Apartment troubles... again... wtf.

[viper51s]

Holy shit MJ I didn't know that news yet... I kinda hope your still locked out when you get back so we can have fun again. If they turn the water off just put it in your name, I think that works, maybe not. For any one else who was wondering the place is amazing, but yea her landlord is crazy.

Edit: Changed message to protect the innocent... lol

Edited September 19, 2009 by viper51s

[OsuMj]

well "break in" aka using a screw driver to push the screen door thingy in so that I could get to a door I have a key to.... luckily spencer was there to remind me that it was that easy, I wanted to go in through the window. lol.

[Cypress]

and risk waking up in the middle of the night with you hovering over me? Thanks.... buuuuut....

Harsh.

[Red]

I signed back in July and the landlord's story was that the previous renter left the place a disaster and that she would have it srsly cleaned before I moved in - which is what would be expected. Also promised the bathroom renovations would be complete the saturday before I moved in. It has officially been 12 days since I moved in and its still not done.

The previous renter left in the middle of his lease, left a huge mess, clothes in the closet, etc, so I dumbly assumed he was the problem... now I see why he moved. My landlord has resorted to calling me names and trying to demean me... I'm strongly considering moving... this is a bit much even for me.

PLUS, the apartment is HUGE, beautiful woodwork, awesome neighborhood, 100ft from my place of employment... generally sweet... in my opinion, totally incompetent landlord though.

Well that's a tough one. If you really like the place and where it's at then I would put in a toilet and clean it up, recording everything of course, and then not pay rent for a month or two. But then again if the landlord is calling you names for her lack of duties and demeaning you then I would find another place to live, period. Or just put a shit bomb in her mailbox!

[OsuMj]

so who here knows a lot of stuff about furnaces and wants to tell me why mine (and my upstairs neighbor's) isnt working?? Srsly, this is getting super old fast. My heat hasn't been working correctly for about a week at least and my landlord is too cheap (or dumb) to hire a real furnace technician.

[RC51 John]

Wow. This is getting epic. You have contracted with the landlord from hell.

I could come over and check it sometime, but the bitch really needs to hire someone.

[KruelHouse]

so who here knows a lot of stuff about furnaces and wants to tell me why mine (and my upstairs neighbor's) isnt working?? Srsly, this is getting super old fast. My heat hasn't been working correctly for about a week at least and my landlord is too cheap (or dumb) to hire a real furnace technician.

Umm... Kiddo, if you've been without heat for a week, it's time to start a paper trail.

Discontinue trying to communicate her via phone. Start sending emails stating that your heat (and any other necessity that she's responsible for) is non-existent. Make sure that you document everything. Sounds like she isn't too bright, so if you send an email (if she responds), she will lazily reply to the email. Therefore, if she throws you sum bull-isht, you have it documented. If she doesn't respond, and you keep sending her emails, you now have a collection of unanswered requests for heating/plumbing to show the judge.

[cmoosego]

that's a great idea.... I know for a fact she doesn't check her email frequently, so you could rack up evidence quick and get the hell away from her.... and no worries on moving your stuff, I can get a couple trucks and have you moved in a matter of hours...

[jbot]

tell her your furnace keeps making minor exploding noises sometimes, or other times doesnt work at all... but strangely, you smell gas when it's "not" working.

that should get her liability alarm bells ringing.

[Cheech]

that's a great idea.... I know for a fact she doesn't check her email frequently, so you could rack up evidence quick and get the hell away from her.... and no worries on moving your stuff, I can get a couple trucks and have you moved in a matter of hours...

I should have no problem getting the Sprinter van from the office to throw in on this as well. Sounds like you need to claim breach of contract and get out of there in a hurry, before the weather really starts turning bad.

[OsuMj]

she doesnt' have the internet at her house...

[OsuMj]

OH... and if anyone has a few extra electric heaters that I could borrow for a smidge... that would be sweet....

This totally sucks bc i'm reluctant to move bc this apartment rocks, i'm literally a 1 minute walk to my job, and there is no way in heck that I have time to repack all my stuff then unpack it even if I am lucky enough to find a place that I like that is in my budget that doesn't have a crazy landlord... i mean sure, i might be able to break the lease now, but where am i going to go? I moved here bc I didn't have time for the commute.... now i'm just screwed.... i'm so frustrated.

[ReconRat]

just tired of doing hw... taking a break... still in work mode while on break.... yeah.

sooo, how's the homework going, while wearing ski mittens?

I don't have any electric heaters, sorry.

But I did stay in a cold water flat overseas. Zero heat.

Lowest annual temp was maybe 50F for a week.

[ohdaho]

Have you looked up your rights as an Ohio renter? There are some pretty good resources out there online. They outline what you should do and how you should approach the situation.

[PrincessPratt]

MJ I have an electric heater. I can take it to work with me tomorrow. I work at Riverside. Up to you. ???

[OsuMj]

I might have heat tonight! I'll let ya know. I really appreciate it

[ReconRat]

Ohio Landlord-Tenant Law

The landlord must:

1. Obey all health and safety laws and regulations.
   
2. Make all repairs needed to maintain the property in good condition.
   
3. Keep all common areas safe, clean and in good repair.
   
4. Maintain in good working order all electrical, plumbing, heating and air conditioning fixtures and applications which the landlord provides or is required to provide.
   
5. Provide and maintain garbage cans and provide for trash removal where there are four or more units in the building.
   
6. Supply running water and enough hot water and heat at all times, unless there are separate heat or hot water units for each dwelling unit and the utility fees for the heat and hot water are paid directly by the tenant to a public utility company.
   
7. Give at least 24 hours notice to a tenant before trying to enter their apartment and enter only at reasonable times unless there is an emergency.
   
8. Not abuse the right to enter.
   

TENANT REMEDIES UNDER THE LAW

If a tenant believes that a landlord has not lived up to any legal duty or has not done what is required in the rental agreement, or a governmental agency finds that the apartment is in violation of any law or regulation that could affect health and safety, the tenant can:

1. Sue the landlord for money damages.
   
2. Force the landlord to make repairs within 30 days of giving written notice to repair. The notice must be sent to the place where rent is normally paid or given to the owner.
   

If the landlord does not make the repair the tenant can do any of the following:

1. Take the rent when it is due to the local clerk of courts. A tenant must be current in their rent with the clerk of courts (called rent deposit). The tenant does not need an attorney for rent depositing.
   
2. Apply to the court to order the landlord to make the repairs. The court can also lower the rent until the repairs are made or give the tenant some of the rent money so the tenant can have the repairs made.
   
3. End the lease.
   
4. Cancel the rental agreement and move. This can be done only after the tenant has given appropriate notice, and the landlord has failed to correct the condition.
   

[KruelHouse]

This totally sucks bc i'm reluctant to move bc this apartment rocks, i'm literally a 1 minute walk to my job, and there is no way in heck that I have time to repack all my stuff then unpack it even if I am lucky enough to find a place that I like that is in my budget that doesn't have a crazy landlord... i mean sure, i might be able to break the lease now, but where am i going to go? I moved here bc I didn't have time for the commute.... now i'm just screwed.... i'm so frustrated.

MJ. Gotta be honest with you love. You're starting to sound like the girl who stays in an abusive relationship because the guy is cute, and all of your friends like him. You have standards, and if this place isn't meeting the core standards, it's time to kick rocks (or as IP so eloquently put it... "Beat Feat"). Don't settle just because it's convenient.

I've driven down your street, and have seen some places pop up between yours and mine. I have no idea what they're going for, but it's sounds like it's time to start "window shopping".

[PrincessPratt]

OK well I leave for work at 7am tomorrow so let me know b/f then if you want me to bring it. I'll be up by 0530.

[cmoosego]

MJ found one really close to where you already are here's the linky http://realestate.columbusrealestate.com/properties/search/detail.php?qBackToSearch=qAction%3Dsearch%26page%3D1%26pagesize%3D10%26qTerms%3Drent%26propertyType%255B0%255D%3DApartments%2BUnfurnished%26qZip%3D43201%26view%3Ddetailed%26qtotal%3D2%26qSortBy%3DPrice%26qSortDirection%3DDESC&qAdid=533181501&propertyNumber=2

[ReconRat]

Geez people... who knows a lawyer friend? Just have him/her call this landlord and give the standard speech. That will probably get some action.

And if not, follow the lawyer's instructions on how to proceed.

Please note that unless action steps are taken, probably nothing will happen...

Ohio law allows 30 days to repair? Having to wait 60 days wouldn't be uncommon.

[PrincessPratt]

If I didn't live so far away from campus I'd let you stay with me. I'm actually thinking about getting a roommate.

[OsuMj]

sounds like it's time to start "window shopping".

OH, I have been, trust me. I call every number that I see posted outside to check it out.

[OsuMj]

MJ found one really close to where you already are here's the linky http://realestate.columbusrealestate.com/properties/search/detail.php?qBackToSearch=qAction%3Dsearch%26page%3D1%26pagesize%3D10%26qTerms%3Drent%26propertyType%255B0%255D%3DApartments%2BUnfurnished%26qZip%3D43201%26view%3Ddetailed%26qtotal%3D2%26qSortBy%3DPrice%26qSortDirection%3DDESC&qAdid=533181501&propertyNumber=2

hey... thanks! I'll check it out.

OH, and I just got my heat turned back on!! so thanks for the offers of help looks like I wont need them this time.

Honestly though, I know that everyone is saying just leave, the issue is that you can't just leave... you have to issue documentation stating that you are giving the landlord until a specified date to do repairs (date depends on the urgency of the repair), before you break your lease. If they do repairs before said date, you can't leave. I already spoke to a lawyer about it - I'm not being naive about the situation, I really am looking at my options. If I just leave, or think I can leave without doing everything right, I could end up owing her rent every month even when I dont live here.

[cmoosego]

hey... thanks! I'll check it out.

OH, and I just got my heat turned back on!! so thanks for the offers of help looks like I wont need them this time.

Honestly though, I know that everyone is saying just leave, the issue is that you can't just leave... you have to issue documentation stating that you are giving the landlord until a specified date to do repairs (date depends on the urgency of the repair), before you break your lease. If they do repairs before said date, you can't leave. I already spoke to a lawyer about it - I'm not being naive about the situation, I really am looking at my options. If I just leave, or think I can leave without doing everything right, I could end up owing her rent every month even when I dont live here.

we could just burn it down...