My manager tried to run some game on me telling me it is my responsibility. Why would a tenant pay for this type of procedure and move when their lease is up? I called Kiwi and they quoted me almost $200, and my lease is up in 7 months, and I plan on moving out of this crap.If I pay then I am going to direct the bill to them.My son and I are having allery problems pretty badly, and I know that is why. We have never had such terrible problems until we moved in this community. Can someone give me some advice please!!!!
2006-08-16 04:02:06 · 10 answers · asked by Miss T 2 in Home & Garden ➔ Maintenance & Repairs
Ok for the smart mouth ones. I am no idiot duh I know allergies are flaring up because of seasons and weather, but we wake up coughing up green phlem. My son has been going to the doctor for sinus infections, and this did not start until we started living here.Also I dust one day and the next day or so it looks like I haven't done anything.
2006-08-16 04:36:21 · update #1
Depends on what the lease says. If it says nothing then the landlord's.
He is required to keep the premises in a livable (healthy) state.
2006-08-16 04:07:40 · answer #1 · answered by Anonymous · 2⤊ 0⤋
To begin with, I am a landlord. Second, are you certain your allergy flair-ups are as a result of the duct work?
This is the time of year that ragweed pollen begins to emerge. My wife is going through the same thing right now. A news cast last week said ragweed season is beginning and will be in full force in about a week to ten days, and then be around until it frosts again.
I have never expected my tennants to clean the ductwork. With that being said, I would not hesitate to deduct a specific amount from ones security deposit either, if they never cleaned house and simply relied on the furnace filter and air handling system to catch everything for them. And landlords can tell. Trust me.
I clean the ductwork in my units on an 'as needed' basis. Usually when I am painting inside and the grates and registers come off to paint around them.
It really isn't that big of a deal to do. I use a small vacuum cleaner with all the attachments handy and just go for it. Does it need to be a 100% spotless job? Probably not. It is not a surgical suite. Does reaching down each duct a few feet with a vacuum hose really help. Yes.
Why all the big conflict? I think your landlord was trying to tell you something but neglected to do so in a very diplomatic way.
Good luck with your cleaning.
2006-08-16 04:20:58 · answer #2 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 1⤋
We had that same problem, our townhome was probably built in the 70's. We were disgusted with the dust we were getting. We had a service come out and they wanted $300. We decided to move to another complex which was almost brand new. While it's not as large, it's much cleaner and has really helped.
Yes, ragweed season is kicking in - it's everywhere.
I would NOT pay for vent cleaning - if the landlord won't do it, try to find a place that's newer/cleaner.
If you are going to clean them, then make sure you have a letter of permission from the landlord stating you can do so and that they'll pay. Make sure they approve of the service you wish to hire.
Really, you should not have to do that type of maintenance and pay for it. After all there are years of accumulated dust in those vents. You don' t have to asphalt the driveway or plant bushes, right? Same idea. It's his responsibility to keep the property in reasonable condition.
2006-08-16 04:28:56 · answer #3 · answered by Lake Lover 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Ducts are passive, and cannot generate allergy-producing organisms on their own. Mold requires moisture to grow, and absent of a water leak into the duct system , the source of moisture is the evaporator coil, located in the air handler (inside unit).
If possible, open up the metal panels that cover the air handler (after turning off the breaker) Investigate the interior with a flashlight, looking carefully at the underside of the evaporator coil and the blower wheel. If there is visible fungi (mold) you now have cause to address the issue with your landlord.
There is plenty of precedent to back up a landlord's responsibility for the proper operation of mechanical systems; and by anyone's standards, a mold-ridden a/c is incapable of proper operation. The efficiency is greatly reduced, as well as air flow and dehumidification. Experience tells me that the response from your landlord will be different if you can pin the cause back to the air handler, vs. the ducts.
However, if visible mold is present, and the manager remains intractable, call the health department and advise them of your situation. Things might begin to happen for you very quickly at this point.
2006-08-16 07:49:55 · answer #4 · answered by Elwood Blues 6 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Generally keeping heating/ventilation in good condition is the landlord's responsibility. It should say in your lease though. If it doesn't, try to locate a website for your state that lists the standard lease laws.
I've rented from A LOT of places -- private landlords and professionally managed companies -- and have never seen anything indicating that I'm responsible for air duct maintenance.
Sounds ludicrous to me. Especially when one of the benefits to renting is you shouldn't be responsible for the upkeep of the structure. Beyond keeping your apartment neat/clean, you're generally not responsible for anything.
Did you ask for the air ducts to be cleaned because of your allergy problems and his response was 'sure, you can pay for that.' If that's the case, check the lease for who is responsible for what. If you don't have a lease your state should have laws for what's called a tenant at will.
Don't let him pull one over on you!
2006-08-16 04:22:31 · answer #5 · answered by stimply 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Here's a site where you can go for the laws in your... State... sometimes landlords do not share these laws with the tenants and more or less your left in the dark about your rights.
Every state is different in the ways they make them laws up. There's two sates in the USA that has to this day to pass laws to protect the tenants. http://www.uslandlord.com/ just go to Laws & Statutes and then pick the state you live in theres you laws up-dated at the time you go on this site.
This way its good to know you right unless, some people end up with a bad landlord because... there bluff works most of the time because of lack of knowledge of your rights.
After you have looked at your rights and theirs.
Then you know where you can go as far as taking up for yourself.
If your civil rights has been broking you can call your local...Legal Aid and they will give you the number of a Pro-Bone-O Lawyer the help you in any problems you endure.*
http://www.lawyers.com/ is a site where you can talk to a chat with an attorney live also on there site... you can get a lawyer in your home town if you wish to go that way.
Source(s):
Studied tenant laws
http://www.uslandlord.com/
http://www.lawyers.com/
2006-08-17 04:36:31 · answer #6 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
cleansing is the tenants duty. If the carpets are grimy adequate to warrant steam cleansing, the tenant will pay. If it is purely a remember of the owner putting a shine on before a sparkling tenant strikes in, the owner will pay. it is trouble-free for a landlord to pay a cleansing provider to come again in and sparkling in spite of each and every thing maintenance and fix artwork is carried out. This cleansing does not be the duty of the exiting tenant.
2016-10-02 04:01:47 · answer #7 · answered by ? 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
they should clean it but such a thing you could ask about it before you moved in but i can undersatand that you could not tell this problem before you move in and turn the ac on. so now either you pay for it since they do not want to do it or really move out
2006-08-16 07:36:33 · answer #8 · answered by Rachel 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I think it would be the landlord, it is his property, seems he would want to keep things up
2006-08-16 04:09:34 · answer #9 · answered by cherrygurl 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
more than likely, it is the landlord
2006-08-16 04:08:57 · answer #10 · answered by imreallymesedup 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋