Renting Issue - Need Advice

[txrandom]

I live in in a town home with two guys. One is my roommate from college and long time friend. The other is the 'landlord' who we know through a friend of a friend. Unfortunately he doesn't know how to do upkeep on a home. There has been a leak in the faucet, which is slowly going to rot out the wood beneath it. Even after him telling about it a few times over the last month, he hasn't done anything. He keeps saying he will let his parents know so they can fix it. He is actually renting the town home from his parents until he can afford to purchase it himself. Besides the risk of black mold, it doesn't both me too much. It's his lost since that will devalue the price of his home.

But today I saw something that really pissed me off and made me start thinking about moving out after only two months. Luckily I didn't sign a lease, so this is perfectly feasible. Noticing some black rice-shaped objects on the bathroom floor, I figured my roommate just tracked some mud into the bathroom. Then I started remembering hearing mice/rats/raccoons at night in the walls and thought it could have been mice droppings. I begin to track the droppings downstairs and found many by the couch, trash, pantry, etc. It's pretty sickening and I don't know how to approach the problem. Do I talk to the landlord/roommate or go straight to the owners? Is living with mice considered livable conditions? I really enjoy the close proximity to work of the town home, but living conditions like make me want to just move back to my parents house and suck up the forty-five minute commute.

 

[MagnusTheBrewer]

Just make sure they have a clear path to the air conditioner.

Tell the room mate and the owners. Get some poison/traps. Why is this so hard? Are you sure you're prepared to face the world without mommy and daddy?

 

[txrandom]

The AC is on top of the town home, so I haven't seen any mice pop out.

Roommate arrived home, so I'll tell him whats up.

 

[lxskllr]

You could go to the dollar store and buy a few mouse traps. Mice in houses are perfectly normal. It's just one of those things you deal with....

 

[nageov3t]

"hey (landlord), we need to do something about this immediately or I'll be moving out at the end of the month. this is unacceptable."

that said, who's the slob who's attracting mice?

 

[txrandom]

"hey (landlord), we need to do something about this immediately or I'll be moving out at the end of the month. this is unacceptable."

that said, who's the slob who's attracting mice?

Probably the previous tenants based on the move in conditions. Other roommate and I have heard things in the wall since the first week.

 

[bobdole369]

Here we go again with the massive misguided advice regarding landlord/tenant law.

The biggest issue here to consider is "in what state do the tenants reside". That will determine the laws at issue:

Is living with mice considered livable conditions?

This depends on your state law. I can tell you what it is in Florida - that is:
1. If the property is condemned by the local municipality, fire department, health agency, etc it is not.
2. The dwelling must have heat and running water
3. The dwelling must have 4 walls and a roof.
4. The dwelling must have locks on the doors.

Thats roughly it. I don't know the law in the state in which you reside, but I do know that in Florida it all depends on your contract (the lease) with the landlord. Grab that, and read it in full. Often there are clauses regarding what happens when the dwelling becomes condemned, etc.

Should you not have a lease, again the issue is dependant on states law. In Florida - the law says those living without a lease are tenants based on how they pay. Thus if you don't have a lease here and pay rent monthly, you have a monthly tenancy. That means after the month you paid for is over, you can move. In my case I have a year long lease, and pay rent monthly. This means I have a yearlong tenance and can move at the end of that year. I.E. stuck in a contract.

In Florida - with this arrangement, lets say rodents infested the dwelling in which I live. I would notify the landlord in writing (certified, return receipt) - that a condition exists that is detrimental to my health, and ask them to resolve the issue. After a period of time (I would say 5 business days) I would then invite the local health officials, municipality, code officer, etc into that dwelling, and attempt to have the place condemend. Then I would notify the landlord again in writing that he is in breach of contract (as in MY case, Rodent infestation is a condition written out in the lease - yours probably isn't) and begin to pay my rent to the county clerk of the court.

Before too long the landlord would file eviction paperwork, and I would be justified by the court, who would keep the rent money until either the landlord corrected the issue, after which they would pay out the amount to the landlord only those monies in the time in which they were not in violation, and return the rest to me, or until I moved out, then the court would pay the rent to me directly.

If I didn't have my ducks in a row the rent would all go to the landlord and I would be living in a sodden rodent filled mess with a pissy landlord.


So long ass rant short:

1. Check your state law
2. Check your lease
3. Cover your ass
4. Get ready to go to court.

Oh but how about clean the fucking house? Punish those who don't.

 

[MagnusTheBrewer]

Here we go again with the massive misguided advice regarding landlord/tenant law.

The biggest issue here to consider is "in what state do the tenants reside". That will determine the laws at issue:



This depends on your state law. I can tell you what it is in Florida - that is:
1. If the property is condemned by the local municipality, fire department, health agency, etc it is not.
2. The dwelling must have heat and running water
3. The dwelling must have 4 walls and a roof.
4. The dwelling must have locks on the doors.

Thats roughly it. I don't know the law in the state in which you reside, but I do know that in Florida it all depends on your contract (the lease) with the landlord. Grab that, and read it in full. Often there are clauses regarding what happens when the dwelling becomes condemned, etc.

Should you not have a lease, again the issue is dependant on states law. In Florida - the law says those living without a lease are tenants based on how they pay. Thus if you don't have a lease here and pay rent monthly, you have a monthly tenancy. That means after the month you paid for is over, you can move. In my case I have a year long lease, and pay rent monthly. This means I have a yearlong tenance and can move at the end of that year. I.E. stuck in a contract.

In Florida - with this arrangement, lets say rodents infested the dwelling in which I live. I would notify the landlord in writing (certified, return receipt) - that a condition exists that is detrimental to my health, and ask them to resolve the issue. After a period of time (I would say 5 business days) I would then invite the local health officials, municipality, code officer, etc into that dwelling, and attempt to have the place condemend. Then I would notify the landlord again in writing that he is in breach of contract (as in MY case, Rodent infestation is a condition written out in the lease - yours probably isn't) and begin to pay my rent to the county clerk of the court.

Before too long the landlord would file eviction paperwork, and I would be justified by the court, who would keep the rent money until either the landlord corrected the issue, after which they would pay out the amount to the landlord only those monies in the time in which they were not in violation, and return the rest to me, or until I moved out, then the court would pay the rent to me directly.

If I didn't have my ducks in a row the rent would all go to the landlord and I would be living in a sodden rodent filled mess with a pissy landlord.


So long ass rant short:

1. Check your state law
2. Check your lease
3. Cover your ass
4. Get ready to go to court.

Oh but how about clean the fucking house? Punish those who don't.

So tell me, do you check the applicable codes and your lawyer before you wipe your ass?

 

[bobdole369]

The 3 seashells duh!!!