Help me deal with my crazy landlord!
July 30, 2010 11:22 AM Subscribe
What rights do I have with my landlord in Seattle?
Me and my roommates are first time renters, and our landlord is causing us some problems.
We need some advice.
1. He's taken two weeks to finish fixing our dishwasher. Right now, its sitting in the middle of our kitchen. It's been incrementally leaking all over our kitchen, producing a horrible smell. He's left large puddles in our kitchen after working on it.
I feel like I live in a swamp.
A couple days ago, he came by in the evening, and I tried to ask him if he had an idea as to when the repairs would be finished. I could smell the alcohol on him - he refused to give me an answer.
He says that the reason they can't finish installing it is that they haven't found the correct size of a certain part (I think he said the fitting that goes around the dishwasher.
I think this might be bullshit - we live in a major city, with a lot of dishwashers...I'm thinking there might be a larger structural problem with the pipes or something and he's just not telling us. Our house is old and beat up.
I'm especially suspect of the structural condition of the house because...
2. On a note that my landlord wrote to the man fixing our deck/dishwasher, he gave instructions to clean up the black mold in the basement. We are not renting out the basement, and have only seen it once, quickly.
Given how my landlord has dealt with the dishwasher situation, I question his ability to properly fix this problem.
All of this is especially concerning to me because of the room I rent. I am right across from the kitchen, so that mess is unavoidable. Moreover, the room I'm in used to be a laundry room or something. There is an open metal pipe in my closet that looks like it used to be connected to a washing machine. Weird smells that definitely don't come from me emanate from this pipe.
Additional information: he rented the house to us when the back deck was clearly unsafe. We had a large party about two months ago, and a support beam snapped. No one was injured. All of a sudden there was just a massive dent in our deck. The support beam is now fixed, and is in the process of being repaired.
Additional information: a neighbor told us that our landlord had cheated some previous renters out of some money. He wasn't clear on the specifics. Also, he alleged that our landlord might be addicted to cocaine.
Give me advice hivemind! How do I get my landlord to finish fixing our dishwasher? It's been two weeks with no end in sight.
With this list of grievances, do I have the right to terminate my lease without repercussion? I don't want to be inhaling mold for another 9 months.
Me and my roommates are first time renters, and our landlord is causing us some problems.
We need some advice.
1. He's taken two weeks to finish fixing our dishwasher. Right now, its sitting in the middle of our kitchen. It's been incrementally leaking all over our kitchen, producing a horrible smell. He's left large puddles in our kitchen after working on it.
I feel like I live in a swamp.
A couple days ago, he came by in the evening, and I tried to ask him if he had an idea as to when the repairs would be finished. I could smell the alcohol on him - he refused to give me an answer.
He says that the reason they can't finish installing it is that they haven't found the correct size of a certain part (I think he said the fitting that goes around the dishwasher.
I think this might be bullshit - we live in a major city, with a lot of dishwashers...I'm thinking there might be a larger structural problem with the pipes or something and he's just not telling us. Our house is old and beat up.
I'm especially suspect of the structural condition of the house because...
2. On a note that my landlord wrote to the man fixing our deck/dishwasher, he gave instructions to clean up the black mold in the basement. We are not renting out the basement, and have only seen it once, quickly.
Given how my landlord has dealt with the dishwasher situation, I question his ability to properly fix this problem.
All of this is especially concerning to me because of the room I rent. I am right across from the kitchen, so that mess is unavoidable. Moreover, the room I'm in used to be a laundry room or something. There is an open metal pipe in my closet that looks like it used to be connected to a washing machine. Weird smells that definitely don't come from me emanate from this pipe.
Additional information: he rented the house to us when the back deck was clearly unsafe. We had a large party about two months ago, and a support beam snapped. No one was injured. All of a sudden there was just a massive dent in our deck. The support beam is now fixed, and is in the process of being repaired.
Additional information: a neighbor told us that our landlord had cheated some previous renters out of some money. He wasn't clear on the specifics. Also, he alleged that our landlord might be addicted to cocaine.
Give me advice hivemind! How do I get my landlord to finish fixing our dishwasher? It's been two weeks with no end in sight.
With this list of grievances, do I have the right to terminate my lease without repercussion? I don't want to be inhaling mold for another 9 months.
The Seattle Tenants Union has a page that's relevant: http://tenantsunion.org/rights/14/OptionsforGettingRepairs
If they're anything like the San Francisco Tenant's Union you should just be able to give them a call.
posted by dolface at 11:32 AM on July 30, 2010
If they're anything like the San Francisco Tenant's Union you should just be able to give them a call.
posted by dolface at 11:32 AM on July 30, 2010
When you signed the lease, you should have been given a couple of packets: one about mold, and another explaining landlord and tenant rights and responsibilities in plain language. Page 7 contains information about repairs, including your options.
Two weeks is too slow: "24 hours for no hot or cold water, heat or electricity, or for a condition which is imminently hazardous to life; 72 hours for repair of refrigerator, range and oven, or a major plumbing fixture supplied by landlord; 10 days for all other repairs."
If you haven't been documenting all these requests, start now. Sent all requests for repairs via certified mail and keep a copy of every letter you send or receive.
posted by esoterrica at 11:38 AM on July 30, 2010
Two weeks is too slow: "24 hours for no hot or cold water, heat or electricity, or for a condition which is imminently hazardous to life; 72 hours for repair of refrigerator, range and oven, or a major plumbing fixture supplied by landlord; 10 days for all other repairs."
If you haven't been documenting all these requests, start now. Sent all requests for repairs via certified mail and keep a copy of every letter you send or receive.
posted by esoterrica at 11:38 AM on July 30, 2010
Photos and video my boy, photos and video, judges love the real thing, when that time comes you will rock. Model number of dishwasher + Google + printer also a good use of your time. Seattle is renter's dream right now, skip out and let him sue you. Then you have all these neat photos it seems. Hmmmmmmmm...........
posted by Freedomboy at 11:41 AM on July 30, 2010
posted by Freedomboy at 11:41 AM on July 30, 2010
I'm not sure what your income is, but The Northwest Justice Project offers great support/legal advice for people with housing needs just like these. It might be worth calling to see if you qualify -- at the very least they'd be able to direct you to someone who'd have good advice. Good luck!
posted by superlibby at 11:59 AM on July 30, 2010
posted by superlibby at 11:59 AM on July 30, 2010
You have to "prove" the mold situation; get in the basement, get a sample, get it tested. Get a sample from the rim of the "sewer" pipe in your room also. If your results verify anything dangerous you can break your lease with this.
The dishwasher would be on the list of "luxury" items in rental terms--I doubt a judge would award you repair expenses so I'd get it out of your kitchen until it is repaired. If it was the furnace or the refrig we'd be talking about different standard of course, those type of items should be repaired quickly or replaced. Your lease (do you have one?) should specify your rights on this issue.
posted by PixieS at 12:07 PM on July 30, 2010
The dishwasher would be on the list of "luxury" items in rental terms--I doubt a judge would award you repair expenses so I'd get it out of your kitchen until it is repaired. If it was the furnace or the refrig we'd be talking about different standard of course, those type of items should be repaired quickly or replaced. Your lease (do you have one?) should specify your rights on this issue.
posted by PixieS at 12:07 PM on July 30, 2010
Alternative option: make a plan to get out of there. Some landlords are great, some are awful.
You can focus on law, or tenant's rights, or fixing individual problems, but this guy is always going to be a loser. Joining and supporting the tenant's union is always a good idea, but it will not fix your landlord.
Like manymanymany tenants, I have been in your shoes. You can either fight it or change it. It think it's preferable to not be renting from this guy at all--based on your description, he sounds like a terminally lame landlord.
Instead of focusing on the dishwasher or the black mold, get a temporary part time job (so you'll be OK if you have to kiss your security deposit goodbye--accept that possibility and it's easier to move forward) and focus on finding new, decent apartment.
If you explain your current situation honestly, many prospective landlords (especially the good ones who maintain their properties) will understand why you are breaking your current lease.
posted by quarterframer at 12:51 PM on July 30, 2010
You can focus on law, or tenant's rights, or fixing individual problems, but this guy is always going to be a loser. Joining and supporting the tenant's union is always a good idea, but it will not fix your landlord.
Like manymanymany tenants, I have been in your shoes. You can either fight it or change it. It think it's preferable to not be renting from this guy at all--based on your description, he sounds like a terminally lame landlord.
Instead of focusing on the dishwasher or the black mold, get a temporary part time job (so you'll be OK if you have to kiss your security deposit goodbye--accept that possibility and it's easier to move forward) and focus on finding new, decent apartment.
If you explain your current situation honestly, many prospective landlords (especially the good ones who maintain their properties) will understand why you are breaking your current lease.
posted by quarterframer at 12:51 PM on July 30, 2010
Forgive me if I don't find any of your issues to be dealkillers. It seems to me that you didn't do your due diligence when you moved in, and now you want out. That is your problem, not your landlord's. Why did you sign the lease if the pipe that smells is in your bedroom?
The Tenant's Union won't get to you in time. They are overwhelmed. A great organization, but overwhelmed. They won't get to you because your problems, while vital to you, are not critical. A dishwasher problem isn't heat or hot water or a critical appliance (like a refrigerator). If you complain too much, the landlord may well respond "Well, fine, I won't fix it." and then you'll have no dishwasher. I don't believe the dishwasher falls under "major plumbing fixture supplied by landlord" but I could be wrong. I checked once, but have forgotten.
You could mention that the repairman leaves the place a mess, or you could just clean it up yourself.
The deck broke when you were having a party. I'm not sure that that points to the deck being 'clearly unsafe' and I don't believe that a court would take your side in that. You had a party with a large number of people - you don't say how many, and for all we know, it had too many people on it.
The black mold IS serious. Have you talked to him about it? It sounds to me like he's being responsible and trying to deal with it, though.
I do not believe you have any recourse in this matter. I also don't think that your landlord is a bad landlord. He fixed the deck, the dishwasher isn't a vital appliance, and he's given instructions to address the black mold. Have you actually talked to the landlord about any of this?
posted by micawber at 1:02 PM on July 30, 2010
The Tenant's Union won't get to you in time. They are overwhelmed. A great organization, but overwhelmed. They won't get to you because your problems, while vital to you, are not critical. A dishwasher problem isn't heat or hot water or a critical appliance (like a refrigerator). If you complain too much, the landlord may well respond "Well, fine, I won't fix it." and then you'll have no dishwasher. I don't believe the dishwasher falls under "major plumbing fixture supplied by landlord" but I could be wrong. I checked once, but have forgotten.
You could mention that the repairman leaves the place a mess, or you could just clean it up yourself.
The deck broke when you were having a party. I'm not sure that that points to the deck being 'clearly unsafe' and I don't believe that a court would take your side in that. You had a party with a large number of people - you don't say how many, and for all we know, it had too many people on it.
The black mold IS serious. Have you talked to him about it? It sounds to me like he's being responsible and trying to deal with it, though.
I do not believe you have any recourse in this matter. I also don't think that your landlord is a bad landlord. He fixed the deck, the dishwasher isn't a vital appliance, and he's given instructions to address the black mold. Have you actually talked to the landlord about any of this?
posted by micawber at 1:02 PM on July 30, 2010
Contact one of the organizations mentioned above. Unless they advise otherwise, move, ASAP, and meanwhile, take those photos/videos freedomboy is recommending.
Bad landlords are like really bad relationships . . . they tend not to mend their ways.
posted by bearwife at 1:06 PM on July 30, 2010
Bad landlords are like really bad relationships . . . they tend not to mend their ways.
posted by bearwife at 1:06 PM on July 30, 2010
>send all requests for repairs via certified mail and keep a copy of every letter you send or receive.
I disagree about registered mail. Most shady types will simply refuse to sign for it.
posted by megatherium at 4:34 PM on July 30, 2010
I disagree about registered mail. Most shady types will simply refuse to sign for it.
posted by megatherium at 4:34 PM on July 30, 2010
nthing Tenant's Union. They might not be able to help you completely or quickly, but they're a good enough resource that it's worth making the attempt.
Also nthing documenting everything with pics & a thorough log. Your memory and powers of restatement will not go as far in a dispute as physical records.
Registered/certified mail is generally what's required as burden of proof that the irresponsible party is, in fact, irresponsible, so it's not a bad idea to implement these. Your lease probably says (check to be sure) that all repair requests must be in writing, and this is the only court-approved way to prove that irrevocably. If he ignores the sends and they have his correct delivery information, that's a strike against him, not you.
Be wary of just booking on the lease. He doesn't sound like he's all that concerned about legitimacy regarding his own responsibilities, but he's likely ready and willing to get the courts involved if the shoe is on the other foot.
Whether or not other people would put up with this situation or like this landlord is moot. The law to let is the law to let and he's not following it.
(I am not a lawyer, landlord, nor current Seattle resident. I did however rent there for nearly a dozen years and got to enjoy the full panoply of Seattle rental hilarity. I wish you luck & perseverence.)
posted by batmonkey at 5:56 PM on July 30, 2010
Also nthing documenting everything with pics & a thorough log. Your memory and powers of restatement will not go as far in a dispute as physical records.
Registered/certified mail is generally what's required as burden of proof that the irresponsible party is, in fact, irresponsible, so it's not a bad idea to implement these. Your lease probably says (check to be sure) that all repair requests must be in writing, and this is the only court-approved way to prove that irrevocably. If he ignores the sends and they have his correct delivery information, that's a strike against him, not you.
Be wary of just booking on the lease. He doesn't sound like he's all that concerned about legitimacy regarding his own responsibilities, but he's likely ready and willing to get the courts involved if the shoe is on the other foot.
Whether or not other people would put up with this situation or like this landlord is moot. The law to let is the law to let and he's not following it.
(I am not a lawyer, landlord, nor current Seattle resident. I did however rent there for nearly a dozen years and got to enjoy the full panoply of Seattle rental hilarity. I wish you luck & perseverence.)
posted by batmonkey at 5:56 PM on July 30, 2010
This thread is closed to new comments.
posted by grouse at 11:28 AM on July 30, 2010 [1 favorite]