Legal question for landlords, realtors (rental, home, tenant)
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No one will win in this and it creates a very stressful situation.
We are now looking and I'm sure we'll find something in the near future. It seems we just have a dark cloud over our heads. I came home to an inch of water in the basement yesterday and my washer and dryer and the floor surrounding on the first floor was soaked from the leak in the roof.
My husband called to tell him that the water was bad leaking from the roof and he said he didn't care about that.
His response to my letter was to tell my husband that I made a fatal mistake. The stress is really too much. I'm going to try and just focus on finding a new place, but I'm not letting him kick me out when the lease is up on the 14th. I only received the new lease on the 29th. What a mess!
Don't forget to photograph the flood to show his neglect, should that become a subsequent issue with the jurisdiction.
I'm also a renter. Landlords can raise the rent as much as 50% if they are not part of a rent control premise and it sounds like you are not living in a rent control residence.
I'm sorry to say that it just might be he wants new tenants who would pay the new 50% higher rent. Once you tell a landlord that you want to stay, that you like the place, believe me, they will take advantage of your honesty. I did that and the rent went up (not much), but it won't happen again! My landlord took advantage of increasing the rent before the end of the lease expiration and I believe that is illegal, but I stayed. We all have choices.
I would start looking. There are other rentals throughout NJ that are affordable. You don't need to stay where it is apparent, that the landlord is in it for the buck!
Other posters were right about your husband repairing, helping out, STOP! That is the landlord's obligation and he should be responsible for paying the professional their hourly rate. He'll soon see how expensive it is when it comes out of his pockets.
Oh and by all means if he doesn't compensate you for the wood, take it. Put everything in writing!
Before you leave if you plan not to renew the lease, have him walk through the home for anything he feels might need repair before your final walk through and put it in writing.
Take pictures of your broom clean exit and do your walk through with your landlord. Have him sign that he did the walk through. Remember, nothing should need repairing because you have a written and signed document of the pre-walk through. If he tries to deduct anything from your security deposit, take him to court!
I would start looking. There are other rentals throughout NJ that are affordable. You don't need to stay where it is apparent, that the landlord is in it for the buck!
This is funny. For what else is any landlord in the business of being a landlord, if not for "the buck"?
This is funny. For what else is any landlord in the business of being a landlord, if not for "the buck"?
lol, I certainly don't rent out properties because I think it's fun. NJ is a tough state to be a landlord, all of the laws are very tenant friendly. For every bad landlord story, I've easily heard a dozen bad renter stories. Some landlords act like Joe Pesci in "The Super", but the vast majority aren't like that. Some renters act like over-entitled children, but the vast majority aren't like that. I think people need to realize that the landlord-tenant relationship is all about business and yes, money. No one owes anyone anything...unless its spelled out in the contract and it really isn't an "us" vs. "them" kind of thing. Heck, I'm a landlord and I spend a lot of time here on the NJ board trying to help out renters with difficult situations.
lol, I certainly don't rent out properties because I think it's fun. NJ is a tough state to be a landlord, all of the laws are very tenant friendly. For every bad landlord story, I've easily heard a dozen bad renter stories. Some landlords act like Joe Pesci in "The Super", but the vast majority aren't like that. Some renters act like over-entitled children, but the vast majority aren't like that. I think people need to realize that the landlord-tenant relationship is all about business and yes, money. No one owes anyone anything...unless its spelled out in the contract and it really isn't an "us" vs. "them" kind of thing. Heck, I'm a landlord and I spend a lot of time here on the NJ board trying to help out renters with difficult situations.
And I'm so glad you do
Just an update for you. I sent a letter to the ll explaining everything that was wrong, illegal, not up to code, etc.
All to explain why it wasn't worth the kind of money he was asking. He called my DH and told him I made a "fatal" mistake by writing that.
He has put a sign up at the road advertising that this house is for rent. He's advertising it as having one more bedroom and half of a bath more than it does.
Anyway, I'm now excited. I think I've found a great home to move to that's in fabulous shape. Very well cared for and maintained.
I think we could be very happy there. Let's hope all goes well.
Just an update for you. I sent a letter to the ll explaining everything that was wrong, illegal, not up to code, etc.
All to explain why it wasn't worth the kind of money he was asking. He called my DH and told him I made a "fatal" mistake by writing that.
He has put a sign up at the road advertising that this house is for rent. He's advertising it as having one more bedroom and half of a bath more than it does.
Anyway, I'm now excited. I think I've found a great home to move to that's in fabulous shape. Very well cared for and maintained.
I think we could be very happy there. Let's hope all goes well.
Good luck! You sound like really good people and I hope everything works out for you. I'm a believer in what goes around comes around so your LL will get what's coming to him in one way or another - hopefully in the form of the most horrible tenants on the planet!
I think people need to realize that the landlord-tenant relationship is all about business and yes, money.
Exactly. Most LLs are LLs b/c their properties are investments. A source of income, not just some structure they let others live in and just pay the nominal monthly fees owed on the property.
Quote:
No one owes anyone anything...unless its spelled out in the contract and it really isn't an "us" vs. "them" kind of thing. Heck, I'm a landlord and I spend a lot of time here on the NJ board trying to help out renters with difficult situations.
It is a shame that so many LL's are jerks and give the rest of us a bad name.
Just an update for you. I sent a letter to the ll explaining everything that was wrong, illegal, not up to code, etc.
All to explain why it wasn't worth the kind of money he was asking. He called my DH and told him I made a "fatal" mistake by writing that.
He has put a sign up at the road advertising that this house is for rent. He's advertising it as having one more bedroom and half of a bath more than it does.
Anyway, I'm now excited. I think I've found a great home to move to that's in fabulous shape. Very well cared for and maintained.
I think we could be very happy there. Let's hope all goes well.
You had every right to do what you did, you made no mistake. From your posts, it seems he benefitted from having you as a tenant. You called him out and he got upset b/c he knew he was getting away with MORE than just being a crappy LL.
We went to look at a home today and it was beautiful. I was amazed!! Ceilings everywhere!!!!!
Everything was beautiful and in fantastic shape. We met the ll and he was a very nice person.
One door closes, another opens. I hope we get it.
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