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Location: When you take flak it means you are on target
7,646 posts, read 9,947,000 times
Reputation: 16466
Quote:
Originally Posted by pendleton42
jamies if your a land lord i hope the shut you down or if your a manger i hope they fire you
Sorry if my tone was too strong, I apologize. As for me being "shut down" that's not likely - mine are the best, nicest units in town. I am the one calling code enforcement on other properties. My units are kept in near perfect condition and constantly undergoing upgrade and repair. When a tenant moves in their unit is in "like new" condition. And while most return it in the same condition, others leave it a mess.
To reduce problems we make inspections every 6 months and any tenant deficiencies are noted and have 14 days to correct or face eviction, and any landlord repairs are scheduled and made timely. I want to protect my investment. I also want to keep my tenants. That is accomplished by keeping the property in good condition.
As for whether we would refinish or replace a peeling tub during the term of a tenancy would probably depend on the tenant and the specific property. Refinished tubs will often peel after a couple of years of tenants. Which is odd, because the refinished tub in my house which is used daily by two people was redone 5 years ago and still looks new. Could it be because we take care of it. (Or rather the maid does...) It's usually not a big deal to re-spray them to last the tenancy. I can say though that a tub covered with mold would get one of my tenants their walking papers.
I lived in an older rental unit for 3 1/2 years. We had a great price and a LL who didn't take interest in the property. When we moved in the carpet was old but serviceable. I kept it clean and after a year replaced it at my own cost. The bathroom had some mold. I "kilzed" it and repainted. It was "my" home, I had to live there not the LL. When the drain clogged I snaked it out. And I paid a maid to come once a week for 1/2 a day and clean house, freeing me up to do other things.
Location: When you take flak it means you are on target
7,646 posts, read 9,947,000 times
Reputation: 16466
Quote:
Originally Posted by Java378
Oh jamies, how much experience do you have renting? I've seen mortgage bakers in code enforcement court on junk car violations with section 8 tenants.
And the funny thing was, it was her "boyfriend"'s truck that was cited. The guy got fined $250 after the lawyer bargained it down from $500.
Or maybe that is just Atlanta.
About 40 years as a LL and occasionally as a tenant. I would never have a junk car on my property. My tenant rules preclude non-ops and believe me I will tow them immediately. I have never been cited for anything, because I do not allow my properties, even my low income units to fall into disrepair. If a tenant is not treating a unit right I get rid of them and get someone who appreciates the property.
But this is a great forum! I am learning so much about how tenants feel and I see the communication gap between LL's and Tenants needs and feelings. I wonder if there is a way to close it?
once the tube started peeling and they refused to fix it we refused to clean it
we didn't think it was safe to touch the mold
the brown stuff on the ceiling had nothing to do with cleaning .
the apartment above had a flood and ruined the ceiling and the wall and again our request for repairs were ignored.
thank you for your replys
Quote:
Originally Posted by guy23
i have a 1 year lease
and if this pig were renting from you sir if you refused to fix i would not clean your broken tube ,dish washer etc.
and i never noticed his insult i hope this forum has good moderation for this type of keyboard commando
I get why you would be so angry about the repairs not being done...but why in God's name would you not even bother cleaning things for so long? You seem to be trying to make a point to your LL with the "you don't fix, I don't clean" attitude. You're not doing yourself - or your health - any favors.
You have two choices: either pursue avenues to get the repairs made and make it more habitable, or find another place.
About 40 years as a LL and occasionally as a tenant. I would never have a junk car on my property. My tenant rules preclude non-ops and believe me I will tow them immediately. I have never been cited for anything, because I do not allow my properties, even my low income units to fall into disrepair. If a tenant is not treating a unit right I get rid of them and get someone who appreciates the property.
But this is a great forum! I am learning so much about how tenants feel and I see the communication gap between LL's and Tenants needs and feelings. I wonder if there is a way to close it?
Unless tenants have the mindset of homeowners, the mindset may never be closed.
dont whine .. Jamie made some valid points YOU have the power to fix some of this and not act the victim .. most of us would have sent a letter and then after 30 days done excatly what Jamie suggested and been done with the issue .. Common sense doesnt take that much work does it?
BUT face it the LL likely wants you out anyways so they can rehab the place and jack the rent .. do the work your self and smile as you relize you beat the LL game ..
Landlord/Tenant Book - California Department of Consumer Affairs (http://www.dca.ca.gov/publications/landlordbook/appendix3.shtml - broken link)
Once you understand your rights and obligations, you may be able to get some assistance from your local housing authorities or the many resources at the links listed above.
I agree with the others here that it is your obligation to keep the place clean. In my opinion the water stains from the leak upstairs is not your fault and the landlord should repair it and the damaged finishes. That may not however be required by law if it is not endangering your health or safety.
As the others have advised, if you can't afford to move to a new place, you need to start taking more responsibility for fixing the things that you can and keeping the place clean. Even that tub is usable if you cleaned the thing well.
the carpet was old and dirty when i moved in was dirty if i walk on it bare footed my feet look like i have bee walking on black coal.
Quote:
Originally Posted by jamies
Excuse me, have you ever thought of CLEANING the place in the past 4 years? The landlord isn't your maid.
+1. I'm not a landlord, but you do get a bit of self-reliance when you own.
Quote:
Originally Posted by op
once the tube started peeling and they refused to fix it we refused to clean it
Then your bathroom will get nastier and nastier. It won't matter nearly as much to the landlord, who can eliminate the problem by simply contracting a cleaner for a couple hours after you move out.
Quote:
Originally Posted by op
we didn't think it was safe to touch the mold
When I clean mold I use a special cleaner, rubber globes, an air-filtering mask, and turned on the exhaust fan for that very reason. Cost? Less than $5.
Rubber gloves are good whenever you work with harsh cleaners and masks are handy when changing air filters.
Last edited by likesAppliances; 02-03-2011 at 04:24 AM..
Is LA a humid area? The mold on the rim of the tub is quite common in my part of the country during the summer. We have high humidity. Bleach and keeping the area dry does solve the problem. If you are not using this bath tub, how is this spot getting wet/soapy? This is an exerpt I found :
As you question suggests "black mold" growths are common in houses particularly in bathrooms and some materials in basements. The black mold that you may see growing on shower walls, and grouting on showers and bathtubs is unlikely to be Stachybotrys or Memnoniella. The food source in these cases is likely to be the film of soap that gradually builds up in these locations.
Basements and Bathrooms Black Mold - FAQ (http://www.allergybuyersclub.com/learning/godish-black-mold.html - broken link)
Given this information, your refusal to clean has created the mold problem.
The ceiling, while unsightly has not created an inhabitable condition. If my LL wouldn't have someone come in and put a coat of kiltz on it, I would.
The carpets are ugly to say the least.... and cheap. But you chose to move in with them. If they were dirty, you should have had the LL clean them as a requirement before you signed your lease. I, personally, would not allow them to stay filthy for four years.
If this home has been in this condition for years (as you are leading us to believe) why do you continue to renew your lease? You have responsibility for your actions.
You cannot afford to move? In four years, you have not saved enough? Or has the rent control been enough for you to live with the flaking tub? (this is the only thing that IMHO is something that the LL should address.... the flaking... not the nastiness) Why, all of a sudden are you looking for a refund?
Go ahead, make a fuss to the new LLs. They will take care of your unit. I am sure the tennant that moves in will like the renovations.... just as much as the new LLs will like the amount of rent they will be able to charge.
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