For whatever reason, a landlord doesn’t always get around to doing what he or she promises. When this happens, a tenant becomes increasingly irritated. The phone calls to the office become frequent, in -person visits become argumentative, and threats start coming in like a flood! It doesn’t have to come to this, but since a landlord isn’t doing what is asked. There are some things tenants can do, but you have to be sure that what you are requesting is affecting your health and/or safety. Check your lease to be certain that the landlord responsibilities are outlined. In some cases, if the information is not stated in the lease contract such as, landlord is responsible for repairing or maintaining XYZ. Then it is up to the tenant to ensure that repairs are made. If something was already damaged before you moved in and the landlord promised to have it fixed and didn’t, yet you moved in anyway, he or she doesn’t have to fix it especially if you have no proof that the promise was made.
Writing a dated letter including things like: details of the problems, when contact was made with the office and the results or lack thereof is essential. Give a reasonable amount of time for the landlord to respond to letter. If there is no response, then escalate the matter. From contacting the owner to making an appointment with your local housing code inspector, you will want to get others involved. You will also need to read your state’s landlord tenant handbook to find out if you are able to do any of the following. Each option comes with a risk. A landlord can sue for rent payments, keep the security deposit, your credit history might be negatively impacted, and other issues might result if you can’t prove that your unit was inhabitable, affected your health or safety, or the landlord told you he or she would take care of repairs, but didn’t. You also don’t want to hold back all of your rent and avoid paying, damage the unit intentionally or try to fix things yourself without having proper knowledge, or do other similar things out of anger, because these actions might look like you were being unreasonable and acted in spite if you should go to court. The following are your options:
1. Repair and deduct a portion of rent.
Notify your landlord in writing BEFORE you have repairs made, await a response. State in your correspondence you will be deducting the repair cost from the rent. Keep receipts.
2. Abandon the rental.
You can move out the unit, but once again you will have to let your landlord know you will be vacating in 30 days.
3. Set up an escrow account.
You may withhold about 25% of the rent and put the rest in the account until repairs are made. However, do notify the landlord this is your intent and again await a response.
Learn more about your tenant rights by putting “tenant landlord rights” and include your state.
Nicholl McGuire maintains and contributes to other blogs as well. See Laboring to Love an Abusive Mate http://laboringtoloveanabusivemate.blogspot.com and a blog for families with mixed age groups from babies to teens http://parentsbabieschildren.blogspot.com
Tuesday
5 Things You Can Do to Start Planning for Your Next Move in the New Year
Sometimes we realize after moving in a rental that all we thought about the place is really not serving our needs. Closets are too small. Rooms are crowded. Kitchen space is cramped. So what might one do in the meantime until the apartment lease expires?
1. Continue to search for your ideal rental.
Envision what you want for the future and plan to get it. Do research, read reviews, visit the neighborhood, talk to people you know, and above everything else, if you have a faith, pray a little harder for what you truly want.
2. Purchase things to give you some degree of comfort in the meantime.
Maybe it's too cool or too hot in the place or you have a neighbor that walks loudly on her floor, start searching for things that can help you cope without spending much time complaining about things that are beyond your control.
3. Find other things to do so that you are not spending most evenings and weekends sitting in your apartment moping.
Sometimes situations like this are blessings in disguise. Maybe you always wanted to get out more, visit relatives and friends and do other things, but you said in the past you have no time. But now you do have time, you don't like staying at home much, so get out more!
4. Decorate the rooms you will spend the most time in and divide off or cover areas that you don't like much.
Notice the things you like most about your rental and enhance those. When you do this, you take your attention away from unsightly looking things in the suite. Try to work with management to get some things done. Put in a service request with maintenance.
5. Donate or sell some of your items you are no longer using, don't like much, or think someone could use.
By removing some items in your residence, you are making more space in a cramped room and who knows it just might come alive.
Before you know it, your time in your residence will have passed and it will be time to move again. Next time be sure you know what you want and don't settle!
Nicholl McGuire also blogs at a site for workers with workplace challenges, see here.
1. Continue to search for your ideal rental.
Envision what you want for the future and plan to get it. Do research, read reviews, visit the neighborhood, talk to people you know, and above everything else, if you have a faith, pray a little harder for what you truly want.
2. Purchase things to give you some degree of comfort in the meantime.
Maybe it's too cool or too hot in the place or you have a neighbor that walks loudly on her floor, start searching for things that can help you cope without spending much time complaining about things that are beyond your control.
3. Find other things to do so that you are not spending most evenings and weekends sitting in your apartment moping.Sometimes situations like this are blessings in disguise. Maybe you always wanted to get out more, visit relatives and friends and do other things, but you said in the past you have no time. But now you do have time, you don't like staying at home much, so get out more!
4. Decorate the rooms you will spend the most time in and divide off or cover areas that you don't like much.
Notice the things you like most about your rental and enhance those. When you do this, you take your attention away from unsightly looking things in the suite. Try to work with management to get some things done. Put in a service request with maintenance.
5. Donate or sell some of your items you are no longer using, don't like much, or think someone could use.
By removing some items in your residence, you are making more space in a cramped room and who knows it just might come alive.
Before you know it, your time in your residence will have passed and it will be time to move again. Next time be sure you know what you want and don't settle!
Nicholl McGuire also blogs at a site for workers with workplace challenges, see here.
Wednesday
Can You Tell When You Are Being Discriminated Against by a Landlord?
Believe it or not, some people don't have a clue that some landlords and property owners simply refuse to rent to select prospects, because of a number of reasons. Some of which include: pressure from the renters at the community not to rent to a certain class of people, personal prejudices, neighboring residents such as homeowners, and others. Some of the things that fearful, ignorant or simply rude landlords and/or property owners and their staff will do is discriminate on the following:
Despite discrimination being unlawful, as you can clearly see from comments on websites like Youtube, and elsewhere, racism and other forms of discrimination is still ongoing.
An example of discrimination is as follows.
A refusal to sell, rent or lease a unit/property because one doesn't meet the criteria. There is what is written on paper and then there is what some landlords and leasing staff will make up in their minds to try to fit requirements; therefore, turning some people away. When you notice something like this is happening whether you are a worker or visitor, be sure you record date and time and note your experiences. For leasing staff, you might want to consider putting in your resignation. Why work for a company that participates in unlawful discrimination? Visitors should report what they experienced online and contact the nearest Fair Housing organization, so as to alert others.
Look up more information about different forms of unlawful discrimination when it comes to landlords and staff. Also, check your rights based on Fair Employment and Housing Acts as well as Civil Rights in your state. File a complaint with a related group. Bring attention to your issue by also contacting the local media. Feel free to also post a comment below.
Nicholl McGuire
- Race
- Color
- Religion
- Sex
- Sexual Orientation
- Marital Status
- National Origin
- Ancestry
- Familial Status
- Source of Income
- Disability
- It is illegal to refuse to rent to families unless the housing is for senior citizens.
Despite discrimination being unlawful, as you can clearly see from comments on websites like Youtube, and elsewhere, racism and other forms of discrimination is still ongoing.
An example of discrimination is as follows.
A refusal to sell, rent or lease a unit/property because one doesn't meet the criteria. There is what is written on paper and then there is what some landlords and leasing staff will make up in their minds to try to fit requirements; therefore, turning some people away. When you notice something like this is happening whether you are a worker or visitor, be sure you record date and time and note your experiences. For leasing staff, you might want to consider putting in your resignation. Why work for a company that participates in unlawful discrimination? Visitors should report what they experienced online and contact the nearest Fair Housing organization, so as to alert others.
Look up more information about different forms of unlawful discrimination when it comes to landlords and staff. Also, check your rights based on Fair Employment and Housing Acts as well as Civil Rights in your state. File a complaint with a related group. Bring attention to your issue by also contacting the local media. Feel free to also post a comment below.
Nicholl McGuire
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