What is the name of your state? CA
I began renting 1/2 of a house from a man who currently rents from his parents. Technically, he is subletting to me. I paid 1st and last, beginning in September, and slowing moved in over the course of the month.
After I paid him that money and began moving in, I became aware of an ant problem. He has two cats which were rescued from the back yard, and the ant problem is so bad that he can't leave dry cat food out for them to eat. He feeds them small amounts of food once or twice a day since leaving the food out will attract the ants.
The ants became a problem in my room when I left a box of my dry goods in my kitchen in there. These were items that do not have to be refridgerated, but the ants came and began living in all of my things (books, clothes, CDs, etc.)
I went away for two weeks, set down ant traps in my room, came home and saw it had helped, but minimally. I began sleeping there at the beginning on October. My boyfriend was due to come over one night, and I let my roommate/landlord know he was coming so I could show him what I'd done with the room, then we were going out to dinner. My roommate/landlord said he was uncomfortable with me having male visitors stay for any more than 15 minutes (I am female), and that overnights were absolutely unacceptable. We had discussed this "alpha-male" issue with him before I moved in, but he said that he couldn't prevent me from having male guests, as long as I let him know that I was having someone over ahead of time.
I was shocked. Basically, I am unable to have my boyfriend over or entertain any of my male friends. About a week later, the ant problem reappeared when I left a nearly-empty to-go cup of Sprite in my bedroom garbage can. Several hundred ants were living on my desk, paperwork and inside my laptop. I was livid, and brought the issue to the attention of his mother, who was the only one on the property at the time. I said her son needed to take responcibility for the problem, and that I would be moving out ASAP.
As of right now, I have given formal notice with a written letter explaining why I am leaving (combination of the ants and the visitor restrictions). I gave him copies of statements that say it is illegal to stipulate who a tenant can and cannot have visit. I stated that his property was uninhabitable, and that is why I am leaving and also giving less than 30 days notice.
I also stated I would like to offer to adopt his cats because he doesn't know how to take care of them. He responded to me in a letter that said I could have the cats if I signed a written statement saying I was leaving on my own accord for reasons that had nothing to do with him or the habitability of the house. He said if I have the house inspected by the housing department to evaluate habitability (my bedroom windows are also not up to fire code), that the "deal is off." I also need to say in the statement that I will not seek restitution for any moving expenses I have or will be incurring due to moving into his place, then having to leave again.
Basically, he's holding the cats over my head to make me promise I won't turn him into the authoraties. The cats are not being cared for. I don't know whether I should sign the waiver just to get them out of his care..... or should I contact the housing department and animal control to get these problems actually fixed? PLEASE HELP!
I began renting 1/2 of a house from a man who currently rents from his parents. Technically, he is subletting to me. I paid 1st and last, beginning in September, and slowing moved in over the course of the month.
After I paid him that money and began moving in, I became aware of an ant problem. He has two cats which were rescued from the back yard, and the ant problem is so bad that he can't leave dry cat food out for them to eat. He feeds them small amounts of food once or twice a day since leaving the food out will attract the ants.
The ants became a problem in my room when I left a box of my dry goods in my kitchen in there. These were items that do not have to be refridgerated, but the ants came and began living in all of my things (books, clothes, CDs, etc.)
I went away for two weeks, set down ant traps in my room, came home and saw it had helped, but minimally. I began sleeping there at the beginning on October. My boyfriend was due to come over one night, and I let my roommate/landlord know he was coming so I could show him what I'd done with the room, then we were going out to dinner. My roommate/landlord said he was uncomfortable with me having male visitors stay for any more than 15 minutes (I am female), and that overnights were absolutely unacceptable. We had discussed this "alpha-male" issue with him before I moved in, but he said that he couldn't prevent me from having male guests, as long as I let him know that I was having someone over ahead of time.
I was shocked. Basically, I am unable to have my boyfriend over or entertain any of my male friends. About a week later, the ant problem reappeared when I left a nearly-empty to-go cup of Sprite in my bedroom garbage can. Several hundred ants were living on my desk, paperwork and inside my laptop. I was livid, and brought the issue to the attention of his mother, who was the only one on the property at the time. I said her son needed to take responcibility for the problem, and that I would be moving out ASAP.
As of right now, I have given formal notice with a written letter explaining why I am leaving (combination of the ants and the visitor restrictions). I gave him copies of statements that say it is illegal to stipulate who a tenant can and cannot have visit. I stated that his property was uninhabitable, and that is why I am leaving and also giving less than 30 days notice.
I also stated I would like to offer to adopt his cats because he doesn't know how to take care of them. He responded to me in a letter that said I could have the cats if I signed a written statement saying I was leaving on my own accord for reasons that had nothing to do with him or the habitability of the house. He said if I have the house inspected by the housing department to evaluate habitability (my bedroom windows are also not up to fire code), that the "deal is off." I also need to say in the statement that I will not seek restitution for any moving expenses I have or will be incurring due to moving into his place, then having to leave again.
Basically, he's holding the cats over my head to make me promise I won't turn him into the authoraties. The cats are not being cared for. I don't know whether I should sign the waiver just to get them out of his care..... or should I contact the housing department and animal control to get these problems actually fixed? PLEASE HELP!