I have a slumlord !!!! I need to report him....?

Question

okay i need to know who to report my lanlord to! I have rats mold holes the works and he wont fix it we are always sick who would you contact to report it? Also i asked him for a letter showing we rent from him and he said he doesnt want to report to the government that he has this income coming in .....who do I call about this??? He is messing with the wrong person. I may be young but not as dumb as he thought!!!!Please help

Answer 1

Contact your state's attorney general's office. Tell them you are having Tenant-landlord issues and you want to report violations of the law. They should be able to point you in the right direction. Some states and even some large metropolitan areas have separate departments who handle these kinds of issues, but regardless, the attorney general's office should be able to point you in the right direction.
Also, do a little research so you can have some information to give them. You're going to want the basics: address, landlords names, issues you are facing, etc. But you're also going to want to research the actual laws in your area. So do a google search using "tenant-landlord laws" and "your state name".
And lastly, the key to making your case is documentation- a paper trail. If you pay with cash, or money order, or whatever, you need to get receipts for your rent payment. You should also put everything in writing to your landlord, keeping copies of everything. And lastly, you should have a lease. If you don't his accepting your payment can be grounds enough, but a lease is your best guarantee for protections. In most states, a landlord is required by law to provide a lease- I say most because I'm almost certain all of them do, but I didn't check each state. Either way, his acceptance of payment is proof enough of an agreement.
So give the attorney general's office a call and get pointed in the right direction. Good luck!

Answer 2

Ok Bobby, This guy definitely needs to be reported. And the health department needs to be notified.

But this you must be aware of: Once you report him, you are going to have no end of trouble as his renter. You will most definitely need to find other housing. But, given the conditions of your current housing, this would most likely be a good thing.

You may have other recourses available to you as well. Since your landlord is aware of the rats, mold, etc. and he has not taken corrective actions, he may be responsible for medical bills you might incur as a result of sickness caused by these infestations. You may be able to sue him for that liability and at least tie up his assets.

Answer 3

Most urban centres and or states will have a Residential Tenancies Commission or Board which regulates landlord tenant disputes and sets out the obligations of tenants and landlords alike. Try googling your state and "residential tenancy".

Also, from the sounds of the rats and mold, you should also contact the health department.

The IRS will also wanna know about his undeclared income.

Answer 4

I don't know if you should be saying you aren't so dumb if you haven't been able to research this issue.

Try looking at some books on tenant and landlard law at nolo.com - you might be able to find the books in a libary or big box bookstore if you don't want to buy them.

But serously, living in a dump without a lease? Move if you are not so dumb!

Answer 5

I would start by notifying the IRS that he does not want to give you the letter because he does not report the income. They do not take kindly to people not paying their taxes. Does he have more than one rental unit? Be sure to mention that to them. I have heard that the IRS does pay rewards for information like this sometimes.