Landlord did not replace dishwasher for 45 odd days?

[aarkaydee3]

What is the name of your state (only U.S. law)? California




I moved into this apartment about 18 months ago. At the time of moving we tested the dishwasher which was not in pretty good condition but we decided it

should be fine and we did not ask for a new one from the apartment management. There was nothing conveyed to them in written. about two months back (end

of March and early April) we started seeing dishes not cleaned up and we informed the management first time in oral. They tried to repair it but that did

not work and I informed them of the same in-person again - this time the manager was also notified of the same. They tried to repair it again but I

showed them a dirty dish the next day and I was told they had ordered a new one. This was the last communication from their side in April (before 14th

April 2011). My parents visited me and my mom started doing dishes by hand since dishwasher was not cleaning in our apartment. Meanwhile, my wife was

told by the maintenance staff the dishwasher was on "backordered" every few days. This went on for over 45 days and finally after countless times of re-

running the dishwasher (at least 8-10 times in 30 odd days) I lost my patience. I enquired verbally and the maintenance guy told me "I forgot" which

infuriated me. Then I an email to the management on May 28, 2011 - the management came back to work on May 31, 2011 and dishwasher finally replaced on 1

June 2011.

There have been a couple of other "mis-management" instances which have caused us similar anguish and pain but I took no action. I have made an error for

which I had to pay fine. My issue is, how can this incompetent management make all these "errors" and make us pay but wqhen it comes to an incidence like

I mentioned above they get away by "fixing it in 45 odd days"?

I am looking to make them pay for what they have done to us - made us suffer and made our life hell for a month when we had to deal with a broken

dishwasher. Any advice is appreciated.

PS - Only the last email on May 28 was in written. Everything else has been communicated orally only.

 

[Handcoc]

Some dishwashers do poor jobs -- looks like you have one. So, wash your dishes by hand. Its faster and saves water too !

 

[aarkaydee3]

Thank you for the reply but I thought it is best not to explain how my life was made hell - Just a brief explanation - my partner suffers from a mental illness and a bad dishwasher might seem no big deal to some people but a mentally ill person can have this issue as a "trigger". The point is not a bad device, the point is the inconvenience and hospital visits due to the suffering.

 

[justalayman]

PS - Only the last email on May 28 was in written. Everything else has been communicated orally only.

Not even the original complaint was written?

 

[aarkaydee3]

No - the first three visits were just in person to the management - leson learnt for the next time,

 

[justalayman]

No - the first three visits were just in person to the management - leson learnt for the next time,

Yes. All complaints must be in writing to be of any real value in court. If you do make an oral complaint, be sure to send along a written complaint as well. It's a technicality that can mean a world of difference should it be something serious.

 

[aarkaydee3]

Thanks for the response. Will make sure all communication to the mgmt is in written going forward.

 

[Handcoc]

Thank you for the reply but I thought it is best not to explain how my life was made hell - Just a brief explanation - my partner suffers from a mental illness and a bad dishwasher might seem no big deal to some people but a mentally ill person can have this issue as a "trigger". The point is not a bad device, the point is the inconvenience and hospital visits due to the suffering.

That was my point. Just accept the dishwasher & wash by hand.

What if the dish washer installed (new or current) does not make your dishes squeaky clean? Will this make your partner have bigger issues?

 

[sandyclaus]

In all honesty, when you moved into the apartment, you found a dishwasher that was not perfectly functional in the first place. You accepted the apartment as it was and made do with the dishwasher as it was. And it sounds to me that you never received anything in writing that promised a perfectly functioning new dishwasher.

Quite frankly, an automatic dishwasher is a luxury to many people. It's not considered a necessity; it is simply an amenity, an extra added feature that you could actually live without. IT is not considered a priority for the management to repair, like a serious plumbing problem or non-functional heater or furnace might be.

You call having to do dishes by hand "suffering"? It's NOT an emergency, merely an inconvenience. You need to get a clue. So you had to handwash some dishes for a whole 45 days. Grow up. I'm sure that management much more important issues with other tenants that deserved their attention over your petty complaint.

 

[Handcoc]

Next apartment, test it more throughly so your partner will not have a trigger to pull.

 

[applecruncher]

made us suffer and made our life hell for a month when we had to deal with a broken dishwasher.

Oh, puhleeze. So washing dishes by hand is making your life hell? That is ludicrous. As someone else said, you need to get a clue and grow up.

 

[randolph76]

My grandmother never, her whole life, had a dishwasher and her and her kids turned out just fine

I've had to wash dishes by hand quite a few times in my life as well. I've also lived in quite a few apartments and typically even their new ones are crap. They buy the cheapest appliances that have to be repaired often. Welcome to apartment life.

 

[Handcoc]

My grandmother never, her whole life, had a dishwasher and her and her kids turned out just fine

her dishwasher was her kids ... yuck yuck yuck

 

[OHRoadwarrior]

Buy your partner an emotional support animal. Have their therapist certify the need and drive the manager nuts.

 

[aabbcc]

my partner suffers from a mental illness and a bad dishwasher might seem no big deal to some people but a mentally ill person can have this issue as a "trigger". The point is not a bad device, the point is the inconvenience and hospital visits due to the suffering.

I think your partner needs to be living in a supervised setting such as a group home.