Over Charged By LandLord

[Kristi56]

ok, I don't usually have so many questions but now tht I am thinking of it I am going to ask. I have lived in my appartment for almost 3 years now. When I moved in and signed my lease it my rent was 550 a month plus utilitie ( gas and water) I live in a four plex. When we first moved in our utilities were around 50 dollars. Do our rent with utilities was from 580-600. Since then My landlord and I hav had many dissagreement. Things alone the line of coming into my house when ever he wants to do what ever he wants. Things like watering the grass and charging us for it, Calling my house at 10:00-10:30 at night after everyone is in bed the day the rent was due. My fridge has been broke for 2 years(it leaks water on the floor) My dishwasher has been broke for about 1 and ahalf years, The furnase for about six month has made a noise as if you are next to a dryer with sneakers in it "since he fixed it" The furnas is right by our bedroom. The closet door in the Kitchen broke about 6 months ago and has fallen on my son 3 times. We have not only told the landlord about it right away but keep riminding him about it. He says he will fix it and never does. Now we are being charged 100 plus dollars more then usual for utilities and he won't show us anything to back it up which we have also requested many times. This has been going on for about a year. We called the utillity company and they say we are being way over charged but can't say how much because it is his account. Soooo... they said you have the right to refuse to pay utillities until he shows a valid copy of the utility bill. He is our problen.. He can't evict us for that but he can evict us for the cat we have that we are not supposed to. He can't prove we still have it but when he comes in as he pleases while we are at work he is bound to see him one of these toimes. What is a person to do? Can we get this money back can we do anything at all? What would be accurate as far as the broken stuff he knows about yet we know when we move out he will say he knew nothing and take usto court for damages.... Please please help. Thanks.

 

[LyndaJ]

From personal experience you need to start documenting dates and times that events happen, if you have items that are broken that can have a picture taken of it do it. The more documentation you have, should you go to court the better for you, but you must keep the picture taking a secret from your landlord. If possible set a booby trap to show that he is entering the place when your not home if you are in good graces with your neighbors have them keep an eye on your place and take pictures if possible of him entering and leaving your residence. You may also ask your neighbors if they are having similar problems with him.