How to get my landlord to replace my A/C?

Question

Soo the airconditioners are supplied with the apartment....i'm not allowed to put it my own.

When i moved into my apartment in august it didn't work. Well, it turns on, but doesn't cool....just sucks the air from outside and blows it in. I notified the real estate company...told them it turns on just doesn't cool....later when i came back into my room, the a/c was on. I knew someone had come to look at it....still didn't work.

I gave them a week, figured they decided they couldn't fix it and was going to get a replacement. Well a week later called back...same story as above.

Started to cool down..sorta forgot about it. In november i had a problem and the maintenance man came....i mentioned the a/c. He said the previous tenants complained and he put in an order for a new unit..... He took note and said he'd let them know, but htey probalby won't do anything until it gets warmer.

Called in in april, may...1 week ago. Still no new a/c.

I'm not much of a complainer, but it was 65 degrees outside last night. I had every window open and my room stayed at about 80 until 6 am. I've been sleeping only 3 hours a night, then napping in a friends room for a few hours during the day.

Anyway that i can convince this them that 10 months is an aweful long time to wait for a new a/c??

I was thinking about sending a letter in with my rent check saying that i'm going to purchase my own a/c and will deduct it from next month's rent....hoping they'll expect i buy something expensive and will saddle up and install something they find more reasonable.

hmm...yeah the empty unit thing won't work. Leases here are alll. august to august. Even if someone isn't in their room, its technically not vacant.

Answer 1

If an A/C unit is one of the appliances in working order in your lease agreement then they HAVE to provide an A/C in working order to you.

You can try talking to them again, but that obviously isn't getting anywhere. Technically you have the right to move out with a 30 day written notice due to their breach of the rental contract. It might be fewer days - depends on your State. Get a copy of you Land Lord Tenant Act from your Housing office at City Hall. This will give you the repair deadlines for items in a rental unit.

Best thing to do is send a CERTIFIED WRITTEN letter to your property management. Give them 10 days from the receipt of signature to repair the problem. Make sure you have a chronological list of contact you have made included in the letter. Also mention that you will use your right to LEGALLY terminate the lease if they do not comply.

Keep a copy for yourself and mail yourself a copy as well so you have a pretty good idea of when they should get it. Then you should receive the tracking of the Certified Letter from the post office.

If the repair does not take place in the given time, according to your State's law (10 days is the avg. for such repairs) then you can start the agreement termination process - each state is different and YOU WILL GET your deposit back. They were in the wrong and you should NOT have any additional charges beyond those 10 days. You also don't have to submit your rent payment after thoae 10 days have passed. You DO HAVE to keep it in a separate account, called "escrow" to show them and if it goes to court the Judge, that you followed the rules. The Landlord Tenant Act will explain this better!

Start looking for a new place just in case!

Good Luck!

Answer 2

Some people never seem to amaze me. If you have been there this long, apparently you have been a good renter. He knows you are a nice person that does not want any conflict, so here's what you do. Write him a nice letter that reads, I have enjoyed and appreciated renting from you for xxx years, however, the ac is no longer working and you need it repaired in a timely manner. Thank him and send this letter certified mail. You will get a receipt for it.Keep this, in case you go to court. He will be upset / you can sue / and he still will fix it. Either way, He is gonna have to fix it, regardless. Make the man a believer.

Answer 3

Well, certainly you are paying for something you are not getting. How to get compliance ? Document your assorted requests and approach the management courteously, stating that you REALLY would like to be cooled down when the weather unexpectedly may grow warmer. Courteous persistence works many times.

If you want to get creative and get along with the maintenance guy, ask him if he has any vacant units with similar A/C units and would he consider switching out your failed unit with one from a vacancy which actually works ?

Answer 4

send a formal letter stating ur documented complaints. let them know if you do not get a replacement by next months rent due u will be submitting an invoice for the new a/c unit and be deducting that from ur rent portion. u are legally allowed to do this bc they have ignored your complaints and refuse to comply in a timely fashion. they can be billed from the a/c as long as u have proof and u cannot take it with u whenu move out.

Answer 5

Obviously the Apartment Complex is Breaking part of their lease agreement, they are not supplying you with ADEQUATE Equipment that works to its full potential.

Answer 6

This is a landlord site. You would get better info on a more tenant friendly site. There are many.