Renter Advice Blog

Can my Landlord’s porperty manager do this? I have resided here for almost 9 years, 5 of which this landlord has owned this house. I am a good tenant, pay my rent on time, and care for the property as if it were my own.  Last June, my Landlord hired a property manager. This woman has been very difficult to dal with in every situation with her. She previously placed bad tenants above me that I had to call the police on in 1 week, and they were removed by the end of mthe their 3rd week here. Weds, the night before Thanksgiving, she called at 8:44 PM and told my son she was coming in here Friday after Thanksgiving with an exterminator to spray my house. I was out of town from 7 PM on weds, and did not return howme til after 10 PM on Thursday, which is the first time i saw my son, and checked my aller ID, and he told me about her call. I sent her an email, and told her that I am cooking my entire holiday meal friday, and am sick as well, and that she needed to reschedule the exterminator for the following week. ( she managed 6 properties for my landlord. but manages 24 all in total). I called her friday morning to make sure she checked her email, and she asid she did not- And stated that she would be coming through with an exterminator this fater noon. i started to tell her no, and the reasons why, and she talked over me, and I hung up on her. I called my landlord, and left hima detailed mesage- this is black fridsy, a day which most people are either recooping from the holiday or going out shopping all day!  She should have taken that into consideration and scheduled this all for next week to begin with. After leaving this mesage for my landlord, I called her back to try to talk to her and explain why I am not oing allow an inspection and spraying in my home today, and she started screaming at me and threatened that if I didn’t let her in, I would be geting evicted, said that I have roaches and that she can’t rent the upper apartment becuase of them and she knows they are from me because there hasn’t been anyone living there since last July so they are from me.  I have never had more than a few spiders and 2 baby mice in this house during the entire time I have lived here!

I have called my landlord, and am awaiting his reply- she alo tried to evit me in July becuase I called Police after asking her new tenants above me to please stop with the profanity everytime they walked back and forth by all my open windows, and Police came and asked me what I wanted, I said simply respect and consideration, they must be respectful of their neighbors. They agreeed, and This property manager came to my door and tried to evict me! I said wait a minute? I call the Police because they are disorderly and you’re evicting me? She said Yeah, 30 days get out. My landlord and I talked and he said no way, you aren’t goin anywhere you are one of my best tenants. And I am still here…Now I feel strongly that if she serves me with an eviction - for not allowing her to come in with an exterminator after calling my son like he did- Can I sue her for wrongful eviction? If thats the only reason she has to try to evict me, then she will need to work harder, because having a tenant with extenuating citrcumstances and ASKING TO RESCHEDULE , saying this cannot and will not be done today brcause I am ill and am cooking my holiday meal today- would most likely not be sufficient reasons to evixct someone when I have lived here with this landlord for 5 years and the only problems ever here are caused by the people that end up renting in the upper apartment. The former property owner here rented to many of people above me and we always got along ok with out any significant problems. I am not the reason that they cannot get a tenant in that apt right now- it has been vacant since last July, and it is shown frequently, I do not do anything to stop anyone from rentin that apartment, its just alot of stairs, and small and expensice for the size. thats not my poblem.,,,But is my denying her coming into my aopartment sufficien grounds to evict me because I am not allowing her in today and have asked her to reschedukle? Its bad enough shes accusing me of having roaches! Idf i had roaches, we would have seen evidence of them long long time ago-  there atre NONE. Anyone can you help me calm my nerves, I am really ill too on top of this today. I would appreciate a prompt answer~~~

I was evicted and the day I was visited by the sheriff he left and seven people moved my things out onto the street. One of them was seen loading his vehicle with my tools and other items. I was allowed to go back to get my things but then they kicked me out because they got angry. They did not allow me to get the rest of my things and now I don’t know if they are still there. I can’t afford a attorney and the free legal place told me they could not help. What can I do

Here’s my problem, I was leasing a home /boyfriend, I moved out when the lease was up in June, I verablly informed the owner that I was moving and he was staying. He never paid rent and so I just found out he was evicted, so I looked up his case in public record and my name was on the unlawful detainer. I have never received any paperwork for this. It looks like so far there hasn’t been any other paper work for monies due/owed. Just Unlawful complaint Disposition. What can I do to remove this eviction? This happend in the Northern part of Ca. and I am now in So. Cal? do I have to go up there to take care of this or can I take care of it down here? HELP? I don’t want anything else to go against in court. I don’t know if there is anything I can do now to remove this eviction, I haven’t lived there in 3 months!!!

I was wondering if I was responsible for replacing carpet in a home I am about to move out of.  It was new when I moved in, but it was some cheap stuff that wasn’t even installed correctly.  The first time I vaccumed the carpet it started to shred.  and now after three years, the carpet needs to be replaced.  I don’t feel that I should have to pay for the replacement of all of the carpet.  Does anyone have any advice?

I moved into a new apartment in the beginning of September of this year (2008).  At about this same time, new management took over our apartment complex.  They are a complete joke.  They manage (or at least say they are managing–but I beg to differ) our complex, along with a low-income complex a couple of blocks away.  They are not even on-site, making this more difficult.  My roommates have been trying to get things fixed in our apartment since June and nothing has been done.  We call the office during office hours and they won’t answer the phone.  Even if we call multiple times in a row, they won’t answer the phone.  If we leave a message, they won’t call us back.

There is 1 man to cover maintenance for both complexes, and he doesn’t even speak English and doesn’t know how to fix anything.  I’m pretty sure he’s not even legal.  We know exactly what needs to be fixed and how to fix it (and we have been promised that they would fix it), but we can’t get a hold of the management to ask them if we can fix it ourselves and charge them for the repairs.   What are our options?  Isn’t there a time limit or something for them to fix things in the complex?  I know that they have to fix things in a "timely manner", but to our management, "timely manner" must mean "never."

I am going to try to contact the owner of the managment company this week (I know that others in our complex have), but if they won’t respond (and I’m expecting they won’t), what is my next step?  I’ve never dealt with this before and never thought I would have to.  Thanks!

We have been renting a house for about 4 months now….She took the house off the market when we moved into it. Now its back on the market again. My question is they want to put a lock box on the door so they can look at the house any time they want to. We have 3 dogs that she knows about but do they have the right to come in when ever they please? How do I know that nothing is going to be taken?

My friend just moved into an apartment that smells very mildewy and moldy.  There is also visible mold in all of the windowsills.  The landlord had shampooed the carpets before my friend moved in, and there was no ventilation and OR is a wet state.  I’m not sure if that is why the mold is there or not.  But, my friend has asthma and is having a very hard time breathing when she is in the apartment.  She contacted the landlord about it and the landlord said the only thing they can do for her is shampoo the carpets again.  THIS WON’T HELP!!  They won’t replace the carpet or let her out of her lease.  It seems absurd that they can make her live there in those conditions.  It seems a huge health concern.  She has been to her asthma doctor and he has written a letter stating that she is in danger living in that apartment and needs to move.  If anyone has any advice about how she can get out of the apartment right now without any serious repercussions, please help!!

Upon our marriage and purchase of our new home in August 08, my husband moved out of his apartment after 10 years there. He had just renewed his lease in May 08, making them aware that he would be moving in August. They would not allow him anything less than a years lease, but told him they’d get another tenant in asap (it’s on the beach) and he wouldn’t be held to the lease then. Well, my husband paid all of August, and generously paid September too, because they decided to renovate the apartment after he left. Well, every time we drove by it was STILL under renovation. Neighbors told us the workers come on occasion and nobody was in any hurry to get the renovations done as long as they were getting money from my husband…. they weren’t even trying to rent it. It has now been 3 1/2 months and the place is finally up for rent, but this renovation should NOT have taken this long, it is an extremely small apartment with no luxuries. They have not communicated with us for all this time until today, by letter wanting payment for Oct and Nov. rent! Is this legal to unreasonably "sit" on a place instead of securing a new tenant, renovating at their leisure at my husbands expense?  They knew 3 months prior he was moving but unfortunately it was not put in writing at the lease re-signing. They have not been communicative or respond to calls. They also kept the security deposit.  This just seems like bad business practices that need attention. The rental company refuses to allow us to speak to the owner of the property as well. Please advise.

I am by no means complaining about my claim made with RPA. Under the circumstances I feel their hands were as tied as mine. My landlord made my life, well…as comfortable as a body cast to say the very least. Breaking in my home, calling the police several times for unreasonable things (hat I might say were a bit hypocritical) for arguements not even close to the family brawls that occurred at her home next to me. I ignored then, she lived for mine to make trouble and drama,change the locks on my kids while i was working if they did not do what she said, stole things from my home, my electric heaters,so I had no heat, turned off my electric so I would have no lights, a way to cook or hot water, cut up my extention cord in several pieces, (umm…) went thru my private belongings including personal information and papers, then refused my rent being 1 day late so to evict me causing a reason to show i breached contract to keep my deposit. I could go on but I’m sure you get what I was dealing with. I filed my complaint with RPA to try to get my power restored even with being taken to court and evicted in 10 days because I’m sure your shocked, SHE LIED ABOUT EVERYTHING EXCEPT HER NAME. (I think)lol. RPA followed up to try to help me but big shock again, she wasn’t willing to be compliant. (along with local law enforcement not showing any interest to resolve the matter either.) When they contacted her she LIED again. Saying I was cooking meth! Also that I was not paying my rent or utilities (included in rent), i was a child abuser and a nasty house keeper. My word against hers but I assure you I would not agree to police involvement if most of any of the above perposterous claims were even close to true. She was able to destroy my personal standing in court as well as the unbelievably outragous response and comments made to the RPA agent to humiliate me further. Please screen your landlord. Someone in the community knows them or of them. They require background checks to assure they will be treated right, WE SHOULD WATCH OUT FOR OURSELVES JUST AS WELL. I WISH I WOULD HAVE. But, I did my homework this time and am happily renting ever after. (Till I buy a home that is…)

Hi, can someone plse advise.  We originally signed a 1 yr lease and had every intention of staying for the full period, however, 4 months in we broke the lease due to purchasing a house.  The rental contract states-  Deposit - resident agrees to pay a deposit of xxxx to secure residents pledge of full compliance with the terms of this agreement. the depsoit may not be used by tenant to pay rent during the tenancy.  At the end of the tenancy any damages or unpaid rent or charges will be repaired or paid for at resident’s expense with funds other than the security deposit.  Termination states Resident agrees that termination by resident of this agreement prior to xxx regardless of cause will constitute a breach of the tenancy as agreed on pg 1 and all deposits shall be forfeited in favor of the owner as full liquidated damages at the owner’s option.

The landlord has decided to keep our full deposit ‘cos she can!!  And not off-set the deposit money against damages or rent and has hit us for further charges for rent/damages (again most of this stuff was already there but I didn’t document it!!/replacement of carpet (which wasn’t our fault!)  We are in dispute about that ‘cos there was a water leak due to the toilet ballcock breaking upstairs and small areas were damaged by water leakage which I showed her but now she claims she didn’t know anyting about the carpet damage and that it is pet urine!!  Are Landlords allowed to keep the deposit without taking the other costs she has hit us with under Utah Law?

Thanks