We rent a 4 bedroom "2" bathroom home in a great neighborhood..Fireplace, basketball court, we love it. We were told the carpets were all going to be replaced, a new shower downstairs, (has NEVER attempted to put it in) new doors (there are holes in a few and no locks) we told him the garbage disposale and dishwasher have been not working for over a month, causing leaks in the ceiling..Nothing done! A heavy rain caused flooding in the newly remodled basement a month ago.He had a company put dehumidifiers and blowers down for 4 days..The carpet was NEVER tacked back down..Flooded again a week and a half ago even worse.He came, looked at the damage with a cement company. That was last Friday. We haven't heard from him since even with placing calls.WE pulled the carpet up. We're paying almost $1300 a month (ridiculous in this area). We haven't been able to use the downstairs in a month. What can we do? I'm worried about the mold and moisture. We live in Iowa..Didn't sign a lease. HELP!
2007-07-25 08:47:43 · 9 answers · asked by ~K~ 4 in Home & Garden ➔ Maintenance & Repairs
He put in dehumidifiers the 1st time..The carpets dried out..That's AFTER they thought they could get away with just cleaning them..The carpet people said "They don't want to spend the $$ with you having the equipment for 4 days, but I'll deal with her" So it dried it all out..The 2nd flooding was worse..NO blowers, dehumidifiers, NO calls after last Friday, nothing! He knows there's a lot of work to do and I think he's hoping we'll move..Not without a fight..I don't like being taken advantage of! If they choose NOT to do anything SOON, then we'll start with housing, lawyers, whoever else will listen..He owns 7 more rental properties..I can't imagine what else goes on..When my husband took the carpet out the neighbor told us the last people left because of flooding..When we called the 1st time, they made it seem like it was the washer..C'mon now! No wonder they refinished the basement when we moved in..Wanted to rent it and did a patch job!
2007-07-25 10:20:11 · update #1
I think it's time to chalk up your loses and find another place, You may take them to small claims for your loses such as furniture damage clothes, we all know how much they are now days plus call the health deptment to see if it is fit to continue living there, or HUD or the City inspector.
2007-07-25 08:56:29 · answer #1 · answered by mr.obvious 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
AHHHHH!
I really appreciate what you're going through. We just had this nightmare end with our landlord. We ended up cutting our losses and moving.
Our basement was infested with stachybotris--toxic black mold! It almost killed us all. We lost a lot of our furniture and fought for almost three months with him. Basically, we're happy to be alive. Lawyers and legal aid couldn't help. The town office wouldn't help. No one would help. I spent months on the phone with government agencies all giving me the run around and no one knowing what to do. Maybe it's different in your area but in Maine it's insane.
I'm happy to hear the landlord put in dehumidifiers! At least he has a brain! But I would still be afraid of mold. Definitely if the basement habitually floods. However, if the humidity level is kept at below 60% that should prevent mold growth.
For 1300 a month you may be able to get a nicer or as nice place. We moved hundreds of miles away to where housing costs are lower and got a house for less than we were paying for an apartment.
So if you stay, keep on top of the potential for mold problems and know that getting him to do anything will be a battle. Just weigh the pro's of staying vs the con's of moving.
Hope everything works out for you and your family!
2007-07-25 16:54:21 · answer #2 · answered by jadecat_12 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Without a lease or rental agreement, there is not much you can do except move out. Before you leave though, you can call the Health Department and let them know about the leaking and possible mold. You cannot withhold the rent without going through an attorney and opening a special account (escrow account) to hold the rent payments in until repairs are made.
2007-07-25 17:39:19 · answer #3 · answered by sensible_man 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
if there is nothing in writing regarding the upgrades, you are out of luck. As for the damages try to get some type of answer from him either in writing or witnessed by a third party as to what repairs will be done and when they will be done. Send him a certified letter stating that you will not be paying rent until the repairs have begun. I had to do this with my landlord. The first time was when my air conditioner broke- I just paid a guy to fix it, sent my landlord the receipt and deducted the balance from my rent. When the roof started leaking, I had to send him the letter. He had a crew out a few days later.
2007-07-25 17:45:02 · answer #4 · answered by Sarah (the bear!) 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Check out your states "Tenet/Landlord laws. You can look them up online. They are the laws that both parties have to abide by. Make sure you follow them to the letter or you may not have a case if you have to go court. Good luck.
2007-07-26 01:43:45 · answer #5 · answered by mrbreeze 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Withold payment, but make sure that it is in a seperate account designated RENT, they will soon do the repairs..
2007-07-25 15:57:15 · answer #6 · answered by xenon 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
call your town hall and there is a phone number that can be called when a landlord is having you live in unsuitable conditions.
2007-07-25 15:53:55 · answer #7 · answered by Heather 2 · 1⤊ 0⤋
With no lease their is no binding agreement on either of you.
2007-07-25 16:32:05 · answer #8 · answered by rshiffler2002 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
no lease? time to go.
2007-07-25 20:00:56 · answer #9 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋