A LANDLORD put their tenant through “3 years of hell”, threatening them with a baseless $150 additional charge after the tenant went to consult a lawyer.
In the end, the tenant was forced to call a building inspector before they moved out, resulting in $500 daily fines for the landlord.
In the end, the tenant was forced to call a building inspector before they moved out, resulting in $500 daily fines for the landlord[/caption]
On the social media platform Reddit, one tenant shared the story of their former landlord.
The story recounted years of threatening behavior, inflicted by a landlord who was a ” terrible human being”.
The Reddit post shared several incidents, from unfounded charges to dangerous living conditions.
It said: “My landlord was a terrible human being. Honestly, calling him a human is even pushing it. Just a few things he has done to me over the past three years.
“Stole my dryer and other household products that are in a common area. Made me pay for a plumbing repair which was deemed normal wear and tear.
“Tried breaking into my house. Retaliated against me because I went to my lawyer after he sent me a letter about a parking spot.
“He tried charging me an extra $150/month. I finally got my chance to leave after he wanted to raise my rent $500/month.
“He will do anything, and everything to get more money out of his tenants.”
THE FINAL BATTLE
The tenant left shortly after that, but the landlord made it very difficult.
The post continues: “So I called the building inspector 4 days before I left. I told him everything.
“The porch when he finally replaced it didn’t have a permit and was definitely not up to code.
“I told him about the plumbing and the heater.
“Each violation is a $500/day fine until fixed. I honestly don’t know what happened, but my God did it feel good to finally get him back. He’s at the very least on the town’s radar.
“A week before I moved out he tried telling me I needed to be out at a specific time. I never responded and where I lived, that’s not how it works. He tried to threaten me with the police if I wasn’t gone.
Tenant’s rights
According to InCharge Debt Solutions, tenants have several rights in the United States:
As a tenant, you have certain rights, and while they vary from state to state, there is a list of standard requirements virtually every landlord in the U.S. must provide:
- Heat (but not air conditioning)
- Running hot and cold water
- Locks and keys
- Smoke detector
- Clean and safe common areas
Landlords can keep security deposits for several reasons. These include:
- Unpaid Rent
- Damage to the Property
- Cleaning Costs
- Unpaid Utilities or Bills
- Breach of Lease Terms
- Abandoned Property
- Repairs Due to Tenant Negligence
If landlords don’t make any necessary repairs, tenants should:
- Review Your Lease or Rental Agreement
- Document the Problem
- Notify Your Landlord in Writing
- Contact Local Housing Authorities
- Repair and Deduct
- Mediation or Legal Action
- Protect Your Rent
Long story short, he had broken into my apartment (I had left to go to storage) while I was gone.
“He nailed my door shut. I told the police to get the supervisor because I was over being harassed by this guy.”
The story concluded with the reveal that the landlord has been charged for felony breaking and entering.
POWER FOR TENANTS
There are groups right now fighting for more power for tenants.
Judith Goldiner, the top attorney in the Legal Aid Society’s Civil Reform Unit, said: “We hear from tenants all the time who pay their rent and don’t get their security deposits.
“It shouldn’t take a news article to get people their money back.”
Another threat to tenants is their lack of education in this area of law, which leaves them uninformed about their rights.
New York University housing law professor Sateesh Nori said: “The tenants aren’t professionals in this space and they don’t have unlimited time and money.
“There’s no accounting for people who give up and walk away.”
