My landlord is refusing to fix the stairs in the basement, please help.?

Question

I've sent a certified letter to the landlord with names of all the tenants, I've asked him to fix it several times over the phone. I called him up the other day to fix it and I notice he just wrote DO NOT ENTER on the door to the basement instead of fixing anything, but said he would. I am getting fed up with waiting for him to fix it. What should I say to him next? Or should I contact some sort of agency???? He gives me a real attitude when I call him about fixing things.

The fusebox and the switch to the house's heat is in the basement, so I have a right to go down there and he can't just declare it off limits right??? He's just trying to pull some dirty tricks right??? OR am I wrong, I don't know the law, but suppose the power goes out we have to be able to get to the basement.

Answer 1

Go to the blue pages of your phone book and look up the number for your city or township government. Call the number and ask for assistance with your rental regarding a safety violation. Once it's reported, you will probably find a legal way to put your rent in an escrow account until the work is done. Especially effective if the WHOLE BUILDING does the same thing!
But you need to get the gov't on your side and do everything by the book or you could get a black mark on your references.

City government is there to help you.

Answer 2

You may want to look in the phone book for a tenant mediator. They are usually free and represent the renter and will tell you what you can do. If the stairs are making the place un-tenable, you have a right to have the repairs done and deduct it from the rent. This is tricky, though, as you have different state laws for this and you need to document the requests a few times in writing with a deadline to fix the problem and tell him that you are going to fix the problem. Then if you have it fixed, make sure you keep all receipts and invoices for the work done.

Answer 3

Depending on what city you live in, you may get help from Code Enforcement, or some other agency. I remember the City of Chicago helping me with this. I informed them of my landlady not fixing the storm window outside my room (ice was forming in the cracks under the casing, and I was very cold!). They contacted her, and voila' -- her son was fixing the window THE NEXT DAY.

If your municipality doesn't help you, contact a lawyer, and between you, your lawyer, and the other tenants, I think you should be able to solve this.

There's more than one way to skin a cat. I remember that block committee chairmen used to be able to use some pressure on recalcitrant landlords. And otherwise, the mob in some cities helped. But try the legal way first. And remember, this may be providence, giving you a stimulus to seek better lodgings.

Answer 4

You need have a reason why you need to go down the basement - Is there a laundry room there? You could say that when you signed the contract you thought you were paying for the whole house - which includes the basement, obviously. Either way, If anything happens to any of you, he could have a law suit on his hands. Let him know that. I think he would move pretty fast after that.

Answer 5

If there is no particular reason for you to be in the basement of the residence, then it is the landlords right to declare it off limits. You have no recourse. BUT if the washer/dryer is in the basement then you have a legal right of access and the stairs must be kept in a safe condition. There should be a nonprofit tenants rights legal group in your area, call them for the particlars of how to proceed legally. Your remedies will vary state to state.

Answer 6

tell him he works for the tenants and if he does not fix the stairs
then youre going to have to call housing authority (i think thats what their called not totally sure though)

Answer 7

report your landlord to your local health dept. that should take care of problem.

Answer 8

Hire a carpenter he will fix it.