Air conditioning broken, how do I complain?

June 12, 2008 2:11 PM

Air conditioning has been broken in my apartment for 5 days now, what action should I take?

I'm paying approximately 1500 a month in rent, and it has been above 90 degree temperatures outside during the past 5 days. I'm on a really high floor meaning it has to be like 10 degrees hotter inside my apartment than it is outside. I have three fans going and they're doing very little to help. It's so hot it's been very hard to even get to sleep.

Rumor has it they are offering a 50 dollar credit to compensate us. Do I take the credit and leave it all alone, or do I pursue some further action? If so, what should I ask for? (The air conditioning is still broken and we are currently on day 5.)

posted by anonymous to law & government (5 comments total)

We need to know where you live, as what action you can take will depend on what legal rights you have as a tenant, and those vary widely state-to-state.
posted by bizwank at 2:20 PM on June 12, 2008

Where are you? Does your lease specify working air conditioning? Is it central air or window mounted?

Oh, wait, you can't answer any of these fairly key questions because this question is, inexplicably, anonymous.
posted by dersins at 2:21 PM on June 12, 2008 [1 favorite]

Why is this anonymous? Anyway, I'd notify your landlord and then either withhold rent until they fix the issue, fix it myself and take it out of the rent owed in a 1 to 1 ratio, or call a local legal aid clinic and ask them about the issues. A local university might have a legal aid office for students (just pretend your a student on the phone.) A local nonprofit might offer legal aid and help with renters rights.
posted by pwb503 at 2:34 PM on June 12, 2008

Don't withhold rent. That's a good way to get evicted.

It really does depend on where you live. Texas (and other hot states, presumably), have statutes governing the functionality of air conditioners in rental units.

Your best bet is to contact a tenant rights group near you.

But don't, don't, don't refuse to pay rent.
posted by mudpuppie at 3:52 PM on June 12, 2008

Don't withhold rent. That's a good way to get evicted.

It depends on where you live. In Chicago, the standard apartment lease says that this is the way to do things. If the landlord doesn't repair something that was working when you signed the lease, repair it and withhold rent. There are more details in the lease, but I can't find mine. Anyway, remember that your landlord signed the lease too, so even though it's a standard form, he/she agreed to it. The law also tends to side with the standard paperwork, even if you signed something else.

But, this is probably irrelevant if you live in a high-rise since the AC is central to the building and your rent probably won't cover the repairs. In this case, you should complain to the homeowner's association (if you're renting in a condo building). If there is no homeowner's association, and this continues, you probably want real legal help. Or it may be time to move.
posted by jrockway at 7:51 PM on June 12, 2008