B
Billie Jo Thompson
Guest
Please help us! We moved to a small town outside of Des Moines, Ia on November 10, 2000. We put $700 security deposit down. Rent is only $350. In addition to the $700 we also paid the first months rent. We do not have a lease only a rental agreement. Now we are being evicted. First of all when we moved in the plumbing backed up and there was water all over the basement and bathroom which my husband and myself cleaned up. The plumber found roots had grown into the pipes from the house sitting vacant for so long. The owner's son lived next door to us and kept his dog in our shed (they moved out 1 week ago). The dog was supposed to be out before we moved in. The house is missing about 1/2 of its siding, which was to be rectified prior to our moving in. It is still not done. Do to the missing siding, light is visible through the basement and recently we caught a bat down there. Obviously coming in through the holes in the walls. Shortly after moving in the tile in the kitchen started to come up. We didn't want to be responsible for damages so we called and told the landlord's. There answer was to come over while we were at work and use a staple gun to staple down the white linoleum tile. It was obviously a way to tell us they don't want us complaining and this is the action they will take when we do. Shortly after all of this we received a letter stating that they had come into the home and "inspected." The certified letter stated that they found loose tile, carpet that had come lose causing a ridge in the living room, a smoke alarm had been hung outside of the bedroom doors, and the drip pans on the stove were not clean. First of all I had called and told them about the tile, and it was only coming up because it is the cheap tile with the peel off back. More comes up when I scrub. The ridge in the living room has been there since we moved in and is from the carpet not being stretched when it was layed. The food in the drip pans is not food but burnt rubber that was there prior to our moving in and why the hell can I not protect my family by hanging a fire alarm? The letter stated we had until the 18th of January to rectify the problems, if not they would then decide if they would allow us to continue renting. My husband then called and asked them where to find the tile that we would just replace it and they responded that it wouldn't do any good because it all needed to be replaced now so we should just leave it. He also asked that they not come in again without us being home. Her answer was that she needed daylight to "inspect." He asked her to then come on a weekend and she said she just couldn't do that. They then did come back on January 18, while we were at work. We recieved a certified letter on January 26 stating we have until February 28 to vacate, with no reason at all on it. My husband called and asked her her reasoning and she replied that she doesn't have to give one according to her attorney. I am quite sure they do not intend to give us back our deposit. We cannot afford to move again, it took all we had to get moved out here. We both work and we work hard long hours but there is no way without that deposit that we can come up with that kind of money. Rent is due in a few days and I don't think I should have to pay it. We have never been even a day late on rent, but I can't see giving them anymore money when I know there intentions. To make matter worse my daughters have to switch to a new school and daycare because there is nothing else for rent in this school district. We are astounded that they have the right to do this to people. Do we have any rights? Please help us. Thank you.