should I sue my landlord???

Question

My hot water has been leaking in my tub for a week now. I have called her several times but she still hasn't sent anyone to fix it. The problem is that it is running up my electric bill because of my hot water tank always going. This has happened before and it blew up my hot water tank and doubled my electric bill and they should have paid it but they didn't. Even though it was their fault. Do I have the right to sue them for the electric bill or should I just make them fix it and leave it alone?

They are really nice people so I don't want to be mean to them but I need to make it clear to them that I have a child to take care of and I need the hot water to feed her, bathe her, etc. Im already broke so I really can't afford a jacked up electric bill. Should they have to pay it?

Answer 1

If you've given your landlord a chance to address the problem on their own by giving them notice of the problem and at least a week or two to address it, and the landlord still fails to address the problem, then you can go ahead and hire someone to fix it for you and send your landlord the bill or pay for the bill yourself and submit a copy with your rent check with the amount of the repair bill subtracted. If your landlord gives you any hassle, call a lawyer - lots of legal aid centers help with landlord/tenant issues either for free or reduced fee. Be sure to keep a log on any interactions you have with your landlord - write everything down and keep all bills and receipts. This may help you if it ends up going to court. Good luck.

Answer 2

Realistically you really can't sue for such a minor problem. I am not minimizing your plight I am familiar with the law and I am a plumber.There are some very good answers for you on this question.
Basically, if you are on good terms with the owners,give them another call and ask them if you can contact a plumber yourself. It is a time of year when every one is busy. They are most likely no different and are caught up in the times.
If you call a plumber without permission you may be liable for the cost yourself.
Taking them to court will cause hard feelings and eventually lead to your moving because it will be uncomfortable for you there.
Once in court you cannot really prove damages especially since the season increases utility bills. It would be hard to prove them negligent in this case.
One answer said you could turn off the water supply to the hot water when not in use, that is a good idea for now to reduce cost and also reduce the risk of burning out the heating element in the tank.
Best of luck to you

Answer 3

You need to document your average bill and deduct the difference from the rent. Just make sure you have all of your documentation including a utility bill from the same time last year to account for any seasonal differences.
In the mean time you may want to close the valve leading from the water heater into the house at night or whenever you are not using hot water. This will stop the steady flow of hot water and money down the drain.
Or fix it yourself and deduct that amount from the rent. Just remember to document everything.

Answer 4

You could sue them, or put the rent in escrow account, and they could evict you. It's probably just a rubber washer in the valve. Shut the water off at the heater, remove the valve and take it to a hardware store. The clerks there will help you find the correct washer and might even put it in the valve for you. You pay the 50 cents or so, go home and reinstall the valve in the faucet, then turn the water back on. End of problem. PS If you can't do it ask a boyfriend, brother or dad for help.

Answer 5

Contact an attorney. Most will not charge for the first consultation and they can let you know what the local law is. Many times, its not worth the money to hire an attorney.

You could file a small claims case. Make sure you have all documents that prove you called, electric bills, etc. No guarantte, but wont cost much to take them to court. Just be sure to look for another place to live if it does go to court, because, especially if THEY win, your life will become miserable. Good luck

Answer 6

Hi-if the tank blew up before then why are you still there. I don't know where you live but you can call the city building dept. and ask what right do you have and follow the instruction they give you. In some state you must give notice to landlords before you can sue. If your problem is an emergency, call the fire dept. and tell them you're afraid it may blow again. I bet the landlord will repair it faster when the fire dept. comes to their door. If you go to the court system to fix this problem, make sure you have proof of all you claiming, without written notice to your landlord, the courts will see it as he said, she said arguments. good luck

Answer 7

Fix it, pay the bill and submit the invoice and receipt with your rent check. You may or may not deduct this bill from the rent, depending on what your lease says. If it does specify about repairs then it should say something about her timeliness in making them, if it doesn't, you are in the clear. If she wants to make you pay for it then she has to take the initiative, file the papers and lay out some cash to the courts. The bottom line is that you had a functional problem that affected the habitibility of your lodging and you fixed it.

Answer 8

if its been a week, call back and ask when they have it scheduled for. If they dont have it done within the next weeks time frame- put your rent in escrow( an acct at the bank) with a letter to the landlord stating this is where your rent is and it will be paid timely when the hot water is resolved. And a leaking faucet
does not make a hot water heater blow up.

Answer 9

Sue them, at least to get them moving, in small claims court. Make sure you have lots of documentation, like a list of dates you reported it and what was said, photographs, and copies of electric bills showing an increase. With lots of documentation you might win. And you can do that without an attorney,

Answer 10

Put a big sign in your window that says "My landlady doesn't fix my place, and it's costing me money." Even though a lot of people won't care, when your landlord sees it she'll get all freaked out because her place is getting a bad name. Just deduct whatever it cost you up until now from your next rent payment, with a note as to why. Keep all receipts.