Landlord wants to remove the stove and remove kitchen access.

[benmarkk2009]

Westminster, CA 92683.

So I live in a house with 7 other people, an eighth is moving in soon, the land lord is not one of them. This morning someone forgot to turn off the burner to the stove. One of the other roommates saw and texted the landlord. Now the landlord said that if no one owns up to it then he is going to remove the stove altogether and change the kitchen access rules in 30 days, giving time to move out if the rules are no longer fit for us.

Is he allowed to do this? I share a room with my girlfriend and she is on the agreement. We cook to save money and we can't afford not to cook. So now we would have no means to make our food and eat. I know which roommate it is, but he won't own up to it and I don't think that my landlord will believe me if I told him who it was. So I owned up to it so we can keep the stove but I'm afraid that he will take it away anyways.

 

[STEPHAN]

Sounds like you are a month to month tenant? Or do you have a long term contract?

 

[STEPHAN]

So I owned up to it so we can keep the stove but I'm afraid that he will take it away anyways.

So you told the LL that you caused the trouble, but it was not true? That would be stupid!?

 

[benmarkk2009]

It is month to month. I told him that I do not think it was us (my girlfriend and I), but if it was we will be more careful in the future. He hasn't gotten back to me yet. His brother, who stays in the spare room (but doesn't pay rent), told him that he saw me in the kitchen this morning around 6am, but other people use the kitchen and this happened at 9 am.

 

[STEPHAN]

If you are month to month, he can terminate the lease at any time without further reason and offer you a new lease under new terms.

You can accept or move.

 

[STEPHAN]

On a different note: What kind of stove is it? The cost of 3 hours electric use should be less then $10.

 

[benmarkk2009]

If you are month to month, he can terminate the lease at any time without further reason and offer you a new lease under new terms.

You can accept or move.

So there is no laws saying he can't remove the stove? Anything under the Westminster Fair Housing Council maybe?

 

[benmarkk2009]

On a different note: What kind of stove is it? The cost of 3 hours electric use should be less then $10.

Well I don't think it was on for 3 hours. I honestly think that another roommate had used it because of the mess they left that made it evident that I was not the last one to use it. It was probably on for 20 minutes maybe. It is a gas stove.

 

[Silverplum]

So there is no laws saying he can't remove the stove? Anything under the Westminster Fair Housing Council maybe?

http://www.westminster-ca.gov/questions/categoryqna.asp?id=13

 

[Zigner]

So there is no laws saying he can't remove the stove? Anything under the Westminster Fair Housing Council maybe?

I suspect your housing arrangement isn't legal in the first place.

 

[benmarkk2009]

I suspect your housing arrangement isn't legal in the first place.

How so? We have thought they same as well. Not just my girlfriend and I but the other roommates. He is always telling us that he retains right to the entire house and that we only rent out the rooms. I looked it up and that would be true if he lived he, but he doesn't. I think he thinks he can get around that by leaving one room open where his brother stays from time to time.

 

[Zigner]

How so? We have thought they same as well. Not just my girlfriend and I but the other roommates. He is always telling us that he retains right to the entire house and that we only rent out the rooms. I looked it up and that would be true if he lived he, but he doesn't. I think he thinks he can get around that by leaving one room open where his brother stays from time to time.

I'd bet that the city won't approve of the situation. You can report it to code enforcement, but expect to be forced to move if you do.

 

[FarmerJ]

Near one of the entry doors or some common easy to see place is there a so called rooming house license posted with owner information and occupancy info ? Ill bet your city would require the owner to have a rooming house license with that many people living there.

 

[STEPHAN]

It was probably on for 20 minutes maybe. It is a gas stove.

Educate your LL that this was about 0.01 to 0.02 USD.