Does anyone know the correct procedure when you have a landlord that wont fix anything in your home?

Question

I have been in my rental home for over 2 years and she has yet to fix what she promised. Our heating bill wa over 300.00 for a two bdrm, due to someone installing wrong size entry door before we got there.So there is about 1/2 inch gap around entire door, and the foam stuff does not work, have ants in winter, and I clean everyday with bleach, just a lot of things she promised to do and she has not, can any one help thanks, fed-up tennant

Answer 1

Do you have a rental board in your area ? If you do, I would tell her that if she doesn't fix what she is supposed to,you will call the rental board on her.
In some states or provinces after calling the rental board, you can withold the amount that it takes to fix the problem yourself and give her the balance. (Just make sure that you keep all of your receipts)
I know this is a tough situation because nobody wants to get into a scrap with their landlord. But, if she was a good landlord, she would be taking care of her rental properties.
Hope this helps.

Answer 2

Call the city or the state. Landlords have rules they have to obey. Sewage backing up is a health issue. Start with the health department. Most states have laws that the tenant can get things repaired and deduct the repair from their rent if they made a good faith effort to get the landlord to do it. Make some phone calls and find out the laws where you live.

Answer 3

Landlord’s responsibility for repairs
Before renting a rental unit to a tenant, a
landlord must make the unit fit to live in, or
habitable. Additionally, while the unit is being
rented, the landlord must repair problems
that make the rental unit unfit to live in, or
uninhabitable.
The landlord has this duty to repair because
of a California Supreme Court case, called
Green v. Superior Court,117 which held that all
residential leases and rental agreements contain
an implied warranty of habitability. Under the
“implied warranty of habitability,” the landlord is
legally responsible for repairing conditions that
seriously affect the rental unit’s habitability.118
That is, the landlord must repair substantial
defects in the rental unit and substantial
failures to comply with state and local building
and health codes.11

Answer 4

Move out. Life is no fun with a horrible landlord. Though, it would be nice of you to help stop this cycle before moving. In this situation, law and reality seem at odds. I dont think there is a law that says a door must be caulked, even though logically what you describe sounds bad. Once this happened to me. The lady fixed nothing. It was impossible to get her promises in writing via email. The heater was so old it ran non stop and cost me a bundle in heat bills. Legally though, she was only responsible to keep the appliances, plumbing, and electric items in normal working condition and the premisis in livable condition (not comftorable condition). So, I sent via certified mail a letter stating the sink faucet dripped, the disposer didnt work, the heater was not in normal working condition, etc. I stated this was to follow up my phone messages to her, and that if I did not hear from her I would hire someone to do the repairs and then take the money out of my next rent check. This isnt exactly legal, but it is the only way I have heard of to deal with these slumlords, and is not unethincal I think, personally. Obviously the landlord wont sue you for fixing what legally the landlord is required to fix anyways. Then she called and called, because she is cheap and wanted to fix it herself with a cheap worker. Her cheap worker came, fixed nothing, looked at the heater and said its fine. So, I hired someone to come fix everthing, got two estimates to fix the heater. One was for $2400 for a new one, one was $380 to fix some things. I sent copies to her. She was mad, but hey...she just wants money. I never answered her phone calls again, ha! So, she paid the guy to do the $380 work. I lived out the rest of my lease and then moved. Of course she did not give me my deposit back. For these types of landlords, I will never pay the last months rent again. Instead, send a letter saying I will consider the last months rent my security deposit and if there is anything damaged I would of course send someone to repair it, and to let me know in writing if there are any damages. They have maybe 75 days legally to send it to you in writing. Then, respond that you need estimates and proof from professional companies because these items were not on your own walk through that you saw. Then, if I owe them some damages I just pay them for the damages. Any fake items I just dont pay them for.
Taking them to court is way too stressful and time consuming. Two landlords were so bad I had to move out way before the lease was up. In that case, I found a replacement tenent with a newspaper ad, ran the credit for them to make sure it was decent enough (they can do this themselves for free on the internet), then asked for the deposit check to be written out to me from them. Then, I would cash the check and tell the landlord about their new tenent, give the lease & credit report. The tenent signed the same lease as I did. That totally worked! It just would not be nice to do if it was a sublease where people live together. Good luck!

Answer 5

If there are some things that are code violations you should report them to the city authorities then she will have to do the repairs in a certain time frame or be fined until they are fixed. If she is not in violation with city code then get a new landlord.

Answer 6

first...what do you have in writing? and, have you been paying your rent?

second: call the housing authority in your local area...and, perhaps the board of health...(regarding the ants).

also, keep in mind how much you pay for rent...is the place cheap?...how is the housing market in your area? are rentals hard to find?

I had a landlord...who was a real mean person ...and, I put up with her...because I couldnt find cheaper rental..

so...keep these things in mind...and, do what you need to do...

best wishes

Answer 7

Call and find out the laws in your state..

IN some states you can be evicted if you with hold rent even if there are health hazzards.. I know-- it happened to me..

Pay your rent and take her to court.. take pictures and document everything.. The judge will enforce what he can by law.. If you owe rent that can be grounds for eviction.

Call the health dept and the code inspector.. they will enforce whatever is not up to their standards..

Answer 8

The site listed below gives you a step-by-step guideline and free letters to landlord to get the repairs done. Hope it helps!

Answer 9

You have the right to withhold rent until she fixes it. She may try to evict you, but you are in the right in this instance. You may want to speak to an attorney if you go this route.