When it rains.. It pours INSIDE! How can I stop the roof leaking?

Question

The landlord will do nothing and I cant make him because there is no lease. But the down pour inside is unlivable when it rains. Any suggestions on how to fix it or help stop it?

Answer 1

If you can, climb on the roof and see if you can figure out where the damage is that is causing the leak.  Look for obvious holes or metal flashing around things that is not sealed.  If you can identify the problem area, get a tube of tar that you can use in a caulk gun and seal it up the best you can.  However, if the home owner cares about this property, they will have it fixed before the next rain.  It's unbelievable the damage that is going to happen if this isn't resolved soon!

Look, I understand it's not your job to fix the problem, but what are you supposed to do in the meantime?  Live with water running all over your belongings?  It is your landlords responsibility and he needs to own up to it...lease or not.  But in the meantime, you may need to go do the temporary fix for your own good.

Answer 2

get a roof repair guy

Answer 3

Andrea is right.  A lease is a written agreement covering rent amount and duration of occupancy.  A leaking roof is a violation of your local health codes.  If you let the Board of Health know about your living conditions, they will mail the homeowner a certified letter, informing them of the violations with a time limit to get things repaired.  If they fail to make improvements, they can be hauled into court.

In the meantime document all problems with dated pictures, or videos to cover your *ss.

Also it is not your job to become a roofer.

Good Luck

Answer 4

Report him to your local housing authority.  It doesn't matter that you don't have a lease.  It's his responsibility to keep the property safe and live-able.