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Hi All,
I was just wondering if there is any kind of association down here that tenants can turn to when they have landlord problems.
I have been trying to get into my rental house since 9/6/05 with American Rentals and Sales. After showing us the house, the property manager promised to get us a lease, wrote down our information and then didn't return calls for a week. When I finally got her on the phone, she made excuses, then promised to drop off the lease that day. When she dropped it off, it had both of our names wrong, the length of contract wrong, and said "No pets" despite us agreeing that our three cats were ok. I tried to get her to change it, but she didn't answer calls, so I finally went down there on 9/16 and had her initial and sign everywhere on the lease that I had hand=written in the corrections. She took my deposit, and the rent for the second half of September, then couldn't find the keys.
She said the landlord had them. After another several days of no returned calls, we finally ended up walking to the landlords house (three times since he doesn't answer his door and we had to finally catch him outside) and got the keys from him. When we got in, it turned out that the air conditioning unit didn't work, a light fixture has dangling exposed wires, and there is no running water. Not to mention, the place was filthy, but I said if he got everything else fixed, I would just clean it.
Yesterday (two days before my three cats get into town with my friends) the property manger, who cashed my check a week ago, by the way, calls to say the landlord is not going to fix anything and we can take it or leave it. We can not leave it, because we have no where else to go with three cats and no cars!
This house is a crappy house for a thousand a month, but it has a nice view and is walking distance to work, which is why we agreed to take it.. but for a thousand dollars a month, I expect the place to have running water and not have dangerous excposed wires!
As of now, the property manager will not return calls and the landlord will not answer his door or return calls.
This is a frusterated rant, and I apologize, but I am really not sure where else to turn from here.
Any suggestions?
Posted : September 30, 2005 2:49 am
Hi Beth,
I have a couple of ideas.
Legal Aid - 773-0295
Chamber of Commerce -- 773-1435
Office of Licensing -- 774-0930
Womens Coalition -- 773-9272
We almost had dealing with this woman when we came on island. Now I'm glad we didn't.
From my experience, with any of these folks, after the initial call to see who can help you, plan to go to tem in person. For me doing complicated business over the phone is always frustrating. Culturally it means more to talk to someone face to face and practically, I find it easier to understand and be understood in person.
Good luck,
Linda
Posted : September 30, 2005 8:58 pm
Wow, you said you saw the place before getting the lease... were the problems not there when you first looked?
You can go to Consumer Affairs; same as licensing that Linda mentioned.
Maybe the Fire Inspectors can make suggestions if you think the exposed wires are a fire risk.
It takes a bit to get responses from such gov't offices, so this might add to your frustrations.
What about looking for another place? See if you can board your cats at a Vets office while you look.
Good luck.
--Islander
Posted : October 1, 2005 7:20 pm
Hey Beth,
If we can help in any way please let us know.
Posted : October 2, 2005 12:03 am
Topic starter
Thank you all for the help. Islander, we did see the place, but the water was working, and it was dirty, but we were told it would be cleaned. And like idiots, we did not try the appliances, something I will never let happen again.
On the plus side, after I called in hysterics, threatening to sue, we got the water fixed that day, the stove fixed the next day and the a/c unit replaced the day after that. I also got her to give me 150 off the rent for the cleaning. The rest of the stuff, we can deal with on our own.
And my cats are here now, so I am happy. My advice to anyone would be to first of all, avoid this rental agency, and secondly, do not agree to anything without trying every darn thing in the house and getting something in writing that it will be fixed and by what date. We would have saved a lot of trouble if we had just decided that it was too much work to get them to fix things.
Posted : October 4, 2005 7:47 pm
Beth & Tabra,
I'm glad it's all working out for you in the end. Life does have its frustrations... but thankfully we have the ability of being able to kick back on a beach and let those frustrations drain away (once we first kick someone in the butt and get them to move and do what they should have done from the start). I've heard from some other people that they had good luck with that rental agency. Maybe they were having an off month. Best of luck in your new digs now that you've gotten the necessities of life operational.
Posted : October 4, 2005 8:33 pm
Beth: I am glad it is turning out okay. Sometimes that learning curve is darn steep, huh??
WARNING TO NEWBIES!!! This is why we keep saying you have to be here to find housing. You'll want to see it personally. As Beth said, even if you see it, there can still be problems!!!
Posted : October 4, 2005 9:33 pm
