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Location: St Thomas, USVI - Seattle, WA - Gulf Coast, TX
811 posts, read 1,147,408 times
Reputation: 2322
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Brisket
The lease doesn't mention anything related to this.
Honestly, I'm a student and it's my first time living off-campus. He rushed me into signing a 1-year lease (my fault). I want out and don't want to live here anymore. I'm not happy at all (other reasons beside this wasp problem). How should I bring this up to my landlord? I fear that he's going to make me stay the entire term of the lease.
Besides deposit, what other penalties should I expect?
Also one of the rules mentioned in the lease was that "The lease is effective when Landlord delivers to Tenant a copy signed by all parties." I did sign it but I never received a copy to this date even though I asked him for a copy. Does this mean anything?
Since your lease doesn't seem to be very thorough, you might defer directly to your state's tenant-landlord laws (which would trump your lease anyway).
For example, in WA state an infestation is considered a repair issue. All repair issues must be addressed with your landlord in writing. This particular repair issue must be addressed by your landlord within 10 days of receiving your letter. If your landlord does not address the repair within the 10-day timeframe, then you have a right to break lease or potentially pay for and deduct the repair from your rent. Again, this is just one state's law, so you should look into your own, but you do likely have some leverage here. All of that said, I'm not as familiar with the circumstances of a leased "roommate" sort of situation. This may have some nuance to it.
Whatever your state law says, it certainly would not hurt to hand your roommate/landlord a written repair letter to, at the very least, indicate that this is important to you and make it clear that you are following proper legal procedure. It will be clear that you mean business and will likely snap your landlord into action.
While I don't think that not receiving a copy of your lease with your ll's signature on it is going to give you any leverage in breaking your lease, it also would not hurt to give him a written request for that signed copy. It is a requirement and will also indicate to your landlord that you hold him to the legal standards. if, after requesting the copy, you don't receive it, then you may be gaining further leverage toward breaking your lease.
Remember to keep copies of all of these documentations for yourself, along with keeping records of dates/timelines for communications and repairs.
Last edited by IslandCityGirl; 10-10-2015 at 12:19 PM..
I don't deny that my landlord is addressing the situation (He identified it as yellow-jacket wasps). He's not targeting the nest directly. He has speculations of crevices that it can enter from and seals it with foam (1 week ago). Still wasps flying around, barely any noticeable change.
My landlord has decided to deal with this problem himself. But from what I've read so far, this matter could be resolved pretty efficiently with chemical spray (stated that there was only 1 hive). It has been 2+ weeks from the time he declared that he was going take care of this problem. Recently he said that winter is coming and that the wasp problem should resolve on its own...
Everyday I encounter wasps (either in the kitchen or bathroom) flying around. I'll talk with my landlord again and see how the situation is progressing (if he's even making an effort still).
Location: St Thomas, USVI - Seattle, WA - Gulf Coast, TX
811 posts, read 1,147,408 times
Reputation: 2322
Quote:
Originally Posted by Brisket
I don't deny that my landlord is addressing the situation (He identified it as yellow-jacket wasps). He's not targeting the nest directly. He has speculations of crevices that it can enter from and seals it with foam (1 week ago). Still wasps flying around, barely any noticeable change.
My landlord has decided to deal with this problem himself. But from what I've read so far, this matter could be resolved pretty efficiently with chemical spray (stated that there was only 1 hive). It has been 2+ weeks from the time he declared that he was going take care of this problem. Recently he said that winter is coming and that the wasp problem should resolve on its own...
Everyday I encounter wasps (either in the kitchen or bathroom) flying around. I'll talk with my landlord again and see how the situation is progressing (if he's even making an effort still).
Thank you to everyone who has responded!
When you talk to him about it again, do so in writing or at least while handing him a letter that restates what you are addressing with him verbally. In your documentation, acknowledge and thank him for his initial attempts to prevent yellow jackets from entering the home (stating specifically what those attempts were and the dates, if you know them), but site that the problem still persists and that you are requesting a more complete resolution. Thank him for is willingness to address the issue more completely (in advance). Beginning and ending with a thank you will be a great way to mitigate ruffling your roommate's feathers (you do have to live with this guy, for now), while also kindly making it clear that this problem is important to you and requires immediate attention. It will also be necessary documention for you IF you decide you want to break your lease and move, if your landlord does not address the issue within your state's required time frame. As a landlord, I have little patience for landlords who don't fully address issues like this in a way that resolves the problem completely and ensures that their tenants feel safe and valued. This is his responsibility and there is no reason, especially as someone who lives in the house, for him to not address it in a more complete way. Best of luck!
I had a talk with the landlord yesterday. So apparently he has a fear of wasps and finds it difficult to confront it. Yet he still insists on doing it himself. He told me that the hive is indeed in the house and it has access to the heating vent hence this is why it's becoming widespread. He has some kind of vacuum contraption that supposedly sucks in the wasps. He said there's poison too but he's too scared to dump the poison in.
Location: St Thomas, USVI - Seattle, WA - Gulf Coast, TX
811 posts, read 1,147,408 times
Reputation: 2322
Quote:
Originally Posted by Brisket
I had a talk with the landlord yesterday. So apparently he has a fear of wasps and finds it difficult to confront it. Yet he still insists on doing it himself. He told me that the hive is indeed in the house and it has access to the heating vent hence this is why it's becoming widespread. He has some kind of vacuum contraption that supposedly sucks in the wasps. He said there's poison too but he's too scared to dump the poison in.
The stories are getting more far-fetched.
All the more reason to follow the advice to address this in the proper, legal procedure (written documentation of a formal request). I understand that a lot of people are afraid of wasps, but your landlord has a responsibility to either gather some courage and fix the problem immediately, or fork over the cash to hire someone who will do it for him. Period. Frankly, it sounds like he is under-qualified to handle the problem on his own, safely and effectively. If you're serious about getting the problem fixed, follow your conversations up with written letters and know your state's landlord-tenant laws. Hold your landlord to them. With a wasp's nest in the house, I'd say this is bordering on an emergency repair requirement, due to safety issues. Most states require that emergency issues be resolved in 24 hours.
Or you could just extricate yourself from the situation and have documentation to support your action.
Growing up we lived next to a beekeeper and sometimes the hive would swarm... never really gave it a second thought.
There is no test to become a Landlord although my city does require a business license...
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