Nonrenewal for asking for repairs
1. To FarmerJ Yes, I sent all my requests by email and saved her responses. The only thing I don't have proof of is the highlighted move-in statement the first repairman came over with saying those were the items to be addressed. The owner-rep (real estate agent) emailed me saying the 'most important' items would be done. Some were trivial - like I agreed to move in w/o unit being painted if I could paint accent wall color. Others were more major - like the fence in disrepair - holes in it let my dog escape, posts rusted and broken at the ground level, and flooding by the back yard exit everytime it rained (came inside twice).
With the back yard in the condition it was in, I had to tie my dog up in the front yard by the street - which I really didn't want to do because there were 3 drug houses near me for the first 6 months. One was the other half of my duplex and two were across the street. We even had a driveby shooting and my car window was shot out. Luckily no one was injured.
The reason I want to stay is all of that is cleaned up now - With a lot of neighborhood effort and the landlord across the street evicting his tenants. And just this past week, after living here 8 months, they finally finished fixing the fence right and I can put my dog out and she can run! Others repairs were closing up a hole in the eave where rodents were getting into the attic, caulking around the tub/shower (I'm horrible at it), fixing nail poking up through the carpet from the tack strips (I tried doing what I could), fixing outdoor faucets - one sprays up into an electrical outlet when a hose is attached, other you can't turn without a wrench (repairman says he can't do it a plumber will have to do it), etc. As far as doing them myself, I've did what I could including a LOT of cleaning up the yard trash, brush, overgrowth vines, etc.- the MAIN thing I was upset about was not having a yard for my dog - that was the main reason I rented a duplex/townhouse in the first place instead of an apartment - and I couldn't do those repairs due to my back injury/disability. Oh and I did pay an extra nonrefundable deposit for two pets - dog and cat that I lose when/if I move. And she did know I'm disabled. I told her I get my Social Security check on the third and we agreed I could be a few days late on my rent as long as it was not too long after the third.
your states laws a definition for retaliation..... I wouldn't know where to find them...
When she told me the owner wasn't going to renew my lease she also stated, " try finding housing in 'that' price range..." What I really think is that now that I have put all this work cleaning up this place and heavily encouraged them to finish the repairs which are basically done now, I think they want to charge - a lot more - for the unit.