Should I sue my landlords???? and how?.......please read?

Question

I have a problem. on september 20 my apartment was broken into and my computer was stolen with other items. I spoke to management and they said for me to do what I have to do toMy bf wants me to sue them I am a little hesitant because i am shy and dont know how to go about it. But after talking to his grandma- I am want to sue them the correct way. She told me to write them a letter satting everythign that happened and what agreements we made and also point out what they did not follow up on and to only pa half the rent and send a copy of the police report. But now he is calling me a punk saying why do I want to write them a letter- when I think it seems right to do what she said. I had to install window gates and a new door lock to ensure my safety and my unborn child. ANd know he is making me very upset and now I dont know what to do anymore. What should I do? Should I just sue them or send the letter out and sue them?

Answer 1

Yikes, sorry about the break-in!

First thing you need to do is read your lease again. Look for clauses that state the landlord's responsibility or lack thereof in case of a break in. Do this before you get anyone involved. If your lease states that the landlord isn't liable, you have no case and you'd be wasting money. Also, check for the policy of withholding rent. It may not be acceptable at all and could get you sent to collections, which isn't something you need right now. It sounds to me like the best thing you can do is get renter's insurance and move on with your life after checking your lease carefully.

Good luck!

Answer 2

Unless your door would not lock and you had reported it to the landlord you do not have a leg to stand on. Your report to the police would have said that the door would not lock and you had reported it, but I suspect this is not the case. If you fill it will be almost like the man who sued for a lost pair of pants that hit the news---I laughed my a** off at just how stupid he was.

Why do you think there is renter's insurance????? Some people are too cheap to pay the premiums each month I hate to say but sometimes facts are hard to take.

In your case take it as a learning experience and get insurance.

Answer 3

Well first off, what makes you think your landlord is liable?

Were you robbed by an employee of his? Did he fail to provide a lock for the door?

Anyone is only liable for damages suffered by others if they were responsible for those damages due to their wrongdoing or negligence.

A burglary at an apartment would only under very, VERY unusual circumstances be the landlords fault. The right people to be claiming against are your renters insurance.

Incidentally, if you short pay your rent in these circumstances, he can legally evict you.

Richard

Answer 4

Sue them for what? They didn't break into your apartment, did they? What exactly are you suing them for? What agreement did they break? You are not very clear on anything here. Your grandma and boyfriend do not matter. What exactly did your landlord do wrong that you want to sue them for? If you cannot explicitly answer THAT question, then you are wasting your time. They are not likely liable for your loss.

When in doubt, talk to an attorney about it FIRST.

Answer 5

Unless you can prove negligence on the part of the property owner, you have no case. If you can prove faulty locks or unregulated key control or even prove an agreement for changing the locks and placing window gates, they are not liable for the actions of others. As an added bonus, if you sue and lose, they can recoup legal fees from you.

Answer 6

I don't believe the landlord is responsible for your loss. As a tenant you are responsible to purchase fire, theft and liability insurance.
If there has been a history of theft and break ins in the building did you make a request to the landlord to make the building more secure prior to break in?
If you consider the building to be unsafe you may have cause to break your lease and find other housing. To insure your safety you should seriously consider moving.

Answer 7

tou can request repayment of property improvments this is normally donr PRIOR to work being done otherwize you have to pay for it all, dont withhold rent unless you have it in writing that you are permitted to do so landlord can then make you vacate if you dont pay the amount in full. dont sue unless they make it hard for you most landlords are reasonable people.
state in any request that police reccommended you do ... and ... it cant hurt i got extra assistance when my home i was renting was broken into, so based on my experience then try but the landlord can allways say no.

Answer 8

i do not trust you may sue them. initially, it is your duty to securing your products. make positive the abode windows are locked and extra. yet when someone is going to spoil down your door or damage your window to scouse borrow stuff, it really is no longer the landlords mission or fault. I too have fears about being damaged into. I have an alarm and shortly to get coverage.

Answer 9

I can't tell from your story what grounds you have for suing the landlord -- what actions/inactions or negligence on their part contributed to the robbery. So I can't offer an opinion on suing them. However, check your state laws -- it's likely that you cannot withhold rent in this situation, and doing so can leave you open to legal action on their part.

On the other hand, if your boyfriend's grandmother is an attorney in that state, I'm sure she knows more about your state's landlord-tenant laws than I do. :-)

Answer 10

sue the landlord??,.....does the contract you have with the landlord, say that they will protect you from being burglarized??,.....if not, then it is your responsibility to have renters insurance, and yours also to make the police report,