Rent Problems Are Frustrating; but you're not alone: Thousands of tenants rely on RPA to solve problems
Neighbors are violating my rights, landlord won't do anything | Case#**-*030
BURBANK,
CA -
91506 1844
My neighbor, Tony and his wife Teresa will not leave me alone. They are on me about shutting the gate, where I park my car, when the trash should go out, when I open my door. Tony picks through my trash. They monitor my every movement. They are like stalkers. I have long work hours and need access to the washing machine one night until 10pm. They won't let me do it. This forces me to have to go off the property which is horrible and costly. The landlords side with the other residents. James and Jenny Lee are allowing the other residents to dictate how I live. I can't have the quiet enjoyment of my property.
Landlord Refuses To Fix The Bathroom. The Toilet Is Broken. | Case#**-*048
HAWTHORNE,
CA -
90250 7485
I have called multiple times within the last week to get the bathroom fixed and the loose outlets changed. The landlord didn\'t answer her phone and never called me back. I have a stomach disability (Crohn\'s Disease - IBD) so it is important that the bathroom gets fixed ASAP. My landlord is always snarky and sarcastic whenever she speaks to me, except when I get representation (I have had to use Basta on her previously). She stops acting snarky then.
BEDBUG INFESTATION | Case#**-*449
HOUSTON,
Texas -
77075
I HAVE BEEN LIVING HERE IN MY UNIT OVER 14 YEARS AND NEVER HAD BEDBUGS, ONLY ROACHES. I DEAL WITH THE SEWER BACK UP OFTEN HERE OUTSIDE AND IT TAKES THEM DAYS TO FIX THE PROBLEM. KEEP SAYING ITS THE CITYS PROBLEM NOT OURS. I DEAL WITH UNCLEAN PARKING LOTS AREAS TOO, SPECIALLY AROUND THE DUMPSTERS. THEIR TELLING ME I HAVE TO PAY FOR THE BUG PROBLEM. I FEEL I AM NOT THE ONE, I FEEL MY FELLOW UNIT 961 BROUGHT THEM HERE WHEN THEY MOVED IN. I HAVE ALREADY THREW OUT MY SLEEPER SOFA AND CHAIR. I WORK AND ITS HARD FOR ME TO DO ALL THAT IS NEEDED QUICKLY TO GET ALL MY STUFF CLEANED AND BAGGED UP IN PLASTIC. NOW I AM ALLERGIC TO THESE BUGS, THE BITES CAUSES ME ALOT OF ITCHING AND I SCRATCH AND THEY GET HUGES. I DON'T MAKE ALOT OF MONEY AND I AM SEARCHING THROUGH OUT ONLINE TO BUY ALL I NEED TO GET MY PLACE IN ORDER. BUT AFTERWARDS THEIR GOING TO KEEP COMING BACK IF THEY CAME FROM OTHER UNIT AND I FEEL BY NOW ALOT OF THE OTHER 7 UNITS BESIDES MINE ARE INFECTED.
refusing to refund deposit, apt not livable is breach of lease | Case#**-*264
albuquerque,
New Mexico -
87109
i signed a lease and paid balance of 780.00 on 09/13/12 for deposit for move in date of 09/13/12, on 09/14/12 my friend mary stone helped me start moving my belongings, we noticed the toilet in west bdrm wasnt flushing and had feces in it, and apt basicly was dirty, i called the manager who apologized and sent a maintence gentleman. when he arriveed i showed him where the celing light fixture was not secure and when he took it down there was at least 100 red dead ants in the cover, they were in the celing and when come down thru the light fixture were being electracuted, there is mold throught the apt including the seal of the fridge, all windaows are filthy,rusty and kitchen window is shuttn on one corner but not other, front door and patio door as well as all windows and the patio are dirty with cobwebs, there is dirt, what looks like buggers here and ther on all walls the east bathroom tub soap holder is old and flaking as well as inside of tub and a half dollar size hole behind toilet the closet hanger holder isnt stable to hold clothes, and sink vanity is off set to the far left, west bathroom had some kind of plastic bowl between the sink vanity and wall, and again that tub had visable flaking and soap scum and toilet not fixed had overflowed. the fireplace had the cable cord running at the bottom of it and was dirty all around it. the screen for the west bedroom was broken on the outside. we had to cut the lock on the gate to bk yrd offf ourselves, and all the locks and gate lock are hards to open and rusty. the manager on 09/14/12 said it would all be fixed and after checking on 09/15/12 and finding nothing fixed i wrote my friend mary stone a letter and had another friend tiffany george witness it and asked mary to go to the office and get my 880. deposit back, as i needee to get to work and didnt have tiime to go myself, she went to the office when it opened and jennifer who stated she was the assistant manager refused to give the deposit back and being very rude,hostile and very unproffetional to mary, mary asked for the managers name and was told danille and was told she wasnt there, that christopher signed the lease and was not entitled to a refund of the deposit, and if he was he only had 24hr to do so, and she helped him with the lease aggrement wich contradicts the signature on the lease wich is daniells, pictures were taken of all problms, and at wk that evening i found that a couple coworkrs had simular problms when they had lived there
Breach of Agreement | Case#**-*386
wellman,
Iowa -
52356
Tenet stayed in home for the 30 days duration with no intent on paying rent owed to landlord.
Gnats And Unsafe Living Conditions | Case#**-*814
CHICAGO RIDGE,
IL -
60415 1162
Starting in early november I had contacted the landlord about a gnat issue in the unit. There were numerous text messages I still have where i expressed my concern about the bugs that were out of control, they were in the sink on the walls in the bedrooms in the refridgerator and every time i spoke with the landlord he would give me a temporary fix response such as buy a can of raid which did not work at all i asked him to please resolve the problem and was basically sent off to handle it myself. The problem had gotten so bad that i had no choice but to move. The building itself is falling apart the landlord has not made any attempt to restore the building, old stained carpeting the ceiling in the basement collapsed with water ruining some of my property. The laundry appliances were outdated and one dryer does not even work. When i asked for my security deposit back he had made a claim that we put holes in the wall in the hallway which wasnt even the correct hallway we moves items out of the building. The whole ordeal was ludacris and the building needs to be fumigated for bugs. The building itself should be condemned and i deserve my security deposit back for having to deal with bugs in my living space for 3 months and was forced to move
Bedbugs | Case#**-*310
Highland Springs,
Virginia -
23074
3 days after move in discovered bedbug on wall.Never had issues with bedbugs until I moved here. me and my daughter noticed a strange odor but maintenance claim they didn\'t smell anything. They had inspection but said no activity found but they will treat because the one I killed and kept was a bedbug. They are just going to treat my apartment but not the neighbors. They said they have not complained so nothing will be done. I asked how does that resolve. They said if they come back they will treat again. I said it may be too late. i do not want to risk my furniture, me or my child being affected. I want out of my lease cause their treatment plan will not resolve just band aid the issue and I cannot take that risk. It can be too costly.
Living Between Rats | Case#**-*509 Our apartment complex "The Cove" in Tiburon, is infested with rats and they
are dying between the building walls and the smell makes impossible to use
our bathrooms, kitchens or even bedrooms. Their solutions? They send the
maintenance guys with air fresheners but of course it doesn't help and after
weeks with this problem we are desperate!!! I think this is a health concern
that is making our homes uninhabitable and want to know if you can help us.
Thank you!
Deposit Problems | Case#**-*659
O FALLON,
IL -
62269 8911
I had received a notice on my door of late fees which had been added to my monthly rent. Upon notice of these late charges I walked to the office and spoke with the Manager Andree Stell, regarding these fees that I was previously unaware of. At that time the Manager had asked why my payments were late. I had informed her that I was working alot of overtime and had left the checks with my boyfriend to give to the office. All checks were correctly dated. I did not use the community's online payment site, as it was not a secure site and had made her aware of that. At that time she stated as long as I made the payments on time, or post dated checks to the office, that she would remove the late fees. Rent was paid on time and as far as I knew all late fees were removed. Prior to my move out date I walked into the office and received a final payment amount. I paid that amount. Left the apartment immaculate, undamaged, returned the keys, etc. Approximately two weeks later I call Andree and asked about my deposit, she thanked me for leaving the apartment in great condition and stated that my deposit comes from the corporate office and usually takes 6 weeks. I recieved a letter stating that there is a balance of 14.00 due, after them keeping my deposit for late fees. Upon calling the office, I was now informed that my final payment was wrong because the late fee was never added. The late fee was never given to me in my final payment. Now they are trying to keep my deposit and denying that they were going to remove both late fees, which is what was agreed upon.
Bedbugs | Case#**-*309
Highland Springs,
Virginia -
23074
3 days after move in discovered bedbug on wall.Never had issues with bedbugs until I moved here. me and my daughter noticed a strange odor but maintenance claim they didn\'t smell anything. They had inspection but said no activity found but they will treat because the one I killed and kept was a bedbug. They are just going to treat my apartment but not the neighbors. They said they have not complained so nothing will be done. I asked how does that resolve. They said if they come back they will treat again. I said it may be too late. i do not want to risk my furniture, me or my child being affected. I want out of my lease cause their treatment plan will not resolve just band aid the issue and I cannot take that risk. It can be too costly.
Complaint Process in 3 Simple Steps:
File Apartment Complaint: Fill out complaint form with your proposed resolution. Instantly recieve your case number.
Check Status: See the current status, respond, upload files or images, accept fair solution or purpose alternative solutions.
Landlord Public Record: Positive or Negative record is attached to landlord based upon their responses. Your (tenant) information is not made public.
Complaints Tips:
Uploading pictures / files is helpful
Try to request fair solutions
Focus on major issue, not on many
Check your status every 3 days
Avoid accusations or hostile tones
Be willing to accept alternate solution
How Does the RPA Help Resolve Rental Problems?
Once you file a complaint, the RPA will contact your landlord or property manager to mediate a prompt resolution. The RPA online mediation system provides an effective complaint resolution process that helps solve problems quickly. Complaints filed through the RPA are documented and help protect tenants' rights by providing a program that protects against landlord retaliation and unfair practices. Agreements reached through the RPA Apartment Complaint Center are legally binding and enforceable. When required the complaint can be used as evidence in court.
The RPA requires a $35 one-time processing fee to cover the cost associated with contacting the landlord, online mediation, paperwork, and public record filing. Prior to 2006 the RPA complaint program had no fee. However, due to abuse by tenants that were filing bogus complaints; the RPA found it necessary to charge of fee to eliminate fake complaints and to cover costs associated with complaint handling. If you are looking to report the problem only and not seeking a resolution, you can use our free Report Landlord option. (The report landlord option will only document the problem and will not provide any assistance in resolving disputes.)
Tip: On your complaint form you can request that management reimburse you for RPA filing fees.
How long does the process take?
The RPA is able to resolve complaints fairly quickly, unlike court or other legal options. Cases are normally assigned in the order received; however, you can upgrade your case to be rushed if you need your case escalated. (option available immediately after filing)For fastest processing try to submit your complaint before the next processing deadline. (Count down shown next to "File Complaint" button.) Once the mediation process begins, your landlord will have 3 business days to respond to the mailed notice. If a landlord email address is provided the RPA will send out both a written notice and email notice which can provide an immediate resolution. Many times cases are resolved immediately after receiving the RPA® notice, however depending on the complaint, it can take longer if both parties are unable to reach an agreement quickly.
Tip: To speed up the process... On the complaint form request reasonable and fair solutions.
Does the RPA Guarantee to Resolve Every Complaint?
Each complaint is guaranteed to be worked by the RPA complaint system. The RPA mediation system will work to resolve every complaint regardless of how big or small the complaint. However, the RPA can't guarantee the end results of any complaint. While we work to solve each complaint, the guarantee is limited to our processing of your complaint. All fees associated with the complaint are non-refundable dispute the outcome of the complaint. Each complaint is Guaranteed to be worked by our complaint system and will be documented against the landlord should they fail to cooperate.
Tip: To get positive resolutions to your complaint; try providing resolutions that are fair.
What Happens After I file a Complaint?
Upon filing your landlord / property manager complaint you will instantly receive a case number. Your complaint case number can be used to immediately access your complaint status page. The RPA will process your complaint and contact your landlord for an immediate resolution. On your status page you can view case status, upload files or images, respond to the complaint, update/ change resolutions, accept or close complaint. The RPA complaint center updates your case status in real time and provides you with tracking to see exactly what is happening with your complaint. Once the case is closed, the complaint will be attached to your landlords public record which is quickly indexed by all major search engines. (Your information is never made public)
Tip: Check your case status at least every 3 days. (Respond / update your case as required)
Protection Against Landlord Retaliation
Its unlawful for your landlord to retaliate against you because you filed a complaint. Your landlord cannot evict, harass, limit access, raise rent, or treat you unfairly because you filed a complaint. As a tenant, you must still pay rent and comply with rent terms stated within your contract. Filing a complaint does not eliminate your responsibilities.
Tip: Check your case status at least every 3 days. (Respond / update your case as required)
Who Can File a Complaint with the RPA?
Any renter located in the United States of America has the right to file a complaint with the RPA. The RPA does not accept complaints outside of the USA. In general, the RPA will accept every complaint regardless of how big or small the problem may be.
Tip: When possible, try resolving your problem with your landlord before filing a complaint.
