Rent Problems Are Frustrating; but you're not alone: Thousands of tenants rely on RPA to solve problems
Raw Sewage Explosion In Basement | Case#**-*285
COEUR D ALENE,
ID -
83814 5361
Sewage pipe burst in basement. A crew came and sucked up all the water and threw all our belongings into the middle of the yard. They did not clean the basement afterward so there is raw sewage crusted to the entire basement floor. The plumbing is messed up and now we can\'t have a washing machine. We have been through 5 machines in 3 years and the plumbing has been the problem all along. The plumbing needs fixed so we can do laundry.
Deposit, severe mold issue, no working stove, retaliation | Case#**-*591
FALL RIVER,
WI -
53932 9782
Landlord will not properly remove ALL mold from home. Tenants are ill due to mold. Minor child in the home. Pets are ill. Tenants have asked for fridge for 4 months and finally got it. Have asked for working stove/oven for 5 months now, still waiting on that. Female owner has said to tenants that mold is our fault and we can break lease and just move. She will not return the deposit. Tenants have lived with previous tenants burn hole in every carpet in every room, severe mold on hot tub room last winter for 7 weeks before they came to look at it. No repairs have been done to the home as promised upon move in. We just want to get out before our health is compromised further but we need the deposit to do so. We have kept the home in clean status and have done many improvements to the home. We have not damaged it. Many of our belongings have been ruined from the mold and we have incurred medical bills. They want us to move and we want to move so if we can just get the $1315 back in deposit money we will gladly go and clean the home when we leave.
Deposit Problems | Case#**-*296
pittsburgh,
Pennsylvania -
15220
I was given a notice to pay for the bed bug infestation treatment (Heat treatment costing $963) on June 25 2012.The letter clearly states it is a heat treatment with the date June 28 th 2012.It also clearly states a statement "Your home will also be re-inspected within 7-10 days to ensure that the treatment has been successful.You will receive a letter indicating so". There is a enclosed consent & agreement form which has all the instructions to follow on the treatment day.
I have followed and given the agreement to treat the apartment and to pay the amount mentioned in the letter.The treatment was done as scheduled.
Till july 7 2012 I did not receive any letter regarding the treatment was successful or not.On july 7 2012 I reported a live bedbug in my apartment taking the live bug to office and a letter was given for the same.
After which I have contacted the office many times to know what will be the next step to treat the bed bugs.There was notice or official communication regarding the treatment.How to prepare for treatment or when the next heat treatment for which I have charged for $963.
I have several times reported to help line to close the cracks in bed room wall at top which never taken care.
we have given a notice to vacate the apartment on august 30 2012 which was accepted and a letter was given.When we have applied for extension it was rejected as we did not maintain the apartment in a hygiene condition.
So we have been sent a notice after vacating the apartment regarding the bed bug infestation and the payment as we did not cooperate for treatment.
We could not understand when the treatment was scheduled and what kind of treatment and what are instructions to be followed.The apartment was never inspected before we vacated on Aug 30 2012 and we have never received letter that a successful bed bug heat treatment was carried.
I would like to ask if a treatment was not successful either it should be carried again or if some type of treatment changes it should be informed .
We want our money back as the treatment was not successful and they have failed to do the same treatment mentioned in the agreement.We were never given a notice about the treatment tenure or instructions of what they doing after july 7 2012
Bed Bugs!!!! | Case#**-*112 WE LIVE @ 437 E Mifflin St in Lancaster and the neighbors that were evicted had bed bugs now we have them landlord needs to do something and won't I have done everything here and they are back ever since they threw the mattresses out in our front and trash everywhere please check this out because it is just physically and mentally terrible and this landlord next door is not doing anything .
Unhabitable living conditions, bugs and bed bugs infestation | Case#**-*928 the complex has been spraying for bugs and bed bugs for over a year on the lower level they now have chased the bugs to the final apartment mine and they have sprayed twice that I know of in an effort to taking care of the problem and they served me with an eviction notice stating false accusations. Never once served a warning of the false accusations
Tenant Issues | Case#**-*723
St. Louis Park,
Minnesota -
55416
Over the past two years and two months, there has been a conflict with noise from my apartment to the tenant below. I have personally tried and have also asked for several altercations to be made to my apartment to avoid any further dispute but to no avail. The tenant below has continued to harass me with foul language and loud banging on the walls when he believes my noise is overbearing. I work later hours into the evening so I am awake during most of the night. My roommate however has an early day job and is asleep through the night. I feel as if my noise is standard living noise as to not disturb my fellow roommate and yet I am still being harassed by the other tenant. This specific tenant is also an employee for the apartment complex. His actions have made me feel very uncomfortable with living here. I am asking to break my lease without penalty because I am scared, intimidated, and uncomfortable living here. I have made several attempts to have management step in, however this other tenant and I cannot seem to find level ground.
Being Threatened With Eviction Over Noise/kids/infant Crying Playing Ect | Case#**-*572
FOX LAKE,
WI -
53933 9690
We received a 5 day notice to fix breach or vacate because of our children making noise. It also states that my tiny 18 month old is shaking/rattling walls, being to loud,ect. We are in an upstairs unit so of course there will be some noise heard by the downstairs tenant. We are not overly or excessively noisy at any time and are always in bed early because I have a 3 month old. I can\'t stop him from waking up and crying in the middle of the night. So any noise made is normal kid activities. We never play music at all, let alone loudly. We just have little children, one who can barely talk and is just playing and being a kid. The other is just a baby and doesn\'t even crawl yet. Either way there is never noise/playing past 8:30pm. I have no police report/charges over noise complaint or disturbing the peace so I don\'t believe there are any grounds for an eviction. We keep it quiet at night and the kids don\'t wake up til around 9am so all activities happen during normal daytime hours. I have asked to be moved downstairs to help fix the issue of the children walking, playing, falling down, ect bothering the women downstairs. They were aware we had children when we signed our lease and I feel like I\'m being discriminated against because of my children. I feel as if I can\'t live my life happily and peacefully in my own apartment for fear of being homeless due to my kids just being normal children. It is a very stressful way to live in your own home. I would like to be released from my lease if this issue is not resolved because I don\'t want to continue to be harassed or threatened with eviction every time my kids make a peep. I really hope we can resolve this issue without us having to move I\'ve really enjoyed the 3 years I\'ve lived here before the old owners sold the building and this issue has begun.
Harassment | Case#**-*017
Canastota,
New York -
13032
There have been issues between my roommate and my daughter and I. The female landlord has gotten in my face as well as lied and said I never signed a lease which I did. She comes here at all hours of the day and night yelling screaming threatening and harassing me. Her husband the male landlord has offered me $200 to vacate the apartment within 24 hours. His wife told me I had 48 hrs to move out which I know is illegal. I’m sick and tired of the harassment. I video taped the husband this morning over here bothering me as well.
Being evicted for court costs that are not my responsibility | Case#**-*545
BROOK PARK,
OH -
44142 2603
I was being told I was being evicted for non payment of rent it got paid as well as the case through the Berea City court was dismissed and it stated that the court costs and attorney fees were Crestway manor apartments responsibility I had to call the bearea courts spoke with a karen higgins 440 826 5856 spoke with the manager by the name of cynthia at crestway manor apartments has left me a number of messages stating I owed it but I have a document that states I do not from the court. Case number 12cvg01787
Deposit/utility/lease Dispute | Case#**-*008 My husband and I moved into the landlord Joanne Fiorenze's Visconti 2/2 townhouse condo (1952 Legacy Cove Maitland, FL 32751) in June 1, 2008 after paying a full month's rent security deposit ($1350.00), rent ($1350.00), and non-refundable pet deposit ($100). I lived in this facility just under 6 years. Immediately there were maintenance and plumbing problems including a broken washer, a leaking master bathroom sink, 2 broken toilets, fallen dry wall, and 2 broken bathtub handles. Each time the issues were handled by friends or family members of the landlord, not licensed repairmen. Last summer the air conditioner did not work. An A/C man told us it needed replacing, but she refused to do so. Our utilities suffered higher rates. However, we chose not to move since my husband was entering his final year of residency training. I communicated to Joanne that we would not be renewing a 2 year lease because only 1 year remained. She insisted in emails that we did not even need a new lease, as she had tried before upon other renewals. I wanted a lease for our protection and rental insurance. So we signed one that was supposed to end in July 2014.
My husband and I dealt with problematic neighbors over the years. The last one moved in December 2013. He smoked incessantly, played loud music at random hours, and held multiple drinking occasions in his garage. The smoke filled our condo and became a health hazard as I was pregnant at the time. In February 2014 my husband and I decided to move, before the end of our 1 year lease supposedly ending in July 2014. I notified Joanne of our plans February 22 to move out March 15, as our new landlord was allowing us to move in early. I examined the current lease I had on file to see what penalties we would owe. To my surprise I discovered that the dates had been incorrectly entered by Joanne Fiorenze. It was not a new lease, but instead the previous one with the dates whited out. We had been living in her condo and paying rent without a legitimate lease. I received numerous emails from Joanne. The last one threatened me with having to find a new tenant for her condo (sublet) or pay the remaining months' rents. There was nothing of this in our lease which had technically expired the day we signed it. Joanne never did a walk through inspection with us upon moving out. The utility company incorrectly did not turn off our account, and we were subsequently billed after our vacated dates. She did not assume the utilities.
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.
