Need urgent advice. Very loud apt refrigerator, what to do? (apartment, lease)
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I rented an apt in california, I pay over $1,200 per month. 1 Br. apt. When I rented at the apt, I said the fridge is loud, Manager she said, yes it is loud and we will replace it for you.
But when I moved in, nothing happened. This was 9 months ago. I asked like 10 times, and they tell me that all the fridges are loud like this.
This week, the fridge started to make more noise, as if something went loose in it. very loud noise when the cycle starts up.
I am not able to sit in the living room without ear plugs all the time and I can still hear it. I complained, but they tell me all the fridges are like that. I am started to really feel sick, with headache now.
They will not let me rent my own fridge, they say the one in the apt. can not be moved out and have to remain there in the kitchen. And I have no place to put the one I will rent.
I offered them to buy a new and quite one, and said I will pay 1/2 of the price, and they can keep the fridge when I leave, they said no.
I have 3 months left on the lease, but with the new noise from the fridge (worst than before) I am not sure if I can last for 3 more months. If I leave before, they will charge me penalty they said.
What do I do now? Where to go? Is there a place I can complain to?
Did they come to listen this week, after the refrigerator started to make more noise? If not, that's the first step - get them to come listen - and if there's a problem they can call a repairman.
Did they come to listen this week, after the refrigerator started to make more noise? If not, that's the first step - get them to come listen - and if there's a problem they can call a repairman.
YES!
I called the manager and made an order, then the maintenance person came in, and he said the same thing he says each time, all fridges are noisy and there is no other one in the building they can replace it with.
I am now sitting with ear plugs in and ear muffs as well so not to hear the noise from the kitchen. I have headache, I feel little dizzy with my ears closed all day. I have the ear muffs all day, for the last 9 months.
His only solution is to turn the temp. down inside the fridge so to reduce the cycle time. But this does not do much, the cycle still kicks in just as long. And I also worry my food can get bad.
This is huge building, with may be 200 apts at least. may be more. one of the largest apts in the city, yet they claim they have no other fridge to replace mine with, and no place to move this fridge to so I can go rent my own. I do not believe them.
But I do not know what to do. Should I get a sound measuring device, and measure the sound db level and record it. Is there an acceptable sound level that apts fridge must be below? How do I find this?
I never lived in an apt before with a fridge this loud. The problem is the kitchen is open to the living room, no door to the kitchen, so no where to hide in the small apt other than in the bed room and close the door.
Should I get a sound measuring device, and measure the sound db level and record it. Is there an acceptable sound level that apts fridge must be below? How do I find this?
If it was me, I *might* be willing to pay for a second opinion from another repairman. Hopefully one who is not just the site handyman, but a real refrigerator repairman. If he agrees that there's something wrong, and can give you a written quote, then you will have some leverage with your landlord - you'll have written proof that a problem exists, and exactly how much it will cost to fix it. Who knows? It might just be something simple - maybe it just needs a new fan? And if your landlord knows it's not an expensive repair, it may make him more willing to actually fix it.
And if the repairman tells you that it's just this brand of refrigerators, or that it's just the way this kitchen is constructed, or any other answer that isn't to your liking? Well at least you'll know the truth, and if you truly are just extra sensitive to the noise, as the landlord is claiming, then you'll know to rent a house next time with a solid door between the kitchen and the other rooms!
And yeah I know that it's not really fair for you to have hire a repairman for a second opinion, but if I was as miserable as you claim to be, I'd at least consider it.
Have you asked another tenant? If there are 200 noisy refrigerators then you should hear it everywhere. Look at neighbors refrigerators and see if they have the same brand and type. Then compare the noise level.
The other option mentioned is have a repairman come look at it and get an estimate or at least a record of a problem.
Turn the temperature all the way to max cool and maybe it will burn out and die. Then you can get a new one.
One of those solutions should fix the problem.
I'm sorry to hear you are having this problem. If you have been a good tenant in all other respects the managers of this apartment are fools for not trying to satisfy you regarding this issue.
It is unfortunate that you did not get the agreement to replace this refrigerator in writing before you first moved in. It is even more unfortunate that the landlord did not keep their promise to replace it.
You could hire an attorney to help you deal with these people, I'm not sure its worth it for only 3 months before you can move out.
You could unplug this refrigerator and buy another one that you install and use for your remaining time there, but it sounds like you would have to find someplace in your apartment to store the one you don't like. It may make your last 3 months there more tolerable.
I am more than a good tenant. In each apt I rent, the apt manager hate see me leave.
I pay rent before time. Very quite, keep apt clean. do not hang things on wall. no pets. do not smoke. no parties. no loud music. and pay rent before it is due (did I say that before?).
When manager showed me apt, she said " Yes this is a loud refrigrator" and that they will replace it for me. So I said ok, and signed the lease. Later when the maintenance person came, he said all fridges make noise and he has nothing to replace it with. I talked to manager and nothing happened.
They know I am leaving at the end of the lease, and so they do not care. Why would they replace it if I am leaving? They do not care. I signed the lease. Typical apt manager. They only care about one thing: $$
I am out of here, may be before the lease is over, and will pay rent for the rest of the lease and leave the apt empty. Will make sure next time I rent, the fridge is quite. it is hard to find apts with kitchen that has door so I can close the door. They do not build apts like this any more. It is all this modern design crap with kitchen wide open to the living room which I hate.
I am more than a good tenant. In each apt I rent, the apt manager hate see me leave.
I pay rent before time. Very quite, keep apt clean. do not hang things on wall. no pets. do not smoke. no parties. no loud music. and pay rent before it is due (did I say that before?).
When manager showed me apt, she said " Yes this is a loud refrigrator" and that they will replace it for me. So I said ok, and signed the lease. Later when the maintenance person came, he said all fridges make noise and he has nothing to replace it with. I talked to manager and nothing happened.
They know I am leaving at the end of the lease, and so they do not care. Why would they replace it if I am leaving? They do not care. I signed the lease. Typical apt manager. They only care about one thing: $$
I am out of here, may be before the lease is over, and will pay rent for the rest of the lease and leave the apt empty. Will make sure next time I rent, the fridge is quite. it is hard to find apts with kitchen that has door so I can close the door. They do not build apts like this any more. It is all this modern design crap with kitchen wide open to the living room which I hate.
I would rent(the fridge you were talking about) and just unplug the other one. Or buy a mini fridge(you can buy them for like 50 or 60 bucks I think) and unplug the other one. Might be inconvenient to have clutter but its better than paying double rent for months. You can move the extra fridge anywhere in your apt. Living room whatever if its unplugged
I would rent(the fridge you were talking about) and just unplug the other one. Or buy a mini fridge(you can buy them for like 50 or 60 bucks I think) and unplug the other one. Might be inconvenient to have clutter but its better than paying double rent for months. You can move the extra fridge anywhere in your apt. Living room whatever if its unplugged
As I said earlier, they do not ALLOW the fridge in the apt to be moved out. So, I have no place to put the fridge I want to rent. I told them, I willing to rent my own fridge, pay for it myself, all what they have to do is take the one in the kitchen so I can put mine in there. They said no.
If I buy a tiny fridge, where will I put it? I am trying to run away from noise. If I put it in the living room, it will add more noise. If I put it in the bedroom, I can't sleep. I have no storage room in the apt to put the fridge in. ALso tiny fridge means I can't buy frozen food, since those have very tiny freezer. I tried one before. It did not work.
Why do I have to live with a tiny fridge when I pay $1,200 for an apt?
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