Ghetto landlord...
@hockeygal4ever (10021)
United States
December 10, 2006 7:50pm CST
I rent a house and pay about $600 a month for a small, very small, cape cod style brick. It's in a nice neighborhood, not great but definitely not bad. Very safe. My problem is every time I call my landlord to report something that needs repaired it's a fight. They find something to complain about, take forever and never fix it anyways. I hate to deal with them. The reason for staying is that #1 I have MS and am disabled at this point from cancer. Moving is a horrid thing for me to have to go through. #2 is that I have animals, both cats and dogs and it's tough to get anyone to rent with animals. #3 is the cost of moving, I'm on disability and have a very limited coupon.
At this point I feel like no matter what they just simply don't want to hear it, then when I don't call them until it's bad they ask why I haven't called before. Every time I call they threaten to kick me and my 3 kids out because they didn't really want to rent to anyone with pets (like I held a gun to their head and made them or something)
Does anyone have a better way to handle these ghetto lords?
40 responses
@beckyomg1 (6756)
• United States
13 Dec 06
wow, i m not sure, do you have a housing authority where you live. you probably could start there. i used to have a landlord years ago that thought he was above everything because he was a correctional officer, well he wasnt and in the end he was in the wrong.
1 person likes this
@Jshean20 (14348)
• Canada
11 Dec 06
Sounds like nightmarish landlords, this is a very unfortunate situation and I'm sorry to hear it. I assume that you don't have family/friends to help you in the moving process? It sounds like you might have to stay there if you don't have any help...I kinda know what it's like to have a ghetoo landlord but it sounds like you have it worse.
1 person likes this
@kcbabez14 (967)
• United States
11 Dec 06
A Slum Lord! Yes most landlords are like that! What you can do is have him sign a paper that says if you fix it he pays you back! and get someone else to get it fixed for you! I've had that problem so many times and i quit. i just finaly bought my house so the only people i have to deal with is the bank!
1 person likes this
@linusv2006 (209)
• Philippines
11 Dec 06
i also have a sickening landlord like u.d only reason we cant leave is coz we have to wait for my son's schoolyear to finish & we're waiting for a housing loan.it's not really easy to move but i've decided to move to a closer location near my son's school.once i found a better place,we'll leave.i dont care anymore whether i wld have to spend my savings in order to move out of time,i cldnt really stand to stay w/ those nasty people.to think that we're cu & they treat us like tis =(
1 person likes this
@gokufatherofgohan (72)
• United States
11 Dec 06
i were you i would look around for another place to live and i know you probably wouldnt want to but you may have to gives your pets up unless of course you can get government housing or the MS society can help you with
,he was supposed to pay for the water while we were living there and then all of a sudden he wanted us to pay for the water and then we had problems with the heat and electric meter and the final straw was when he said he was going to raise our rent from 400 to 500 a month. so we moved and never payed him no more rent
@Polly1 (12645)
• United States
11 Dec 06
You have the option of putting your rent in escrow, then the landlord has to fix whatever is wrong before he gets his rent, and also He cannot evict you for non payment. Call the landlord tenent dept. in your city. Good luck, i have also rented from deadbeat landlords before. Also keep a journal of all contact with him and what was said each time that you communicated with him.
@Withoutwings (6992)
• United States
11 Dec 06
I was going to tell you the exact same thing! TUrn him in!
@linns31 (213)
• United States
11 Dec 06
I agree this is your best advice. If you do it according to your local rental laws they can't evict you. But another worry is when it comes time to renew your lease agreement make sure to read it carefully they may include a clause about no pets and they will be able to evict you if you sign it. Be very careful but going about it the legal way is the best advice anyone can give you at this point.
@marciascott (25529)
• United States
11 Dec 06
I have a Slum Landlord that's what we call him here. My Landlord should fix our door, He says every week He is going to fix the door. My husbund give's him the rent, very early 2 wks. early. I told my Husband don't give him anything untill he fix the door, Rent is due Dec. 18th. today is Dec. 11. I bet he has that door fix by that date. It has been 4 mos, the door has been like that. No excuse!
@hockeygal4ever (10021)
• United States
12 Dec 06
you know.. the sad part is the area that I am in is all owned by one reality place except a few houses thrown in here and there that they never could buy. The ones that are owned by others are immediately noticable because you can see the lack of care. I moved here because I loved the area and this particular house was only $580 as opposed to $650 for all the others around me. While there were some things that showed lack of care, it wasn't until i moved here that I realized how badly they took care of it. They painted it all to make it look fresh and clean. But the plumbing was all rigged, the electric is messed up. All of it is unreal. And if they would put a few bucks into this place they could keep a woman (me) here probably the rest of my life, paying rent regularly without problem, keeping it all clean.
@BellasmamaTiff (2544)
• United States
11 Dec 06
Are there any social service organizations in your area that may help with the cost of moving? Do you have a church you are a member of? Maybe someone from the church could help move your stuff. Also, I would report the landlord to someone, although, Im not exactly sure who you would have to report him to, for the way he is treating you. I think it would be best for everyone if you did move, on your own, instead of dealing with this horrible man everyday!
@hockeygal4ever (10021)
• United States
11 Dec 06
Most social services are worthless. I might get help from the MS society, as I have MS. I might look into that. As for a church. We haven't been to a church regularly in a few years, simply because of my health and inability to get there, so that's not really an option. I'm the type of person too who doesn't like going to others for help, call me pig headed! lol
This is a nice neighborhood, middle class, well kept. It kills me to have to deal with these morons!
@killailla (1301)
• Canada
11 Dec 06
honestly as horrible as it sounds, i get someone in to fix things for me, never call my landlord, same thing mine are real ghetto and dont givce a crap about me or my house, but will always find somethign in return to b*tch about, and i never come off angry i am always polite!!! I am actually going to look at another place today at 4:00!!! I am so excited! I wish you the best of luck
@hockeygal4ever (10021)
• United States
12 Dec 06
Good luck too! Sad that we have to put up with landlords that are nothing but money hungry.
@cash365days (420)
• United States
11 Dec 06
As a tenant you have the following rights. In state of Utah, the laws are very strict and we can immediately file a complaint with renters protection.
A safe and sanitary home. You have the right to call a health or housing inspector if you think there is a code violation in the property you are renting.
Privacy, peace, and quiet. A landlord can enter the premises at reasonable times for repairs and inspections, but should notify you first. You have the right to tell a landlord what time is reasonable for you.
Written receipts for rent or deposits.
Notice of changes in lease terms. You are entitled to fifteen days notice of any change in your rental agreement.
Repairs made within a reasonable amount of time after you request them in writing.
Remain in residence until proper procedure is taken. You have the right to remain in the property you rent until you are legally evicted by a court order. Landlords do not have the right to lock you out of the property.
Which state are you in ...
@hockeygal4ever (10021)
• United States
12 Dec 06
The law says they cannot discriminate, the reality is that they can, do and it's not so hard to cover.
Example, I have a friend that went to look at a house, alone. She loved it, said she wanted to bring her fiance' to see it too. She came back, the landlord saw he was black and suddenly the house was already spoken for and he had a downpayment. Now prove it. That's the problem The landlords I have did similar things, they have you fill out an application. One of the questions is have you ever been on welfare. How can they ask this? Easy, the tell you that you don't have to answer anything you don't want to, however the fact is you realize why they ask it and know that if you answer yes.. they won't bother with you or if you just omit it they will probably toss it out too - thinking that anyone who HASN'T been on welfare would just simply answer NO.
The laws make it sound so nice and correct, the reality is there are ways around them all the time and the landlords know them.
@vehaileairu (2286)
• Philippines
11 Dec 06
i hate landlords and landladies.. i have too many terrible incidents with renting. im happy now that the new place i rent is much more peaceful and a blessed good landlord. anyways, why wont you report them to your lawyer, call and have the complain. gather all the payed and siegned tax reciepts, file them. and then take pictures to the damaged thing. make it a report, then everytime you call for complain have a good recorder that will substancial evidence for their negligence. then after gathering it. make a file for them. let your lawyer come to you and talk it over. if you'll win, you'll have payed damages that will make it fair and square.. err..*_* im a bad girl.
@hockeygal4ever (10021)
• United States
12 Dec 06
lol... this is the first time since I first got married (20+ years ago) that I've rented. When I divorced I walked away from everything, including the house, to keep my kids. That way he wouldn't fight me, not that he would have won anyways because he was an abuse, but it just wasn't worth the fight to me. Anyways, I always thought landlords for the most part were good people, of course business people, but human in nature. My parents rented apartments to people for years and we were always good to them. After this experience I'm truly wondering!!!!
@Iamh4b1t (121)
• United States
11 Dec 06
If you don't want to move then you should contact the housing authority in your area and tell them that our landlord isn't fixing things. I once rented a house that had a horrible rat problem. We finally called the health agency on our landlord and something was finally done about it. If you don't want to ruin your relationship with your landlord you may just want to notify them first that if action isn't taken you plan on calling the housing authority to file a complaint. Also if the things that require fixing are violations of municipal code you can call code enforcement, or at least threaten the landlord that you will, because then the law will force him to make the changes. I hope this helps!
@hockeygal4ever (10021)
• United States
12 Dec 06
Thanks. To be honest the relationship with the landlord has always been 1 way. I keep quiet, don't complain, they leave me alone. But the minute I call for anything they are rude, nasty and drag their feet. I guess I've just finally decided enough is enough and am going to complain about everything. If they kick me out they kick me out. I'll find a way to do it. And FYI, they came within less than 24 hours of my last phone call to them and had a plumber do the work! Amazing when I'm nasty and threaten how quickly they can move. I will rarely use this word but I truly hate these people. They're simply horrible human beings.
@venshida (4836)
• United States
11 Dec 06
Can you repair what needs to repair after you have called them a couple of times and deduct the amount paid from the rent. I think I read some where that this can be done. Is there not some kind of rental agency in your state that you can file a complaint?
@hockeygal4ever (10021)
• United States
12 Dec 06
Amazingly, I called on Sunday night and I was not the kindest person. It kills me because I am such an easy going person and I do try to give people the benefit of the doubt. Obviously these people will use you if you're that way. After being very firm that they had 24 hours to fix these problems, 3 plumbing problems in particular, or I would call the authorities (housing codes), oddly enough they found a plumber and were here by 9:30am on Monday! Thanks for all who commented!!!! And at least for now I'm happy. I'm waiting for them to now find some excuse to evict me because they don't want anyone who will complain about anything. Truly sad that they can't see they have someone decent, clean and who pays the rent here and they should try to keep them!
@srhelmer (7029)
• Beaver Dam, Wisconsin
11 Dec 06
We had a similar problem when we lived in our last place (this is why we now own our house). We paid $605/month for a small townhouse and whenever something broke, it would take weeks to get it fixed.
The best way to deal with it is contact your state attorney general's office.
@jade17901 (597)
• United States
11 Dec 06
Im sorry to hear about your situation :(
I really think if your going to do anything with this, you have to go big! Find out if he works under anyone...get witness!! There is tons of people you could report this too just make sure you have proof of his actions
@hockeygal4ever (10021)
• United States
12 Dec 06
So very true. MS is definitely antagonized by stress!
@linusv2006 (209)
• Philippines
11 Dec 06
w/ ur current situation,i think d best way is for u to pray.since u cant leave & if u report tis to someone who cld help u,u'll be in a hot h2o.it's so hard to accept that they cld do that to a helpless person like u :(
@snakeyes (569)
• India
11 Dec 06
Well in my opinion you cannot continue in this house for a long time with this type of landlord.you should try for some social service organisation for shifting to a new place.
Another way is to ask some of your friends to arrange for an alternate living where they allow pets also.
