tenant rights

[jasper]

I have been living in this house rent free for 5 years and now the owner wants me to start paying rent, which is ok with me, but they have offered no rental agreement, no terms, limits...just a unsigned note saying that it was time for me to start paying rent i have never paid rent without a rental agreement. so what do i do?? plus there are a few things that i was going to fix but now i figure they should do it, since now they want to be landlords. but they need to be fixed before i start paying rent, because as a tenant these things are a health hazard...the floor in the living room has fallen in, i have it covered with plastic but now i have a mouse problem. the sewer keeps backing up and flows on the floor, i was going to have it fixed but now they should do this, right??? i fixed things here before as needed just to live here,(they said any thing that needs to be fixed was on me to do before this paying rent thing. so now i'm at a loss as what to do???? HELP!!

 

[T]

If they let you live there rent free for so many years, shouldn't you at least have some sense of gratitude. The place may not have been habitable but you didn't mind because it was free wasn't it? You should do whatever repairs are necessary - and be grateful they don't throw you out!