SLUMLORD HELP!!! legal and infestation advice needed. ?

Question

I recently moved into a charming little apartment that should be perfect for me. It's a large victorian house that was broken down into units. The place is riddled with charm, and the price was astoundingly cheap! I took the efficiency unit on the top floor, including a large fire escape that I utilize as private entry. The place isn't large but is more than enough for me. At $575 a month, utilities paid I should have known something was up. Apartments in this neighborhood tend to run a couple hundred dollars more. Some issues were noticed shortly after signing the lease. I asked that the unit be painted before I move in, and my landlord said he would have to raise my rent if he were to paint it. Obviously I didnt agree to that, so we met in the middle. He paid for the paint and I put in the labor, which I honestly didnt mind. Then more alarming I found that he had left the key broken off in the deadbolt to my side door. Anybody could have used a butter knife to gain access to my unit. I swiftly changed the lock and sent him a copy of the key, and of course addressing the safety issue with the landlord. After this everything seemed perfect for a couple of months until it got cold. I noticed a near constant stream of mice coming into the unit, and both my dog and cat became mouse murdering machines! I called the landlord and he informed me that pest control was already notified and would be visiting shortly.

Continued.....

Landlord365 · Answer

You need to consult a lawyer to get legal advice not random people from all over the world.

There are laws in every state that tenants have to follow when landlords fail to address pest control issues.  You need to find & follow those laws for your state.

realtor.sailor · Answer

All states have a procedure for repairs.  Basically you make a written request and if the repairs aren't completed in a reasonable time you have to take the landlord to court for a breach of the lease.  For details Google "landlord tenant laws" and your state's name.

Anonymous · Answer

Rebecca, u can add details to your question post or edit it, do not need to post 100 comments. anywho back to your question - I saw an episode or "king of queens" where carry's father returned from florida and brought bed bugs with him, so pest guy told them to get out of the house for 3 days. I have never heard that it would be safe for humans and especially animals to be around when bugs are getting sprayed. also yeast infection is  A FUNGUS, antibiotics do not help for fungus, they make it worse. so your doctor's treatment is very questionable. and once the pest guys missed spraying they should start it all over again. and u should never leave your dog or cat when poison is sprayed. I have read somewhere u must get rid of your matrass and bed and wash all your clothes at high temperature. I can not help u any more, if I were u I would leave the apartment and find something else. do not take the bed with u and wash all your clothes at laundromat and dispose of the clothes which can not be washed before u get into another rental unit. if u do not have money for health insurance or normal rent I doubt u will have enough finances to sue anyone

Anonymous · Answer

Rebecca pIease, we're not here to read a noveI. You're question is not that relevant, if it even is a question at aII and not a rant.

"Got cheap rent on an apartment, owner onIy agreed to buy paint for the place and l had to paint the old walls myself, when winter came we realized there was a massive ongoing mice problem the landlord has yet to fix, and now we have bed bugs too. What can l do?"

? · Answer

It dawned on me to ask if poison had been laid, and of course he had dropped poison pellets all around the building. I am not the only tenant with pets!!! Fortunately it was addressed in time and all the poison was removed. Pest control did come and laid ONE live trap, and never returned to check it. The mice are still here in large numbers. Oh but the story gets better yet!

SLUMLORD HELP!!! legal and infestation advice needed. ?

5 Answers