Landlord still hasnt fixed leaky roof!!!?

Question

Our roof has been leaking for MONTHS now. He has come over to "fix" it before but never has successfully done it. Well tonight it is raining SUPER bad.. like before the leak was only in one spot... but then I came up to my bedroom (where the leak is) and it spread.. My dresser got soaked as well as all my clothes, there was ELECTRICAL things under where the leak spread.. the leak also was trailing onto the other side of the bedroom along the floor... I had to run and move my dresser and all the electrical things so they wouldnt get more ruined.. Now what can I do about all this? He hasnt been over to try and fix it again as he knows it still is leaking... Hes a really crappy landlord.. can i get some sort of i dunno, reimbursment for all this hassle since hes not doing anything? isnt there a renters board i can go to? i am moving out at the end of the month to a new house we just bought.. but ive been putting up with this leaky roof for MONTHS, as well as an ant problem which wont go away which he never really gave a c**p about expcet buying me some ant traps..... what can i do??

Answer 1

Most tactics don't involve such blatant strong-arming. Take repair requests. A landlord could add a clause in your lease stating that you must pay to fix that leaky sink, busted refrigerator or recalcitrant space heater. That's a crock. In fact, the law deems such clauses "unenforceable," and it's the landlord's job to foot the bill.

The best recourse: Put all repair requests in writing (in case you end up in court), and be sure to record the date and time of each. If your landlord doesn't follow up after a few phone calls, hire a repair person and forward a copy of the bill. Refusing to pay part -- or all -- of next month's rent until the problem is fixed works, too.

Your apartment may not have taken a beating, but your security deposit might. Call them "creative deductions"--$100 for chipped paint, $200 for ripped carpeting and so on. The big problem: By the time you get your dented deposit back, you've already moved out, so what can you prove? Head this hassle off before you move in by doing a walk-through with your landlord, checking off any imperfections and taking pictures.

Put the findings in writing and make your landlord sign the document. Then, a week before you move out, do the same thing again. If you end up in small-claims court, you'll be well armed.

Answer 2

Good...a month to month lease works BOTH ways.

He can give you a 30-day notice to be out.

You can give HIM a 30-day notice to be out.

I would move.