the substandard conditions.

Answer 2

Depending on where you live there should be a landlord tenant bureau or office. It is usually funded by the state or province so it is a mediator center. If you are paying rent above board (I mean not under the table for cash and favors), you are in the right and the landlord as someone who takes money from you in good faith has a legal (as well as moral) responsibility to provide a safe and sanitary environment for that money. Now I am a landlord my self and I have always keep things running very smoothly for anyone who has ever rented from me. I have been complimented by every tenant I've ever had. I want to treat people the way I expect to be treated and let them know that I appreciate that they pay rent to me, not the other way around. Now I know I am not the norm and that there are some very disgusting landlords out there, hence the term slumlord. All they want is your money and too bad where you are is substandard, if you don't like it someone else will, etc,etc. It's not right and there are laws to protect you. Please find you local tenant office talk to them get some advice and if he refuses to fix it file a grievance which will order him to fix it. Best of luck, my heart goes out to you :)

Answer 3

Your going to have check check your local laws.

I have a friend who's landlord (I don't remember what the problem was, but he wasn't doing something right) so my friend didn't pay his rent. What's your landlord going to do, evict you...nope. If this has been brought to his attention and he has not taken the proper procedures to ensure this is fixed, then he is not proforming to his legal standards as a landlord and has nothing on you.

You absolutly need to get ahold of someone in your area, even ask a cop on the street if you have to, or go into a police station and ask them about LandLord laws or where you can view them. Either way, I wouldn't pay my rent until it's either fixed, until the repairs are underway or until you have proof that someone is coming to do it. (keep the months rent that you haven't paid though, as you'll have to pay him for those months afterwards I'm sure).

Answer 4

WOW that's a deadbeat. You have two good options: The first is to go to the city, and ask them to do an inspection. He'll have to fix the roof or they'll take him to housing court, and that's not good for a landlord. You can also call your local Tenant's association and aks them for help. You can rent deposit through your city. It's not hard. Go to city hall, ask the info desk where you can do rent depositing. Bring your checkbook and you fill out a form and then pay your rent to the COURT, which will hold it in escrow until the landlord fixes the damn roof.

Answer 5

I would MOVE. If he wont replace the shingles then he wont do any other repairs if something else breaks it sounds like. You need to move asap. Do not sign a new lease. You can just call him every week and tell him he needs to fix the roof and you could also call the attorney general consumer protection office in your state and report them. Or contact the local housing authority.

Answer 6

You have a whay i term "a Slumlord". Notify teh department of housing in your area.

Open an account at a bank and place rent in it. I forget what this is called. Send landlord a letter and reufuse to pay unless he fixes

Answer 7

Turn the other cheek. Continue to pay your rent. Do not complain. Thing of the droplets as pennies from heaven. Signed, Your Landlord

Answer 8

Its wise to get an attorney, but I'm guessing if you've lived in a leaky house for 3 years , it may be difficult to afford one. So i suggest calling your local news station. They usually have a community help type thing where if you let them do a story about it they handle the whole thing for you. Anyway cant hurt to try . Good luck dear.

Answer 9

contact the tenancy tribunal, anonymously if you want at first but if you didnt pay rent they would evict you the same applies for them they will give you all your options and advice on what you can do, but legally he has to fix it it is unsafe and unhealthy.. you need to document this and photo copy all requests ,this will help ,either wway it will be fixed and you may be granted free rent for some period of time. he might get pissed off though!so when does your lease run out and can you get a place elswhere. good luck.

Answer 10

Report him to the housing authority. Look up the Landlord/Tenat Act for you area. Most are available on line.