Is landlord required to provide proper insulation

[pkking]

What is the name of your state?What is the name of your state?Alabama. Is the Landlord required to provide proper insulation in rental house. At this time there is no insulation at all in the attic space of my rental house causing the gas bill to be over $400 a month. I have requested to the landlord that I would purchases the insulation and install it if they would allow rental reduction for the cost of material. However at this time I have had no response. I have placed plastic over the windows, lowered the tempature on the hot water heater and use cold water to wash clothes and rinse dishes. Having any type of insulation in the attic would reduce the monthly gas bill in the winter months to around $100 per month. This house is an older house built in the early 30 to 40's and I expect some air leakage however at this rate I am forced not to run my heating systems due to the cost. If the landlord is not required to furnish proper insulation, is the Landlord required to inform tenants of this situation since they were well aware of this situation prior to me signing the lease and moving in. I have spoken with the last tenant and they moved for the very reason of not being able to afford the heating bill, as well as my next door neighbor vacating for the same reason. Any help in this situation would be greatly appreciated.

 

[south]

I always tell my Alaskan tenants that it can get cold at night, because the last lot sued me for blankets when I forgot to inform them to close their windows at night.

 

[ENASNI]

Um

is the Landlord required to inform tenants of this situation since they were well aware of this situation prior to me signing the lease and moving in.

I am sorry, this is the part I do not get. How come you did not inspect the premises as well, and ask for an addendum to the lease that they install insulation?

I would see if the cost of the insulation would far outway the cost of the heating bill and then see if he might split the costs with you. Making sure you have the right to make improvements on the house.

Better check your lease/rental agreement. He might rather keep a tenant than lose one, if you are month to month. Also you have not said if you requested this in writing.

Oh well, chill out.

 

[south]

Wait for landlord to respond..

I have requested to the landlord that I would purchases the insulation and install it if they would allow rental reduction for the cost of material. However at this time I have had no response.

 

[pkking]

update

I'm sorry I guess I should have explained more history. I have been in this house since March of last year and when I viewed the premises I was informed of the brand new central heating system that had been installed, giving me the false impression of possible lower utility bills. Since I have moved in this house I have already had to use the "Alabama Self Help" law three times to make repairs to the house (electrical, plumbing and structual) all of which were saftey liabilty issues. One of which I waited 9 months for the reapirs to be made before I had them completed. All repairs were made according to the law of Alabama (proper notices issued). The house is represented under a management company which their reply is always I am waiting on the owner to reply. I have greatly improved this house already at my own expense without any request for reimbursment from the owner. The expense for insulation I am estimating to be at around $300 and would even be happy if the owner halfed the expense with me. I put in this request at the end of November so at this time I have been waiting for a reply for over 30 days. At this point I am getting the impression that my request are never being delivered to the owner and simply being ignored by the management company.

 

[ENASNI]

At this point I am getting the impression that my request are never being delivered to the owner and simply being ignored by the management company.

Do you have time to camp out at the management companies office? They might have some heat on... Wait till they get on the horn and get an answer!

 

[acmb05]

The landlord

Is required to keep the house in a liveable condition and up to county codes. Check your county building codes and see what kind of insulation is required. Then notify the ladlord/management company again and proceed thru proper channels Like you did before but this time however subtract the cost of material and labor from your rent.

 

[HomeGuru]

Is required to keep the house in a liveable condition and up to county codes. Check your county building codes and see what kind of insulation is required. Then notify the ladlord/management company again and proceed thru proper channels Like you did before but this time however subtract the cost of material and labor from your rent.

**A: the house was built in the 30's-40's. The building code was very lax on insulation.

 

[acmb05]

It probably was back then

**A: the house was built in the 30's-40's. The building code was very lax on insulation.

However in order to rent it he has to keep up with county codes not stick to the code from when the house was built.

 

[HomeGuru]

However in order to rent it he has to keep up with county codes not stick to the code from when the house was built.

**A: not entirely true. There is no law that requires a rental property be in code compliance every 3 years when there is a code change.

 

[acmb05]

my bad Homeguru

**A: not entirely true. There is no law that requires a rental property be in code compliance every 3 years when there is a code change.

I was just researching this and it seems that only two states in the United States DO NOT have landlord-tenant laws requiring that rental housing be at least habitable. One of those states just happens to be Alabama the other is Arkansas.

This is a quote:
"Alabama has many housing units in unfit condition. Often, poor tenants are at the mercy of landlords, who aren't required by state law to maintain their rental property in habitable condition, with working electrical, heating and plumbing systems and roofs that don't leak"

I got this off of The Birmingham News website from an article dated Dec.15,2005

http://www.al.com/opinion/birminghamnews/index.ssf?/base/opinion/1134728230278090.xml&coll=2

 

[acmb05]

Unfortunately

It looks like you have no recourse in this except to buy the insulation and install it yourself using your own money. In the long run if you plan on staying here for a couple years it would probably be beneficial and less costly to do it now rather than keep paying 400 dollars heating bills every month.

 

[Gadfly]

There is a difference between your house being "habitable" and being "comfortalbe" and an even bigger difference in being "cheap to heat". Even into the '60's it was not uncommon for homes in the south to be build without insulation (or air conditioning).

 

[HomeGuru]

There is a difference between your house being "habitable" and being "comfortalbe" and an even bigger difference in being "cheap to heat". Even into the '60's it was not uncommon for homes in the south to be build without insulation (or air conditioning).

**A: I agree. Good point.

 

[pkking]

Thanks to everyone for there replies. The end result is I have sent a certified letter to the management company carbon copied to the owner requesting reimbursment for the insulation cost as well as other outstanding maintenance issues I have been waiting on repairs for 4 months. If they make the repairs I will be willing to spend my own money if needed for the insulation, but if the other repairs are not made (structal repairs estimated to be over $1,000 that pose potentional threat of injury to persons and property) I will vacate at the end of my lease term in 2 months. I have put way to much time and money into this house to simply walk away over $300, but $1000 for other repairs I cannot afford. Please keep in mind here in Mobile, for my size home the average gas bill runs around $60 per month and in the older homes in my area around $100. Also please note that with a $400/mo gas bill plus electric bill of $150 and water of $30 that is only $20 short of the monthly rent on this home. I am hoping that after explaing to the owner that the insulation would increase the value of her home, be a good leasing tool in the future, and if I vacate the premises would sit vacant for a minimum of 15 days resulting in the same $300 expense she will be willing to reimburse me for the insulation. Thanks again for everyone's input.