How do I get my landlord to make needed repairs?

Question

My rental is old and in bad shape. My outdated fridge has a funny odor and the freezer wont close and doesn't keep stuff frozen. I've asked my landlord to check on it and they haven't - claiming that the owner wont pay for such a repair - it's been months! Also my walls, floors, door, stairs, exterior, are all questionably up to standard- how do I find out how bad it needs to get before it's a code violation?

Answer 1

You can contact the local Fair Housing Board in your city and file a complaint. You can also go to a local bank and open an escrow account and begin placing your rent money into it each week and show the deposit slip and statement of account to your landlord. You need to also show that the only purpose for the account is to hold the rent monies in escrow until the required and proper repairs are made to the dwelling. The rental agreement or Lease that you have should spell out the agreed upon steps to take to resolve the issues that concern you. The landlord needs to be given reasonable time to make the repairs as well.

Answer 2

First of all, you definitely want to take pictures of what needs repaired. Not so much of the refrigerator but of the structural "failures". Make duplicate copies and send one set to your landlord. If you have kept a record of when you asked for repairs, include that as well. You'll also want to search the web for "(your county) code violations". Some thing like that. You should be able to see right on there what your rights as a tenant are. I would also suggest looking up "tenant rights". I find it very difficult to believe that your landlord is not the owner of the house. That should raise serious questions right there. If the landlord is indeed not the owner of the house/property, I would suggest going straight to the source to resolve the problems. If the repairs are not made, I'm sure you can report them to the building inspector or something like that. I know that's not the best option but there's not a whole lot else you can do. If nothing else works, move. It's not worth the hazzard to your health.

Answer 3

First check your lease to make sure that these things are for sure the landlord's responsiblility. Appliances sometimes are not something that they would be required to maintain. For the other things send a certified letter detailing the repairs that need to be made. State that you will be withholding the rent until repairs are completed. That should get some results, and you are completley within your rights to do so. If that doesn't work, have the repairs done yourself, and submit the bills instead of your rent check. Start small, and you should DEFINATELY get their attention. If that doesn't work, MOVE.

Answer 4

Withhold rent - if you do this, you MUST legally put the rental money in an escrow account and inform him in writing that you're withholding the rent to be paid once the repairs are made - also, document as closely as you can when you've contacted him in the past and send that with the notice so that it's clear you've waited a reasonable amount of time.

Answer 5

first of all I hate to take heed to what you're dealing with. I particular residing house that think ofyou've have been given some form of documentation on the maintenance that mandatory to be made on your place once you first moved in that exchange into signed with the aid of you and the owner. which will take you a protracted way. next you need to look into you state's regulations for landlords. There ought to be some thing you will locate out. All landlords are required with the aid of regulation to maintain on with particular policies for apartment properties and it particular seems such as you need to checklist your landlord for no longer conserving the situation up. the 1st place i could commence is to look at your state's standards for landlords. sturdy success!!!

Answer 6

Send him a CERTIFIED LETTER.

Give him 30 days to fix what ever it is that needs fixed or brought up to code. In the letter indicated that if the repairs are not done by the end of the 30 days, you will take other action by reporting him. As long as you have tried in good faith to get him to repair his property, you notified him in writting and all that. You can request an inspection from the Department of Health and your Insurance company. They will enforce the repairs.

Answer 7

-Check with city hall, find out if there any codes that apply to your situation.
-Send a certified letter to the landlord listing all the problems.
-Ask the local housing inspector to visit and verify problems.
-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.
-Get an attorney

Answer 8

You make the repairs with all the paper work, bills,purchases any thing proving you paid for the things, keep the cost at low prices not like you are gouging him. Then you deduct all those costs from your rent. If he takes you to court for the rent not paid you will win if you have made the repairs at the lowest possible purchase. And if he tries to evict you because of unpaid rent, you will be rent free till you find a place to move to. Good luck

Answer 9

Find out your state's policy on tenant's rights.(usually on your states' government web site) If the fridge was provided by the landlord you can withhold rent until he repairs it or replaces it (@ NO COST TO YOU) - that goes for anything else that's wrong, especially the doors and the stairs.

Answer 10

Put your requests in writing...if after three written attempts (and allowing them reasonable time to try to repair) the problem has not been solved, it is grounds to break a lease. I say look for another place!!

Also check your lease to see if they are being honest about what the landlord is supposed to repair.