SlumLord and I want out Please help

[Snow1222]

What is the name of your state?Michigan What is the name of your state?

To all I really need ne help that I can get. I just moved back to Lansing about two weeks ago and I have had nothing but problems with my landlord since I have been here. He knew about a month in advance that I was taking the apt., and knew that I was moving in the day after I was getting back from a trip to DC. When I first looked at the apt. there was someone who had just left one day and left a lot of their belongings. It was made as a verbal agreement that it was all going to be taken care of by the time that I moved in. I called him the night before I was moving, and he still "had not gotten the couch out." Well come to find out later that week he took it all the the night before.
So the day I moved in I got there and there was nothing cleaned or done! Stains and leaves on the flor, fridge still smelling like mildew, bathroom and kitchen filthy, etc. Atop all of this there was no heat the first night that I was there. After an hour of calling him he finally called me back and I told him that I was thinking about not even living there. He came over and "cleaned," but was still leaft filthy. It took him over 5 days to get me a new fridge, and then the day I got the new fridge I found out from the tenants below me (two 18 year olds that have friends over at all hours with loud music, and smoke pot to the point that I can smell it in my apt) told me that there is LEAD in my h2o. My landlord is paying for my water and not theres so I was never notified. I called the dept. of water here and they informed me that there is lead piping leading to my house and they would come and test to get the levels.
I am just so sick of all of this. My Landlord is just a slumlord. Please can anyone help me with what to do. I am not even listing all of the things that are a problem, although another one being that a lease is signed and I have requested on thre times and still have not recieved. I don't even have an address for him cause it is on the lease! I don't want these problems solves...I Want OUT!!!!! PLEASE PLEASE HELP ME IF YOU CAN I AM SUFFERING PAINFULLY AND SLOWLY!!!
Thank you!

 

[FarmerJ]

Contact your city housing inspections unit if its that bad and prepare to move again if they condemn the unit . You made a few errors First was moving in to a unit that is not to your satisfaction ,2nd you didnt take a camera or make a list of everything that was wrong before you moved in so you would have proof of the units condition before you moved in . third you didnt mke the LL go with you to a local store that has a copier to get a copy of the lease the same day you signed it . So there isnt much more you can do . other than negotiate for early cancelation or wait for lease to end . YOU mentioned lead in the water . MANY propertys in the usa still have older water lines or main lines under the streets that can contribute lead to the water . Your city hall or county health department should have information on simple steps you can take to reduce exposures to lead in homes with older water lines .

 

[dduglass]

24 hours for no hot or cold water, heat, or electricity, or for a condition which is imminently hazardous to life.
• 72 hours for repair of refrigerator, range and oven, or a major plumbing fixture supplied by landlord.



If the landlord deliberately or negligently fails to supply essential services,"Essential services" means utility services, including gas, heat, electricity, and any other obligations imposed upon the landlord which materially affect the health and safety of the tenant. the tenant shall give written notice to the landlord specifying the breach and may do one (1) of the following: Procure reasonable substitute housing during the period of the landlord's noncompliance, in which case the tenant is excused from paying rent
Title 66, Chap. 28, §66-28-502
If landlord fails to act, tenant may either terminate the lease, have the damages repaired by outside contractors or by tenant himself and deduct the cost of repairs from the next month's rent, or withhold rent until landlord repairs the damage

 

[dduglass]

Required Notice. When something in the rental unit needs to be repaired, the first step is for the tenant to give written notice of the problem to the landlord or person who collects the rent.

The notice must include the address and apartment number of the rental, the name of the owner, if known, and a description of the problem.

It's a good idea to deliver the notice personally, or to use certified mail and get a return receipt from the post office.

After giving notice, the tenant must wait the required time for the landlord to begin making repairs. Those required waiting times are:

• 24 hours for no hot or cold water, heat, or electricity, or for a condition which is imminently hazardous to life.

• 72 hours for repair of refrigerator, range and oven, or a major plumbing fixture supplied by landlord.

• 10 days for all other repairs.

Tenant's Options. What can the tenant do if repairs are not started within the required time? If the tenant is paid up in rent and utilities, the following options can be used:

1. The tenant can move out. After waiting the required time, the law allows tenants to give written notice to the landlord and move out immediately. Tenants are entitled to a prorated refund of their rent, as well as the deposits they would normally get back.

2. Litigation or arbitration can be used to work out the dispute. A tenant can hire an attorney and go to court to force the landlord to make repairs. (These kinds of suits cannot be brought in Small Claims Court.) Or, if the landlord agrees, the dispute can be decided by an arbitration service. Arbitration is usually less costly and quicker than going to court.

3. The tenant can hire someone to make the repairs. In many cases the tenant can have the work done and then deduct the cost from the rent. (This procedure cannot be used to force a landlord to provide adequate garbage cans.)

Before having any repairs made by a licensed or registered tradesperson if one is required, or any person capable of doing the work, the tenant must submit a good faith estimate to the landlord. To speed up the repair process, the estimate can be given to the landlord along with the original written notice of the problem.

When the required waiting period has ended and the landlord has not begun repairs, the tenant can contract with the lowest bidder to have the work done. An Important Note: If the repair is one that has a 10-day waiting period, you cannot contract to have the work done until ten days after the landlord receives notice, or five days after the landlord receives the estimate, whichever is later.


After the work is completed, the tenant pays the repair person and deducts the cost from the rent payment. The landlord must be given the opportunity to inspect the work.

There are limits on the cost of repairs which can be deducted. If a tenant contracts the repair work out to a licensed or registered person, or to a responsible person if no other license is required, then the total cost of repairs that may be deducted in this category is no more than one month's rent per each repair, and no more than two months rent in any 12 month period.

If a large repair which affects a number of tenants needs to be made, the tenants can join together, follow the proper procedure, and have the work done. Then each can deduct a portion of the cost from their rent.

Remember: a tenant must be current in rent and utilities payments to use this procedure.

4. The tenant can make the repairs and deduct the cost from the rent, if the work does not require a licensed or registered tradesperson. The tenant must give the landlord proper notice of the problem as outlined on pages 10 and 11. Then, if the landlord does not begin repairs within the required time, the tenant can make the repairs. The cost of materials and labor can be deducted from the rent.

To use this procedure, the cost of the repairs cannot be more than half a month's rent. And within any 12-month period, the tenant can only deduct a total of one month's rent.

The landlord must be given the chance to inspect the repairs. Work must be properly done and meet local codes. The tenant could be held responsible for inadequate repair work.

5. Rent in Escrow. After notice of defective conditions, and after appropriate government certification of defect, and waiting periods have passed, then tenants may place their monthly rent payments in an escrow account.

 

[ENASNI]

hey dddd dddouuggggllllaaasss

if you are spewing out this info..
site your sites

different states have different laws...
get it? got it? Good?

We don't want to be leading anyone astray... do we???