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NEED ADVISE - Landlord blackmailing me so I don't turn him into housing dept.

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nuvola09

Junior Member
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!
 


las365

Senior Member
He isn't blackmailing, he's negotiating.

It isn't cruelty to feed cats twice a day instead of letting them eat at will. If you really think they are being abused, call your local SPCA and turn him in. Or if you want them that badly, make the agreement he desires or negotiate something else.

I do think the ant problem as described is a habitability issue, and it sounds as if the OP has handled getting out of her lease quite well. She's just got a soft spot for the cats.
 

Hot Topic

Senior Member
You left a nearly empty container of Sprite in your garbage can, and you're complaining about the ant problem starting up again? What's wrong with this picture?
 

Cvillecpm

Senior Member
Your "male friends" should have sufficient "means" to entertain you at their HOME, restaurant or bar.

If you don't want 'pests' in your home, you need to be a better housekeeper...pour sticky, sweet soda DOWN THE DRAIN, wash the bottle and put in the the trash OUTSIDE OF YOUR room...DUDAH!!
 

nuvola09

Junior Member
Come on guys, seriously?

Leaving to-go containers in a garbage can is not bad housekeeping. The ant problem is so bad, he can't keep the kitchen garbage can in the house...he began keeping it out on the patio.

"What's wrong with this picture?" I'll tell you what's wrong. Not being able to keep any food residue in your garbage cans is what is wrong. In a normal house without an ant problem, you should be able to keep a garbage can inside without having it be attacked by vermin.

The "blackmailing" part is that he's offering to, more or less, buy me off with the cats in exchange for not having him cited for renting an uninhabitable property. He violated the law by not allowing me visitors, he rented a room that is not up to fire code, and he is refusing to take care of a pre-existing ant problem.

Please explain to me how I am at fault.
 

Alaska landlord

Senior Member
You are wrong in assuming that this is a habitability problem. The windows may be in code for the year they were installed. Visitor problem can be solved by insisting on your right to have them. And ant control you can easily take care of yourself if he neglects to do so.
 

nuvola09

Junior Member
"The windows may be in code for the year they were installed."

Based on what I know, window base heights of 4ft. were never legal, and I'm pretty sure it's never legal to rent out a property which is not up to code if not previously inspected and given a Pre-Existing Non-Conforming pass by the state.


"Visitor problem can be solved by insisting on your right to have them."

It's still illegal for him to say I can't have them over.


"And ant control you can easily take care of yourself if he neglects to do so."

As I stated in my original post, I've put down traps (3 boxes worth to be specific) in my bedroom, and it has not helped the problem enough so that I can live a normal existence in that bedroom. I came home to them living inside my computer for God's sake. Some further needs to be done, and he won't do it. He also specifically said he didn't want spray or traps put down anywhere outside my bedroom, and he told me he refuses to allow an exterminator. I am not only renting the room, I am renting 1/2 of the house. How is this right or legal or HABITABLE?
 

nuvola09

Junior Member
And more importantly, how is it legal for him to bribe me to sign a waiver so he's not responsible for any of this?
 

Alaska landlord

Senior Member
Unless you can provide proof that the windows size are illegal, I have learned not to accept tenant claims of facts as a reliable source of information.

Asking that you not have guest is not illegal. enforcing it may be. but, it may be that because of living situation, you renting half of his home, that he may be within his rights to enforce his wish of no male guest. I do know that in many states such a living arrangement provides certain exemptions for landlords.
 

Cvillecpm

Senior Member
The landlord/son can state the rules on having "guests/BF" stay over IN THEIR HOUSE. If you don't like the rules, give your 30 day notice in writing and leave.

ALL food residue needs to be kept OUT of the DWELLING UNIT which is why trash cans are ALWAYS OUTSIDE and not just taken OUT when trash day comes.
 

nuvola09

Junior Member
What kind of conditions do you live in where you don't have garbage cans inside? That just doesn't make any sense.

I really don't care what any of you claim to know, not being able to keep a garbage can in your kitchen (or leave out items like dry pet food) without it being covered with ants within 30 minutes is not normal. It's just not.
 

ecmst12

Senior Member
Do you share living space with the landlord, or are they totally separate units with separate entrances?
 
As I stated in my original post, I've put down traps (3 boxes worth to be specific) in my bedroom, and it has not helped the problem enough so that I can live a normal existence in that bedroom.
These traps aren't enough for the ant problem you describe. That is not sufficent for control. Go to a hardware store or a big box store and buy a bag of ant granules (I believe Terro is the brand name). Open the bag and sprinkle around the perimeter of the house. This kills them. Those baits aren't going to do the job.
 

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