How do you cope with a crappy landlord?

May 12, 2008 1:57 PM

I need help for coping with being a renter for a year.

I just sold my house out of town and moved back to the Lower Mainland. Because I had no cellphone, it was hard to shop for a place when I was in town for a few days, and I think that`s why I ended up with something of a disappointing place, but anyway, how do I cope with it for the next year? We`ve already had problems, and we`ve only been here a couple days. We arrived well after 1st of month, but a bunch of things were not fixed -- a toilet that runs constantly, windows that do not lock at all or even shut properly, a fire alarm that is nonworking. Supposedly he`s coming tomorrow to do it, but he yelled at us and was horribly rude on the phone when we want to know when this will all get done. He said they were not essential, but I think the windows are essential security issue, even on 1.5 flights up.

He`s exaggerating, claiming we called him 13 times in a day, but we just called trying to reach him (no voicemail) because he said `Call any time.` Sheesh. There was no heat when we got here and by morning (with drafty windows) it was 60F in the place. So we called! Is it reasonable to have the heat off for the season already? He claimed they provide `reasonable heat`but he should have told us it`s off now and we wouldn`t have panicked. He lied, instead. It`s a rough start.

How do I let this go and feel okay in this place as my home for the next year? We made this change because we needed to move and we sold at a very good time, but don`t want to buy now. Renting sucks and I don`t know how to cope. Tips and resources are welcomed. I wish I could reframe this in my mind and feel okay going forward. Or maybe that`s not even the right thing to do.

The place has some good things -- southern exposure, fairly quiet, 850 a month for a huge one bedroom in Burnaby very near Boundary -- but it lacks a lot because I am not ready to pay more right now.

posted by Listener to home & garden (25 comments total)

If stuff isn't getting fixed, just find another place and break your lease. Let him cope with it; Don't put that burden on yourself.
posted by fusinski at 2:07 PM on May 12

Think of it as a temporary phase on the way toward your ultimate lifestyle goal (whatever that is, assuming you have one). Assume that there are certain things you have to put up with when renting/leasing.

Also, if you are month-to-month, begin looking for a new place, if you can afford the costs associated with moving so soon, or set a month by which to want to be in a different place (and if you are on a 6 month or yearly lease, the date is already set for you).

And of course, never assume that you will love a place that you move into based on the walk-through, or the neighborhood, or how nice the landlord is initially (especially if you are on a budget). In my experience, it takes at least a month to determine just how much you really end up liking or disliking a new living space; don't set yourself up for disappointment.
posted by Brocktoon at 2:14 PM on May 12

He does sound like a bit of a problem landlord, perhaps. In your position, I'd continue looking around while documenting every interaction I had with him. I don't know the law in your area - in the States each state usually has a public-information web page on renters' rights that can be helpful if there are ordinances about when heat can be turned on and off, how much notice is needed for access, and so on.
posted by Miko at 2:17 PM on May 12

Relax. And get some perspective; renting is not like owning. You're not in complete control and that is just the way it is.

Give him the chance to fix what he says he's going to fix. Then write a letter simply detailing whatever is outstanding and requesting that it be fixed before the next month's rent is due.
posted by DarlingBri at 2:17 PM on May 12

Maybe not right now, but this is a handy website you should have - the Rental Tenancy Office for BC.

And you do have a good deal - you really can't find anything for much less than that. It does suck your landlord is a douchbag tho. With the market like it is right now, they can afford to be, because if you don't rent the place someone else will. It's an unfortunate situation. That being said - is this an apartment, or a basement suite? (I'm guessing basement or similar, because someone else is controlling the heat...). Did you sign a lease? If not, then definitely, keep looking for something better now that you're here.

Note that for big huge issues, read the tenancy act - if your landlord doesn't take care of them in a timely matter, you can get them fixed yourself and deduct what you paid from the rent (keep receipts!) Now, what exactly this covers I don't know offhand, now do I know what a reasonable time frame is considered to be but please - read the tenancy act, and use it.

For other small things, for your piece of mind, just fix them yourself if you're capable. Sometimes for a $20 fix it's just not worth dealing with the landlord.

Is electricity also included in the rent? Get a couple good space heaters.

I don't really have advice for dealing with a crabby landlord however - i just know my life is typically better the less I see of my landlord (and I lucked out this time - my current landlord's not a bad guy!)
posted by cgg at 2:17 PM on May 12

Renting only sucks if you have a shitty place or a shitty landlord; if you have a nice apartment and no landlord troubles it can be fine. You are probably feeling some anxiety about selling your house and renting and now that you are in a bad rental situation that anxiety is getting multiplied. Try to keep these very distinct issues separate in your mind.

Tenant's rights:
www.tenants.bc.ca
www.rto.gov.bc.ca
posted by PercussivePaul at 2:18 PM on May 12

That's not good advice. I don't know the laws in British Columbia but it lots of the areas I'm aware of it would not end well.

I assume you're in British Columbia? You don't specify but that's what it says in your profile.
posted by Justinian at 2:19 PM on May 12

I was referring to the "just break your lease" which I tried, and obviously failed, to quote in my reply.
posted by Justinian at 2:20 PM on May 12

850 for a 1br in Burnaby is not all that cheap. And, yeh, non-locking windows on the 2nd floor is a security issue. But it is reasonable to turn off the heat by mid-May. Unpleasant and a sign of a lazy, cheapskate landlord, but reasonable.

I think the problem that you're having is not that renting sucks -- 99% of us have done it at some point, after all -- but that where you live sucks. Find a better place and break the lease. If he squawks, tell him politely that you look forward to seeing him at a Residential Tenancy arbitration tribunal.
posted by ten pounds of inedita at 2:21 PM on May 12

Ah, another horrible Vancouver landlord. There's lots of them out there and, while yours does sound bad, believe me, it could be a lot worse. I'd give it a few weeks and see if things don't improve after the initial move-in fixes get done (or don't). It's cliché, but remember that you catch more flies with honey than with vinegar. Even if your landlord is an ass, being an ass in return is only going to make things worse.

If you haven't seen it, here's the Residential Tenancy Act. It defines what your rights are and what options are available for resolution. There's a provincial office that also handles disputes, but like any bureaucracy, they're laggard to say the least. Like cgg and other said, document all your interactions with the landlord. Should something have to be disputed, being able to say "We requested this repair in writing over two months" and show it is way more compelling than getting into a he said/she said with the landlord.
posted by Nelsormensch at 2:22 PM on May 12

Listener, I can relate. We did the exact same thing a mere 4 months ago-- sold a house we loved and cared for and became renters. Compared to our house, the apt. is a bit of a dump, things gone unfixed for a number of years as it's been a "rental property," etc.

We too have put in a call to the landlord about the things that need fixing (and she lives in another country!) She sent a handyman over to look at the place, but so far she hasn't "authorized" the fixes-- so nada is getting done.

I don't know about BC, but here in Quebec there are some seriously strong tenants' rights. You shouldn't have a problem getting out of your lease, should you decide to move or deducting the cost of repairs from your rent, as cgg suggests.

If you decide to stay, I hate to say it, but you just have to suck it up and remember what it felt like to be a renter, which is not all bad. You can do some fixes yourself and find ways to work around the others. You can also not care if your landlord hates you; he doesn't have to like you and vice-versa. You can continue to make reasonable requests, politely in ways that respect your contractual arangement. And I do think that it is typical to turn off building heat on May 1 (my work building does that.)

Also, It may take you a while to feel at home in this place. I have initially hated just about every place when I first moved into it (including our house that we grew to love).

I have tried to relish in the idea that it's not my responsibility or my $$ to have to keep up the place. It can be quite liberating if you let it.
posted by picklebird at 2:25 PM on May 12

You need to examine your lease and see what it involves. You can contact the Residential Tenancy Board for information on breaking a lease, if your landlord is failing to meet basic guidelines.

Continue to lobby your landlord for a working fire alarm. Go the store and buy a fire alarm for $20. Install it outside your bedroom. When you move, take it with you. It is not worth risking your life over $20. However, you can keep asking for one. Keep notes, in case you need to go to arbitration. You can also call the fire department and ask what they suggest. I did this with the dodgy North Road apartment. They inspected the entire building and found 19 violations of the fire code. But, in the meantime, look out for your own safety.

What kind of window do you have? Could you put some window guard blocks in? Again, you can take these with you when you move. And you can keep asking the landlord to fix them.

It's possible that the old tenant moved out within 24 hours (or even 6!) of you moving in. The landlord may not have had time to fix everything. You may have to cut him a little slack.

But go to London Drugs or whatever and get a battery operated fire alarm. It's good to have a back up anyway.

$850 a month for that part of Burnaby may put you in slum lord range. I was paying $750 a month for a second floor 1BR not far from there in 1998 and $525 a month for a noisy, bug-infested, trashy, ground floor slum bachelor apartment along North Road, facing on to the highway (further away and thus should be cheaper) in 1995. In today's dollars, that would be $950 for the 1BR and $714 for the bachelor. And that's just based on inflation -- rent has been skyrocketing in Vancouver, along with housing prices.
posted by acoutu at 2:28 PM on May 12

quoted: Is electricity also included in the rent? Get a couple good space heaters.

No, it`s not included, but for now I`m using a space heater anyway. I know 850 isn`t cheap, but the place is huge and I`m storing a ton of stuff that used to be in my house. This place is over 700 square feet FWIW. Thanks for responses so far.
posted by Listener at 2:29 PM on May 12

quoted: It's possible that the old tenant moved out within 24 hours (or even 6!) of you moving in

Nah, it`s been empty since we saw it in mid April.
posted by Listener at 2:30 PM on May 12

Break the lease like your landlord is breaking the law.
posted by stet at 2:32 PM on May 12

quoted: $850 a month for that part of Burnaby may put you in slum lord range. I was paying $750 a month for a second floor 1BR not far from there in 1998

I don`t understand what you mean by the slumlord inference. Could you explain? I don`t mind it`s basic. It`s very clean, nice view and no smoking in the building. Just no money put into it. Location - near BCIT and BGH. Pleasant street.
posted by Listener at 2:36 PM on May 12

Acoutu, re slumlord:

Ah, I see (pardon me as I am rather frazzled) what you are saying is the place is cheaper than it would likely be, so I am really only getting what I am paying for. So thanks for that helpful comment. I can feel better that at least I am getting what I paid for, not being ripped off necessarily, as long as the things are fixed up.

I foundd nicer one bedrooms in towers for 950 and up, many over 1,000. That is what I wanted but they were even further away and Metrotown is too noisy for me. I partly took this because the walkup is good for me as I have a sedentary job.
posted by Listener at 2:45 PM on May 12

If you've only been there a couple of days you might want to chill out a bit. Give the guy reasonable time to fix the problems. I'm surprised he didn't come over and fix the running toilet immediately though, that's costing him money.

Did you try jiggling the handle?

Don't break the lease.
posted by Bonzai at 2:46 PM on May 12

Listener, I just meant that such a low price may mean that you're ending up with a substandard apartment and a landlord who will ignore requests. Some landlords have the attitude that, because the rent it "cheap", they don't have to fix anything or even make sure the place is in working order. This, of course, does not mean that they are in the right! But it does seem to happen that way. It may also be that the guy does not pay much attention to the apartments, so that he can keep the rent low and not have to pay for repairs.
posted by acoutu at 3:07 PM on May 12

Document, document, document. Write down and keep a file of every little thing he does/does not do, when you call him, what his response was, even when you leave him voice mail (if he ever gets a machine).

Hopefully you won't have to break your lease, but if you do and he responds by doing something assholish like, say, trying to prosecute you for lost rent money, you have backup evidence on your side.
posted by GardenGal at 3:23 PM on May 12

It sounds like you are getting a good deal on the rent. Spend $20 (umm, you'll need to translate that to CDN) or so on a new flapper for the toilet and a battery powered smoke alarm, and focus your landlord attentions on getting him to fix the windows. If fixing something yourself is faster than calling the landlord about it, and cheaper than renting a place where everything works, just go ahead and fix it.
posted by yohko at 5:31 PM on May 12

I concur with the 'fix the small things yourself' sentiment. (i) Half of the toilet-running problems I've encountered were fixable just by lifting the top off and adjusting the length of the chain that opens the valve. (ii) Buy some cheap wooden dowels for the windows cut to size. (iii) The fire alarm might cost a bit more, but you get to take it with you).
posted by astrochimp at 8:31 PM on May 12

You have too high expectations and sorry to have to break it to you, but it sounds like you are being a fussy tenant. The landlord is there to fix serious problems with the apartment which would make the apartment uninhabitable. He is not there to service $10 or even $20 parts that do not need a professional to fix.

When you have a problem, ask yourself, if it were your house, would you call a professional immediately? If so, call the landlord. No heat in winter, or a window that is broken out or missing, or faulty wiring with the alarm system are problems that you should be worried about. A toilet that is always running, or an apartment 8 degrees too cold are not.

It's unfortunate that the building manager (is he also the landlord?) was rude to you, though here is why. It has to seem to him like he's your first option if anything is wrong. If you talk to a building manager, every one has stories of the tenants who call them up for issues like changing light bulbs. He's probably worried about how this next year will go as well too.


My advice on how to cope with these problems is this: You should divide problems into 2 categories. One is the stuff you don't like about the apartment, and the other the stuff that is actionable issues affecting safety. Call the manager only about issues of the second list. For the first list, you can decide if it's worth it to you to pay to fix stuff or not. That's the down side to renting.

The only second-list thing here that I would be concerned about is the fire alarm. I don't know what the rules are for rental properties where you are, but it is common to have a cental system that's linked to the city. This is something I actually would ask about. If it's just a smoke detector that's broken, and they won't fix it, I would begrudgingly replace it.

Also, consider getting renter's insurance.
posted by cotterpin at 12:39 AM on May 13

A change in perspective is also helpful.

As an example, we are living in a rental house I hate for a number of reasons until we move into our next house. But it ticked the major boxes: it is affordable, we can have the dog, and it is large enough to store all of our stuff from our last house.

I am basically living in what is, functionally for me, a glorified dog-friendly storage unit. But, you know, it's a year. One year. People have managed far worse. This, too, shall pass.
posted by DarlingBri at 3:02 AM on May 13

He's here fixing stuff now, and it was pretty funny when he reached to turn on the stove to check it after he changed the dead elements and I saw him hesitate and go "ooh" a little when he felt the sticky icky baked grease under his fingers on the handles. So he cleaned those with some industrial cleaning solvent, too. I appreciate everyone's helpful input. Thanks.
posted by Listener at 2:21 PM on May 13