RPA Tenant Rights Blog » Renters Rights

Rental security deposit

cherri prentice — Sat, 07 Dec 2013 22:44:55 +0000

I gave my daughter a rental security deposit on an apartment but she never moved in now the landlords are refusing to give back the deposit can they keep my deposit.

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Renters Rights?

Michelle — Fri, 29 Nov 2013 09:26:48 +0000

It’s a long story.

Winter of 2007 a “friend” of my boyfriend needed a place to stay while she looked for a new apartment. We cleared this with our landlord who said “hey man, the more people the easier to pay your bills” however we didn’t get it in writing because we were naive. When our new roommate showed up she came with CATS! Something she hadn’t told us and so therefore we hadn’t told our landlord. She swore she would find a home for them within a few days. We made her keep them in the bedroom she was using and they weren’t allowed into the rest of the house for any reason. After a few weeks went by and she still had the cats we did inform our landlord about it. He just told us to make sure they had a good litterbox so it wouldn’t soak into the carpet and then “if you don’t want them there I’ll tell her that since she isn’t on the lease agreement she has to get rid of them or leave.” We said we would appreciate it very much- but then he never confronted her at all. It actually took us a whole year (and two litters of kittens) to remove her from the apartment and the landlord refused to step in at all. All the while saying “just give me the word and I’ll have her out for you.”

Anyways after she was finally gone, we stepped into what had been her bedroom and gagged. It smelled unbelievably bad. We shampooed and powdered and repeated so many times. We used every online remedy we could find, but nothing would get the smell out of the carpet. We asked our landlord how much it would cost to replace the carpet and he just said “I don’t know man, carpet is expensive and I put the best stuff on the market in your place.” He then tried to say it would cost almost $1000 just for carpet in the one bedroom (9ftx11ft). Not counting installation. This was in December. We asked him again in January and he just told us again that we should try to clean it more, because carpet was too expensive. At the end of January we found out I was pregnant. We NEEDED that second bedroom. We asked him again- assured him we would pay for it. I even kept $800 out of my tax returns as an initial deposit. He continued to shine us on. We brought it up again in March and once again he just reminded us that it would be “VERY EXPENSIVE” but made no move to discuss when or if he was going to install new carpet. In April we went to a business that said we could pick the carpet and install it for about $500. We asked our landlord AGAIN about installing the carpet and he once again repeated himself.

So in May we paid an outside business to replace the carpet. Cost about $600 total and we purchased the best padding we could and tried to match the carpet up as close as possible.

Mid July our landlord FINALLY knocked on our door and had carpet samples. We informed him that we had already had the carpet replaced, because he was taking so long, but that it was okay because we didn’t expect him to help us with the cost at all- since it was our fault it had gotten so bad. He was very angry and said we had no right to make changes to the apartment without informing him. Told us if we were anyone else he would have us evicted immediately.

Did I really make that big of a mistake? It was obvious to me at the time that he was not motivated to help us at all and I was worried that he would continue to shine us on until after the baby was born (September) and my Dr had already told me that the room was not safe for an infant. Since I was paying for the carpet regardless I don’t understand why he would be so angry? Especially since he wanted nearly 8 months before doing ANYTHING about it.

Anyhow since this we have obviously fallen in his favor- he badmouths us to his other tenants and has confronted me AT MY WORK about the carpet issue. Also he has started inspecting our house more and he removed our bathroom window claiming it was causing mold, came over and sprayed poison around our yard without informing us. The neighbor is the one who told us to keep my boyfriend’s 4 year old daughter in the house because the landlord had sprayed roundup while we were at work. When our plumbing backed up he had it routed and is trying to charge us the $60 even though it was all flushable materials. Then when our cooler stopped working the other day he YELLED at us that it was HIS DAY OFF and that maybe we really needed to take a look at our lease agreement. So we searched around for it and couldn’t find it. My boyfriend called his ex wife (since the lease was signed under his name, but while they lived together), she found it and what do you know- the lease expired in 2006.

This has me worried because I don’t know what it means. Obviously we need a new lease drawn up, but we’ve already been living in the apartment for 3 years without a lease… no protection whatsoever.

I’m scared. This is the first apartment I’ve ever lived in- until now I’ve always just paid my parents to stay in a studio they owned. What rights do I have, if any?

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Renters Foreclosure Rights

frustrated — Thu, 04 Apr 2013 15:18:06 +0000

My family and I moved into a house in July. About 6 weeks after moving in, we began receiving mail from the homeowners association regarding overdue fees and a lein being placed on the property. After further investigation, we discovered that less than two weeks after signing the lease, the property was foreclosed on. We discovered this in October. I contacted the attorney for the bank and was told we have 90 days protection under the tenant protection foreclosure act of 2009. Again, I began researching and discovered that we should be able to continue residing here until the end of our lease. However, the bank has demanded that we vacate the premises within 3 days. Yes, that would be Christmas day. I spoke to our clerk of courts and was informed that no eviction has been filed. Is anyone familiar with the protection act and can you tell me what our rights are.

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bed bugs in apartments

Wren — Wed, 14 Nov 2012 23:56:45 +0000

Hi,
It seems that you have dealt with many bedbug issues. I am having a similar problem as many others. I was the main contact for a large house with 6 bedrooms. My boyfriend and I were the main names on the lease with agreement that we would rent out the other rooms to cover retn. One of my housemates discovered bed bugs in apartments on August 6th. After treating their own room out of pocket, we waited two weeks to find out if everything was in the clear. Then, we discovered them in my son’s room. On August 22, we emailed the landlord. The treatment did not happen until October 8th – 47 days later. I had to move the children out of the house, especially because they started school on Sept 5th. Everyone in the house paid for half o the costs of one treatment and the landlord paid half the other half of the cost. However, one room became vacant during this time as a lady decided to move out. When that happened, I spoke with my landlord over the phone and explained that I could not cover the full rent if the room was empty and that I was going to find a temporary rental until everything was taken care of. He verbally agreed to a rent reduction of $1000 out of $3000. I sent the rent check for $200 in Sept and Oct. Now, he is claiming that I owe him the $2000 after one room remained empty and I had to pay rent elsewhere. Let me know your thoughts.

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I need to know whats renters rights

mary kearl — Thu, 20 Oct 2011 20:47:33 +0000

I Have recently moved into a apartment two months ago and I an now living roaches and bed bugs in my complex not yet my unit that have noticed . I Have let management know of this problem and my next store to me has lived here in this apartments for four years . Has noticed them may of 2010 here it is February 2011 and only been here only months and very upset and have no else to live so mean tell me that no one in this complex has done nothing .so i am not lay down to this . I Know my rights and I didn’t move to this apartment to have to move out and cant finish my schooling. Well I feel why has been 9 months . I am very upset at that fact when do finally move i have to junk all of my future so i moved just lose my things . I got news for the owners and management because i have health issues like asthma and roaches carry diseases and i have done my reach on every end . My daughter and Igo to bed with cotton balls in our ears because all the stories i found on people having their ear drums removed and also the lady that licked evolve and got the roach growing in tough. I been nice about this situation and have had my unit sprayed three times and spent my own money on forgers and when i return the next day never seen so many in my life . Its very ridiculous that I cant not be contactable in home that payed rent on time and keep my place nice and neat and that doesn’t even matter how clean you are . I truly believe that people need to get on the team and start taking charge over the situation scene the people that get paid for not taking job seriously and DO YOUR DAM JOB LIKE YOUR SUPPORT TO ALL APARTMENTS HOME OWNERS HOTEL AND MOTELS better do what need to or get sued and kiss my ass. Please help me to know about renters rights in this case.

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Landlord Won’t Fix The A/C

Tenant — Tue, 19 Apr 2011 04:15:18 +0000

I am a renter in Florida and have a standard Residential Lease. 4 days ago, the central air conditioning broke in the house. The landlord is in the middle of foreclosure on the house and refuses to spend the money required to get the AC fixed because she said she may lose the house anyway. The LL offered to install window AC units in the house but I don’t want those because they would not adequately cool the house and would increase my electric bill. I rented a home with central air, not window units. The temperature in the house has been around 95 degrees for 4 days now. Her response also has been that if I don’t like her solution than I can break the lease.

Isn’t, by law, the landlord obligated to keep the premises in repair, to the same standard that existed when I initially leased the premises?
If so, how long does she have to get the repairs done?
What legal recourse, if any, do I have in this situation?

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Tenant Foreclosure

PTMidland — Sun, 23 Jan 2011 03:24:26 +0000

We found a foreclosure notice on the front door of the house we are renting. We just entered the two-year lease on October 1, 2008. We suspect that the landlords were already in default when they entered the contract. The notice indicates that the property will be sold on January 6. What right do we have if any? we have copies of the leae, and receipts for our rental payments. If someone buys the property, do they have to honor our lease? Can we be evicted? Is there any minimum amount of time we would be given to move? Can we get our deposit back, if not from the landlords, from the entity that purchases the property?

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Renters rights lease

Carrie — Mon, 10 Jan 2011 01:16:00 +0000

I signed a lease at an apt complex in May since then i have had issues with my job and have looked at having to move out of state. I called the apt complex a week before I was to pick up the keys and told them what had happened and explained I was not sure if I could afford to move in but I could let them know by the end of the month. I was told this was fine and if I could not move in that I would loose my security deposit. I then asked if I should collect my keys. They said no do not do this then I would be in possion of the property. I got a call that following weekend asking if I was going to get the keys I told them no and told them I talk to some one in the office. They said fine. So then on the 22 of June a week after I was supposed to move in I get a call. They said when are you going to move in. I told her that I spoke to someone in the office 2 weeks earlier and explain the situation. She said well that is not true and no one her would tell you such a thing. Then they told me if I wanted to break the lease i would have to pay a early term. fee and pay until someone moved in. I did not want that so I said ok I will move in then. I was not able to get to the office to get the keys and they kept calling me to see when I was going to get the keys. I thought this was really strange. I get the feeling now that if I get the keys I am in possesion of the apt and they can screw me and they know it. So at this point I told them I do now want the apt. Now they are telling me they will charge me rent until someone moves in. How do I know when someone moves in. They could say it took 5 month for all I know. What are my rights. I dont want to be screwed any more then I already have. Help someone.

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Withholding rent for repairs

Chris Schell — Thu, 06 Nov 2008 10:09:31 +0000

We moved into a beautiful house with a Beautiful Yard in August. On August 14th my property manager told me that they would be putting in a new septic tank, and had been planning to since February (this info was withheld from me when I signed the lease) The work started September first and was completed October 30th. During this time I had 10 foot holes in my yard, a missing section of fence, the toilet had to be replaced ( forcing us to leave for the night), the plumber left debris on my floor in the bathroom, bedroom and living room that took me hours to scrub off, I had backhoes parked within 3 feet of my porch and 5 foot piles of dirt within 10 feet of my door.

My yard which was lovely grass was 1/2 an acre, now there is less than 200 square feet of grass left, the rest is dirt. The property manager says grass will be planted in the spring. Snow will cause a huge mud bog in my yard this winter as the snow does not cover the ground but for a few days after the snow, causing my dog to track mud all over my house. My two year old daughter will not be able to use the yatrd for playing in the snow (which she loves).

The construction caused many hazzards and we could not use the yard at all during those two months.

My lease says I am entitled to “quiet enjoyment of the property”.

My landlord gave me free rent for September, saying that due to the hazzards it was the right thing to do. For October she demands total rent on the first or as $50 late charge plus $5 a day after that. She said she should not have to compensate me as it was the contractors fault, even thought the problem worsened for October. They were supposed to put in 2 tanks, but put in 3.

What are my rights? Can i withhold rent for October (due in November). What can the landlord do if I withhold rent?

Please help, I’m desperate.

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