R
rubish
Guest
I live in Brooklyn, NY and my question is the following:
I want to know if I can deduct from my rent the expense of replacing the carpet in my children's bedroom due to a leaky ceiling? I will only be deducting for materials, since my husband and I will be doing the labor.
Here is the story so that you may provide adequate advice:
(please provide if at all possible, the laws concerning this and where I can get written documenatation)
I rent an apartment without a lease and the ceiling in my childrens bedroom has been leaking for a while. I told my landlord as soon as I noticed the first time it occurred and the leak has gotten worse since. His response the first time - "that's a new roof, impossible." Since he purchased the home, he has never had any work done on that roof, so I know that was a lie. Fine, I left it at that. It grew worse and I again told him of this and he said there was nothing he could do because of the weather and he would have someone look at it. He had someone come look at the roof maybe 2 weeks after I initially told him that it was basically raining in my kids room when it rained or snowed. Now he says nothing can be done until spring and in the meantime the ceiling is still leaking and forming some type of disgusting orange mold that smells horrible not to mention the carpet is soaked, my kids can't walk on it, so they resort to climbing on the bed to get in and out of their room. If the ceiling is moldy, imagine underneath the carpet. I believe that the mold is creating a health hazard for my children, since there is no other alternative but to sleep in the smelly room and to my husband and I, since it is not that big of an apartment and the stench is everywhere. We have all been sick since before the holidays on and off, something that has never happened before and I believe the leaky ceiling is the cause. I do not want to hold back rent until the ceiling is fixed, however I would like to know that I can afford to create a helthy environment for my children once the roof is repaired. And since it is the Landlord's fault for not listening the firs time I believe I should be able to deduct the expense of replacing their carpet from my rent. Help!! and Thank you!!
I want to know if I can deduct from my rent the expense of replacing the carpet in my children's bedroom due to a leaky ceiling? I will only be deducting for materials, since my husband and I will be doing the labor.
Here is the story so that you may provide adequate advice:
(please provide if at all possible, the laws concerning this and where I can get written documenatation)
I rent an apartment without a lease and the ceiling in my childrens bedroom has been leaking for a while. I told my landlord as soon as I noticed the first time it occurred and the leak has gotten worse since. His response the first time - "that's a new roof, impossible." Since he purchased the home, he has never had any work done on that roof, so I know that was a lie. Fine, I left it at that. It grew worse and I again told him of this and he said there was nothing he could do because of the weather and he would have someone look at it. He had someone come look at the roof maybe 2 weeks after I initially told him that it was basically raining in my kids room when it rained or snowed. Now he says nothing can be done until spring and in the meantime the ceiling is still leaking and forming some type of disgusting orange mold that smells horrible not to mention the carpet is soaked, my kids can't walk on it, so they resort to climbing on the bed to get in and out of their room. If the ceiling is moldy, imagine underneath the carpet. I believe that the mold is creating a health hazard for my children, since there is no other alternative but to sleep in the smelly room and to my husband and I, since it is not that big of an apartment and the stench is everywhere. We have all been sick since before the holidays on and off, something that has never happened before and I believe the leaky ceiling is the cause. I do not want to hold back rent until the ceiling is fixed, however I would like to know that I can afford to create a helthy environment for my children once the roof is repaired. And since it is the Landlord's fault for not listening the firs time I believe I should be able to deduct the expense of replacing their carpet from my rent. Help!! and Thank you!!