What is the name of your state? Texas
We had a huge freeze here in Texas over the holidays. The problem was is that my kids and I left for Los Angeles before it happened. We were warned that it would happen and to keep our heat at 60 when out of the apartment and leave water at a drip. The issue was, we were gonna be gone for 9 days, so two days before everything froze, I informed them in writing on a Wednesday morning that we would be out of town for 9 days and not in town for the freeze. The thermostat was set to 60, and I asked if they can turn of the water or winterize the apartment until we returned. I even gave them the code to my lockbox on the front door if they didn't have a key.
Two days later, a pipe above the sink burst and leaked and the fire department had to break down the door causing structural damage. The neighbors all knew it, the staff all knew, but nobody called me and told me and I didn't know about it until we came home 7 days later. They said they didn't think to tell me. I cleaned up the floor myself and threw away the debris. The problem is there are holes in the wall in the kitchen that they cut through, and there is structural damage to the door frame because they knew there was a box on the door with a key, and instead of just calling the building manager to contact me for the code or check their damn email, they broke it down.
I was at the office and asked why they didn't turn of the water when I notified them in writing I was gonna be out of town, and they said it is because they are short staffed and nobody has been checking their emails lately. They said a call would have been preferable, but they don't answer the phone when I call either.
They told me next week after the holidays, contractors will be here to start the repairs. They didn't mention that I had to pay anything, but I don't know what their insurance would cover. It should cover the fixing of the pipes and the damage to the wall, but would it cover the fire department busting my door frame? None of my personal belongings were damaged.
The problem is they keep making all these financial threats that because people in our building are flushing wipes and feminine products, that they are gonna charge us all 150 dollars the next time they have to clean the septic tank, and I admit that even though it is me and 2 boys and we don't flush feminine products, 2 months ago we were flushing wipes until we found out the flushable kind were not flushable and we stopped dumping food down the drains around then too, so we are not contributing to any of the clogged septic tank anymore, so if they try to charge me for other people's issues, I'm gonna have a strong word with them.
So, my question is, if a landlord were to add charges to your account with the rent if their insurance didn't pay out the full claim, how can you dispute it and not pay it without getting evicted? Can I tell them in writing they are required to get a court order in small claims court before I'll pay it, or do I have to pay it and then file a case in court against them?
The last apartment I lived in, they tried to charge me 450 dollars after I moved out and didn't even contact me first, but went right to a collection agency who determined that I was only responsible for 107 dollars that I paid, and the rest they were making up junk fees they had no legal right to charge me. That was after I moved out though, so I wasn't at risk of being evicted.
If they don't have a right to charge me fees or if I can prove they aren't my fault, how can I refuse to pay them and not get evicted?
We had a huge freeze here in Texas over the holidays. The problem was is that my kids and I left for Los Angeles before it happened. We were warned that it would happen and to keep our heat at 60 when out of the apartment and leave water at a drip. The issue was, we were gonna be gone for 9 days, so two days before everything froze, I informed them in writing on a Wednesday morning that we would be out of town for 9 days and not in town for the freeze. The thermostat was set to 60, and I asked if they can turn of the water or winterize the apartment until we returned. I even gave them the code to my lockbox on the front door if they didn't have a key.
Two days later, a pipe above the sink burst and leaked and the fire department had to break down the door causing structural damage. The neighbors all knew it, the staff all knew, but nobody called me and told me and I didn't know about it until we came home 7 days later. They said they didn't think to tell me. I cleaned up the floor myself and threw away the debris. The problem is there are holes in the wall in the kitchen that they cut through, and there is structural damage to the door frame because they knew there was a box on the door with a key, and instead of just calling the building manager to contact me for the code or check their damn email, they broke it down.
I was at the office and asked why they didn't turn of the water when I notified them in writing I was gonna be out of town, and they said it is because they are short staffed and nobody has been checking their emails lately. They said a call would have been preferable, but they don't answer the phone when I call either.
They told me next week after the holidays, contractors will be here to start the repairs. They didn't mention that I had to pay anything, but I don't know what their insurance would cover. It should cover the fixing of the pipes and the damage to the wall, but would it cover the fire department busting my door frame? None of my personal belongings were damaged.
The problem is they keep making all these financial threats that because people in our building are flushing wipes and feminine products, that they are gonna charge us all 150 dollars the next time they have to clean the septic tank, and I admit that even though it is me and 2 boys and we don't flush feminine products, 2 months ago we were flushing wipes until we found out the flushable kind were not flushable and we stopped dumping food down the drains around then too, so we are not contributing to any of the clogged septic tank anymore, so if they try to charge me for other people's issues, I'm gonna have a strong word with them.
So, my question is, if a landlord were to add charges to your account with the rent if their insurance didn't pay out the full claim, how can you dispute it and not pay it without getting evicted? Can I tell them in writing they are required to get a court order in small claims court before I'll pay it, or do I have to pay it and then file a case in court against them?
The last apartment I lived in, they tried to charge me 450 dollars after I moved out and didn't even contact me first, but went right to a collection agency who determined that I was only responsible for 107 dollars that I paid, and the rest they were making up junk fees they had no legal right to charge me. That was after I moved out though, so I wasn't at risk of being evicted.
If they don't have a right to charge me fees or if I can prove they aren't my fault, how can I refuse to pay them and not get evicted?
