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As a longtime student & renter, I've had my share of crazy landlord experiences, and I thought I was pretty savvy when it comes to protecting yourself (move-in inspections, get everything in writing, etc, etc). Recently, however, I found myself in an unusual situation. I'm trying to move to a small rural area where rental prices are sky-high due to a shortage of nice homes/decently-sized apartments (probably 80% of the rental market is Section 8, and most of those places are full). After months of searching and viewing places that were either in horrible condition or way too expensive (we're talking well over $1k/mo to live in the middle of nowhere in an "okay" house), I finally found a place just under $1k that seemed like it might work. It has a decent amount of space, is in a nice enough neighborhood, etc. Although the house was previously occupied by the owner's ex (who did not pay rent), it is managed by a company of the owner's, which I believe normally manages commercial property. Supposedly, this company completely renovated the house before the ex moved in, and I did double-check for updated electricity, water pressure, etc.
At first, the LL did not offer a move-in inspection, but I was persistent until they agreed. Upon my initial walkthrough, I noted several things that needed fixing, or at least needed to be "on the record" so I wasn't charged for them on move-out. Two things were in violation of code (one was extremely dangerous but hidden during my visit before signing the lease), which I guess they just expected me not to notice? The LL agreed to fix these things before our official move-in inspection, but only a few were fixed at the time, so I took pictures and asked for them to be addressed ASAP. Although the LL's company acted quickly, four weeks later, I am still struggling with these issues.
The LL always sends the same 2 guys from his company to do all repairs/maintenance/CLEANING. These guys are not licensed, which I know is ok, but to be honest, I don't think they are at all competent to do this sort of work. The house was genuinely filthy after the ex left it, so I requested that it be cleaned. I had to ask 3 times, and it never did get cleaned - as a matter of fact, it is significantly dirtier than it was before, due to the maintenance guys. Things I pointed out and requested to be cleaned were not touched - the only thing done was one of the guys took a string mop and bucket of dirty water over the hardwood floors (some of them, anyway). Everything they have fixed has either had to be revisited (sometimes MULTIPLE times) because it still didn't work, or has required a fair amount of cleanup on my part. One small outdoor light has required 5 lengthy visits, the last of which because they installed it and never put in a lightbulb. Replacing a board in the front door frame was a multiple-day ordeal that included painting over uncured caulk - of course, the paint/caulk stuck to the front door and they tried to sand it off (sand white paint off of black - right). The front door cracked all the way through, and they puttied and painted it - of course, in the hot, humid south, it's already cracked through again. These guys have left greasy, dirty fingerprints everywhere they go, have left paint, wood sawdust, dirt, grass, pieces of wood in the stove eyes where they haphazardly drilled a hole through a cabinet shelf to repair a cord to a light that had been hacked off (even though the cord could have been run safely elsewhere) - you get the idea. I asked for 5 non-functional under-cabinet lights to be removed b/c the screws were sticking up into the bottom shelf of the cabinets - they took out 3. Despite my requests for them to be careful and at least not make things messier, it has really gotten worse. As frustrating as this was, I was prepared to just grit my teeth and get things fixed so I could clean it all myself, until a few days ago.
Before I moved anything in to the house, I let the guys pretty much come and go as they pleased, but as soon as I put some of my belongings inside, I requested, both over the phone and in writing, that I be notified any time they were going to be there. The maintenance guys were sent back last week to address a list of things they had failed to fix before, or had fixed that had instantly broken again (such as electrical wiring blowing out on that outdoor light). I was told they'd be there one afternoon, and I planned to spend the evening away since they tend to work late. The next day, I received a phone call from a lady at the LL's office who said the work was done and she was leaving on vacation. I stopped by the house at lunchtime to inspect the work/damage, only to find the front door standing wide open. I have no idea how long it was this way, but I was both frightened and furious. Upon inspecting the house, I discovered that the maintenance guys had once more not completed their work, but had also incorrectly (against code) installed something, and had used my white bath towel (which I had carefully moved to another, empty room out of the way) as a rag to wipe up dirt and grease, and then thrown to the side in a heap. They also helped themselves to bottled water out of my fridge, used my cleaning supplies and tossed them carelessly, messily to the side (on what, I have no idea, as they left tons and tons more dirt and fingerprints), dumped chemicals/sludge from a snaked drain into my unlined bedroom trash can, and left an open container of some kind of red soda in my fridge. Within a few moments, the younger man showed up and eventually knocked on the storm door (irony). He apologized profusely and said he was sorry, but then argued with me and said he'd only left it open a crack, honestly! When I replied that it was standing wide open, he then insisted that he had asked the lady across the street to watch the house. I reminded him that no one had told me he would be there, and then asked if he had a key, and he confirmed that he did. I then confirmed that he was there without my permission, DID have a key, left the door open and unlocked, alerted someone that it was open and unlocked with my belongings inside, and then left for who knows how long. He started aggressively asking me not to tell the LL, because he was already in trouble for being sent back so many times to "clean" the house.
At my wit's end, I left an angry message with the LL's business manager. The business manager did respond promptly, but all he did was offer an apology and to replace the towel. He clearly has no intention of sending other, more qualified, workers to fix, clean, or otherwise address anything in the house, and did not seem half as upset as I would like, given everything I have had to put up with (over 5 weeks of incompetent "maintenance," disregard for my personal space, and total disrespect for my personal belongings).
As things stand now, I still have moved in only a fraction of my belongings. I am constantly worried the men will come back and mess something else up - I have already caught the three code violations, one of which they cobbled together a repair for, the other two I have no way of checking myself (I'll need an electrician). I am very concerned about the quality of the electrical and plumbing work they've done, concerned about my privacy, and flat-out pissed at the use/abuse of my personal belongings and all the time and money I've wasted trying to "deal" with them.
My lease is 12 months (we're not quite 5 weeks in) and can only be broken for job-related reasons. I'm utterly frustrated and exhausted and afraid of what other issues are going to rear their ugly heads, and what a nightmare it will be to get them fixed if/when they do. Any and all recommendations/suggestions are most gratefully welcomed.
It sounds as though your dealings with the LL/management company have all been conducted orally. Now it's time to put everything in writing and send it to the appropriate entity (whoever you signed the lease with) by return receipt certified mail. Do you want out of the lease or do you want things to be fixed properly by qualified, responsible workers? You can pretty much say everything in the letter that you've said right here and then finish with what you want to see happen - out of your lease or things fixed properly.
Your state landlord tenant laws are likely linked in the first "sticky" on this forum. Read the relevant clauses so you know what you should expect from your LL. A landlord is required to give 24 hours notice of anyone's entry into the apartment unless in case of emergency. He is also obligated to fix things "within a reasonable time". Continual return visits to fix simple things such as you've described isn't acceptable in anybody's book while the mess that these "maintenance people" are leaving behind is also unacceptable. Leaving the place wide open? Good grief!
PS: By the way, I suppose you didn't take photographs, did you? Also a wise move when this sort of thing first starts happening. It's always a good idea to take pre-move photos of the place along with the walk-through.
I really have tried to work with them, but you make it sound like I'm the PITA. The happy clause would be an ok solution, I guess, but it's sad that I have put in effort to make it work, the LL's manager has put in effort to make it work (he's a nice guy, really, but everybody has their breaking point), and in the end, nothing comes of it. Under normal circumstances, I would have let workers in my house do most of the above (using my supplies, having something to eat/drink from the fridge, come whatever hours are convenient, etc), but I would hope they would ask first or show some respect for my living space. I really believe these maintenance guys are a liability for the LL.
Oops, sorry, STT Resident, I posted my response before I saw yours. To answer your question, yes, I did take photographs, thank goodness, and I believe every time but the most recent, I always emailed a "punch list" of the new or ongoing issues to the LL's manager and got a response so I'd have a paper trail. Unfortunately, my lease isn't covered by my state's landlord/tenant act, and in VA, the LL can enter after you've made a maintenance request without further notice (really not sure how that's legal, or how it's played out in case law), but that's especially difficult here where the maintenance has been so...ongoing.
At this point, I'm not sure what I'd prefer. If a licensed electrician could come in and check off the work that has been done so far, as well as handling any future electrical issues, and I could ensure that the other 2 guys aren't allowed unsupervised access to the place anymore, I'd be ok with staying, but all things considered, I don't have a lot of confidence now that I feel like the female maintenance supervisor and the 2 guys have been openly dishonest.
I really have tried to work with them, but you make it sound like I'm the PITA.
I hope that wasn't directed towards me! I've tried to give you sound advice in dealing with this in a business-like fashion and certainly didn't intend to even intimate that you're a PITA - far from it!
PS: Ok, your response kicked in. No worries. What do you mean when you say that your lease isn't covered by your state's landlord tenant laws? That makes no sense!
Unfortunately, in VA, a single-family rental home isn't covered unless the LL owns more than 10 rental properties in the county, or 4 within the city - and this guy doesn't. =/
Unfortunately, in VA, a single-family rental home isn't covered unless the LL owns more than 10 rental properties in the county, or 4 within the city - and this guy doesn't. =/
You seriously need to read your state's landlord tenant laws. The basic rules apply to ALL landlords and there are only certain minor exceptions where private landlords are concerned. I'll eat my hat if VA's laws differ in that respect from every other state.
§ 55-248.5. Exemptions; exception to exemption; application of chapter to certain occupants.
A. Except as specifically made applicable by § 55-248.21:1, the following conditions are not governed by this chapter:
. . .
10. Occupancy in single-family residences where the owner(s) are natural persons or their estates who own in their own name no more than ten single-family residences subject to a rental agreement; or in the case of condominium units or single-family residences located in any city or in any county having either the urban county executive form or county manager plan of government, no more than four.
Hoping maybe I read it incorrectly, but it seems straightforward? =/
I realize this doesn't mean I have NO rights, but it does truncate them somewhat.
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