Slumlords

[Kory]

I have a few small problems with the apartment I have been renting for 6+ years, and I am somewhat timid to call the owner/manager because every time I have done that in the past they raised the rent a little bit. It was the property manager that did that, and he bought the property off it's previous owner about a year ago.

Well, my kitchen faucet rusted out and detached itself from the sink the so I made the call. The other "little problems" I mentioned were: the shower knob is leaking pretty good and it's perpetual drip-drip evolved into a steady trickle that was driving me nuts, and the oven door doesn't close right and is missing it's seal so hot air escapes and burns the countertop adjacent to the oven. I admit that I rarely ever used the oven in the first five years and it has always been like that, but the woman that moved in a year ago seems to think cooking is something normal people do at home, and it requires an oven?

I made the call in February of this year, got a voicemail and left a message. No response in the next week so I called again and got the same results. Hmmm, the phone doesn't work very well I guess so I wrote a nice little business letter and included it with March's rent check, the property manager called me finally. She told me that the problems would be fixed, and the repair guy showed up the next week. I also received a letter from them informing me that they raised my rent another $15/month, those predictable bastards! I showed him the problems, he fixed the kitchen faucet that day (woohoo). He said he would be back later that week to fix the shower, and I forgot to remind him of the oven issue.

A week passes, I call the repair guy and he tells me he'll be there the next day; no show. He skips out twice more on the subsequent appointments. I should probubly mention now that he gets the contract because he married the young gal that is "in charge" on the fourplex I live in.

Lets fastforward a bit, this post is getting too long. Today I notice an odd smell and while trying to locate it I see that the downstairs bathroom (directly underneith the upstairs leaky shower knob) has brown water puddling up on the floor. After some quick looking around, I notice the paint is bubbling off the ceiling and wall, the medicine cabinet is soaked, and I can push my finger into the drywall. Great, the management won't take care of a piddly little water leak after being told repeatedly about it for over four months, now there is serious water damage. I spoke with the repair guy today and he assured me he will be here tomorrow at 4pm, just like he was supposed to be here yesterday at 4pm.

[dajarrel]

Kory,

This might sound a bit hasty, but it seems to me it might be time to find a new apartment and trash this current slumlord.

FWIW

dj

Edited May 11, 2006 by dajarrel

[Nik Habicht]

Might also be time to call your state government's Division of Consumer Affairs (you're paying for an apartment in the U.S., not in a war zone, and they're not providing one...) the town's building code inspectors, and it might be time to make the repairs and deduct the total from next month's rent.....

Nik.

[JFD]

Nik Habicht has the right idea.

While my experience comes from a friend who is a landlord and has to put up with folks trying to find excuses not to pay rent, it should work for legitimate problems as well.

If it was me, I'd move if at all possible as it seems obvious that you are in a bad situation that will never get much better. Of course from the outside it's easy to judge.

This current problem sounds REALLY bad.

Good luck.

[sleipnir]

Long ago I had a similar problem, called the local housing authority, they came out and condemned the property. I had to move pronto. I did get my entire deposit refunded as well as prorated rent. A bit of a hassel, but I'm glad I did it. The other people in the building weren't too happy.

After about a year with the property being vacant the owner sold the building and it was renovated as high dollar apartments.

I still think it was the best thing to do as I found a better apartment and didn't have to put up with the problems.

[straightshooter1]

This is the kind of small case many lawyers love to handle. The Landlord is really the bad guy. He has a pattern of raising the rent which corresponds to your legitimate calls for repair. Further, he (apparently) only fixes something when it's "broken" and doesn't "maintain" the property. And repairs, when made, are apparently made reluctantly and, I suspect, only to the barest extent required.

A local lawyer could probably resolve the matter, assuming you got stiffed on the repairs yesterday, with a letter. Lawyer letters are relatively reasonable, usually less than $100, and often far less, especially if you have used the lawyer in the past. Many states have provisions for withholding rent when repairs aren't made. I expect this could be resolved without a small claims suit being filed, since you seem clearly in the right, have been damaged, and the landlord is so clearly in the wrong. In other words, he will likely cave immediately.

Though your post makes it sound like you are on an oral month to month tenancy, if you are on a lease, check the terms. Most have a provision for lawyers fees to the prevailing party if there is a suit relating to the terms of the lease and most leases have repair provisions. (Lawyers really like to know they will get paid and it makes a very nice last paragraph in the letter-reminding them of the attorney fees). Most states don't award attorney fees to the prevailing party unless a statute or the terms of the contract/lease call for that.

Moving, especially after several years is really a hassle. But, I think the best advice you have been given is to do exactly that. Would be nice to stick your thumb in his eye before you depart though, wouldn't it?

Good Luck,

Bob

Edited May 12, 2006 by straightshooter1

[Kevin Kline]

They just had one of these slumlords here in the Tampa Bay area get nailed. The residents got nailed just as bad though. The apt building was so bad, St Pete city government/code enforcement came in and made everyone leave their homes/apts. Most everyone had no where to go and the city had to open temporary shelters for them, they were pretty pissed and everyone thought they were going to riot again.

The slumlord is getting nailed in court though. Too bad it wrecks everyone though.