Landlord/Renter Question

[sv2007]

Seriously how expensive can it be?

If you don't think it is significant, sometimes you can offer to pay for the repairs too. Just ask the landlord about if it's ok for you to pay for it before doing any work. This may be a good compromise in your situation actually: you get the problem fixed without much delay and landlord doesn't worry about cost.

[LivingAlmostLarge]

No way. It's the principal. I hate renting but I despise landlords like this even more. This probably makes it more likely my DH won't get into landlording because of issues like this.

[sv2007]

No way. It's the principal. I hate renting but I despise landlords like this even more. This probably makes it more likely my DH won't get into landlording because of issues like this.

I understand; I've done lots of things that's not entirely logical/practical based on principle.

However, if it is a safety thing, then it seems like based on principle, you'd have to either move out (see if you can negotiate an early termination of your lease without penalties. Usually landlord has to pay some initial fees to mgmt company to find tenants, so this may even cost your landlord enough for him to consider fixing the issue. If not, you may be able to get out of the contract. Possible win-win.)

[LivingAlmostLarge]

It's getting done now. I sent an email requesting it formally fixed and it took a little over 10 days and then they ended up sending someone in. $1k abouts. I don't know why they waited for us to request it. Maybe to be able to claim it? Who knows.

Landlords are strange creatures. Now I have a leaking sink. My DH tightened it before and it stopped for a bit. But it's leaking again. Should I ask again for someone to come out? DH thinks we shouldn't be pushing our luck and we should wait a bit. It's the master bath sink.

[kork13]

It's getting done now. I sent an email requesting it formally fixed and it took a little over 10 days and then they ended up sending someone in. $1k abouts. I don't know why they waited for us to request it. Maybe to be able to claim it? Who knows.

Landlords are strange creatures. Now I have a leaking sink. My DH tightened it before and it stopped for a bit. But it's leaking again. Should I ask again for someone to come out? DH thinks we shouldn't be pushing our luck and we should wait a bit. It's the master bath sink.

Where exactly, and how badly, is it leaking? Fixing it may be as simple as replacing a gasket, or laying a bead of silicone.

[disneysteve]

Where exactly, and how badly, is it leaking? Fixing it may be as simple as replacing a gasket, or laying a bead of silicone.

Regardless of what needs to be done, that is absolutely the responsibility of the landlord, not the tenant. I would call for sure.

[97guns]

Now I have a leaking sink. My DH tightened it before and it stopped for a bit. But it's leaking again. Should I ask again for someone to come out? DH thinks we shouldn't be pushing our luck and we should wait a bit. It's the master bath sink.

you can call him not to complain but explain to him that its not bothering you and that your only concerned with it creating more damage. if he has any brain he would get it fixed.

as a tenant i could care less if its leaking and as a landlord i would be grateful for the tenant reporting it to me

[disneysteve]

you can call him not to complain but explain to him that its not bothering you and that your only concerned with it creating more damage.

Also, who pays the water bill? If you pay it, I would complain because it's costing you extra money. If he pays it, he should want it fixed.

[LivingAlmostLarge]

I think a gasket. We pay the water bill. I just turned off the sink and haven't used it.

97guns you sound like a practical landlord. I mean we've lived here now over a year and the furnace hasn't been serviced. According to the records it seems like it hasn't been serviced for over 10 years. I would hazard a guess many things in the house has deferred maintenace. We had to have an electrician come out and do some breakers because the electrical outlets in the kitchen blew recently.

They still haven't fixed the light over the dinner table. Whatever.

[TexasHusker]

I think a gasket. We pay the water bill. I just turned off the sink and haven't used it.

97guns you sound like a practical landlord. I mean we've lived here now over a year and the furnace hasn't been serviced. According to the records it seems like it hasn't been serviced for over 10 years. I would hazard a guess many things in the house has deferred maintenace. We had to have an electrician come out and do some breakers because the electrical outlets in the kitchen blew recently.

They still haven't fixed the light over the dinner table. Whatever.

You've got a bad landlord. That said, probably 50% of landlords fall in this class, which makes renting not as rosy as it first appears. It does have its benefits, but plenty of cons to go with them.

[disneysteve]

You've got a bad landlord.

I agree completely. I think you're being way too easy on him.

If something is broken, it should be fixed. You need to put together a list of things that are in disrepair and give it to him with a clear message that you expect the repairs to be made promptly.

I'd be looking to get out of there as soon as my lease was up. I'd be afraid that if something major broke, like the furnace, that he would drag his feet about fixing that in a timely fashion.

[LivingAlmostLarge]

We are trying. As you know I'm the one on the anxiety ridden house hunt. We resigned our lease and he charges us above market rent. We pay $2400 and market is probably $2000-2200 on our street alone. We were happy to land out place and still are. But we have a dog and we had a compressed time frame to find a place that would take him. Beside putting down a very large deposit. We thought about moving this summer but didn't want to move our kiddos three times in 3 years and the dog made it once again difficult to move.

I do worry about him not fixing stuff but our choices right now are limited. My DH and I don't want to push the envelope because even this summer it was a game of chicken. We were going to move if he raised the rent and he was wavering on raising the rent but then decided not to.

[creditcardfree]

Landlords are strange creatures. Now I have a leaking sink. My DH tightened it before and it stopped for a bit. But it's leaking again. Should I ask again for someone to come out? DH thinks we shouldn't be pushing our luck and we should wait a bit. It's the master bath sink.

I would let them know there is a problem now. It is likely a simple fix. Take a video to share in an email to the Property Manager.