B
bigcook
Guest
About 6-7 months ago the management started replacing the bathtubs/showers in some of the units because they were rusting from the bottom. The job took about three days for some of the other tenants. My unit was one of the first and they had mis-measured the tubs and they ended up taking eighteen (18) days to finish the repairs in our bathroom. We had no use of our shower for the duration, no use of our toilet for two weeks, and workmen in and out of our small apartment even during the weekends.
Previously the building went through a period of around a week to ten days without hot water. Tenants complained and threatened to not pay that month's rent and the management discounted everyone's rent by 10%. My roomate and I felt that our situation was more of an inconvienience because we had to use public restrooms, we had to drive to a local fitness center to shower, and we had little privacy with workmen in our small space for many days in a row. We deducted about 30% of our rent and wrote a detailed letter that we included with our rent check, explaining our actions.
A few months went by and we received a letter saying that we were delinquent with about $300 of past rent. I asked the manager about it and she said I had to call the management company. Over the next two weeks I called their office a least 4 times. I talked to a secretary twice and left messages on an answering machine twice. The secretary said the man I had to speak with was either not in yet or had left for the day. I explained the situation to her and asked for a call back. When I left messages on the machine, I did the same. I never received any return calls from them.
Several more months have past and today I received a "3-day Notice To Pay Rent Or Quit" letter. It seems to say that if I don't give them the money within three days they have the right to take legal action and evict me.
The building manger has told me that the company/landlord is actively trying to get current tenants to leave so they can charge higher rents to new tenants. I am concerned that this is why they aren't responding to me. I need some advice.
What are my rights? Am I in the wrong? Do I have to pay to prevent from being evicted? Is there no recourse for me? If I do pay, is that mean I give up any right to claim I deserve a reduced rent during the period the bathroom was under repair? If I go down to their office and they keep brushing me off or try to bully me, what should I do?
Thank you for any advice.
Previously the building went through a period of around a week to ten days without hot water. Tenants complained and threatened to not pay that month's rent and the management discounted everyone's rent by 10%. My roomate and I felt that our situation was more of an inconvienience because we had to use public restrooms, we had to drive to a local fitness center to shower, and we had little privacy with workmen in our small space for many days in a row. We deducted about 30% of our rent and wrote a detailed letter that we included with our rent check, explaining our actions.
A few months went by and we received a letter saying that we were delinquent with about $300 of past rent. I asked the manager about it and she said I had to call the management company. Over the next two weeks I called their office a least 4 times. I talked to a secretary twice and left messages on an answering machine twice. The secretary said the man I had to speak with was either not in yet or had left for the day. I explained the situation to her and asked for a call back. When I left messages on the machine, I did the same. I never received any return calls from them.
Several more months have past and today I received a "3-day Notice To Pay Rent Or Quit" letter. It seems to say that if I don't give them the money within three days they have the right to take legal action and evict me.
The building manger has told me that the company/landlord is actively trying to get current tenants to leave so they can charge higher rents to new tenants. I am concerned that this is why they aren't responding to me. I need some advice.
What are my rights? Am I in the wrong? Do I have to pay to prevent from being evicted? Is there no recourse for me? If I do pay, is that mean I give up any right to claim I deserve a reduced rent during the period the bathroom was under repair? If I go down to their office and they keep brushing me off or try to bully me, what should I do?
Thank you for any advice.