I have no air conditioning in SC!

[sfturgeon]

I live in Columbia, South Carolina. Temperatures are beginning to reach and exceed the 90 degree mark. Last summer, September I believe, I informed the landlord that the air conditioner was not cooling. It turns on and air blows out of the vents, but the house does not get below 85 degrees, even at night! He had a repair person come look at it and it was declared in working order. As it would not cool below 85 degrees, we contacted the landlord again. He informed us he would contact the owner. Repairmen came back out to look at it. However, no action was taken. Eventually, winter came and since we were getting nowhere, we did not mention it until April of this year.

Now it is May. The air conditioner still does not work. We contacted the landlord at the beginning of the week and were told they are waiting on a check from the owner. (I rent a single family home) We called again today and were given the same answer.

Our lease was up at the end of March. We contacted the landlord about this at the beginning of March as we wanted to re-new, and were told they would mail it to us at the beginning of April. We never received a new lease to sign.

As I plan on buying a house in the next 9-12 months, I would prefer not to move, for convenience sake. However, I may be forced to as I can not live without a/c! Summers in South Carolina are extremely hot and we approach or exceed 100 degrees almost daily.

Is there any advice you can give me? I fear I am going to have to give notice and move, but if at all possible, would like to avoid that and just get the air conditioner fixed!

Thank you for your help!

 

[ENASNI]

Um

Your contact only consists of Phone calls? write a letter . get a paper trail started. Send it CRRR. Give him a specific time limit to get it done... politely.

You may be considered month to month now without a lease. If you are planning on buying a house, you might want to stay that way, because if you find something sooner than your lease is up, Dollars to donuts you will be posting back here.
HELP I found a house and I can't get out of my lease!

 

[south]

While your waiting for landlord to pull his thumb out of his a@@, pick up a cheap $80 window air conditioning unit so your not suffering to teach the landlord a lesson.

I live in Columbia, South Carolina. Temperatures are beginning to reach and exceed the 90 degree mark. Last summer, September I believe, I informed the landlord that the air conditioner was not cooling. It turns on and air blows out of the vents, but the house does not get below 85 degrees, even at night! He had a repair person come look at it and it was declared in working order. As it would not cool below 85 degrees, we contacted the landlord again. He informed us he would contact the owner. Repairmen came back out to look at it. However, no action was taken. Eventually, winter came and since we were getting nowhere, we did not mention it until April of this year.

Now it is May. The air conditioner still does not work. We contacted the landlord at the beginning of the week and were told they are waiting on a check from the owner. (I rent a single family home) We called again today and were given the same answer.

Our lease was up at the end of March. We contacted the landlord about this at the beginning of March as we wanted to re-new, and were told they would mail it to us at the beginning of April. We never received a new lease to sign.

As I plan on buying a house in the next 9-12 months, I would prefer not to move, for convenience sake. However, I may be forced to as I can not live without a/c! Summers in South Carolina are extremely hot and we approach or exceed 100 degrees almost daily.

Is there any advice you can give me? I fear I am going to have to give notice and move, but if at all possible, would like to avoid that and just get the air conditioner fixed!

Thank you for your help!

 

[itsacatsworld]

If its that much of an issue [only 90] you could get an estimate to repair and pay for it yourself. You did state it does cool but its just not cold. From what you describe Id think its just low on freon and might not take much to get it working right. Make sure the condenser on the outside is free of debri and dirt. You can wash it with a garden hose without damaging anything.

 

[ENASNI]

If its that much of an issue [only 90] you could get an estimate to repair and pay for it yourself. You did state it does cool but its just not cold. From what you describe Id think its just low on freon and might not take much to get it working right. Make sure the condenser on the outside is free of debri and dirt. You can wash it with a garden hose without damaging anything.

Do my eyes deceive me or did you actually contribute something that was not inane? not legal advice.. but not unhelpful... you don't get a star, but you will get a smiley.

 

[itsacatsworld]

Your actually complimenting a TROLL. There is HOPE!!

 

[Jezebel1]

Why would want to continue living in a place without a/c? If he wants to drag his feet to fix this, what else might break that will take a year to be fixed?

If you insist on signing a new lease, send at least 2 certified return receipt letters notifying him of the problem. If the same happens again (has a repairman come but says it's working), send another. Do this until he either actually fixes it or you get fed up with waiting. With the proof you have in writting, you'll probably be able to get out of your lease.

 

[Who's Liable?]

Research your LL/T laws VERY carefully in regards to providing Hot Water, Heat, and A/C... In my state, it is a state statute that these amenities MUST be provided or the lease can LEGALLY be terminated... This also applies to month-to-month rentals as is your case... If I remember in my state it is a 10-day demand for repair letter that must be sent to the LL...

You must start a paper as previously stated, and you must give tyhe LL "reasonable" time to fix the problem.