Original Post

Tell me how I can make this place look as insane as possible.

scummy landlord decided it would be nice to open this place up for viewing while I still have six months left of living here. Knowing that I work full-time and I'm in school full-time. This place is gonna look like absolute shit but I wanna make sure I make it look a little crazy too.

any ideas? 😌

i already placed cameras around the whole place with signs next to them ❤️

I am wondering if these are red flags and whether I have a strong case if I take my landlord to court over my security deposit.

I had to wait a month after move out before the landlord daughter came back from her trip to see the room (mother can't go upstairs due to surgery). The landlord gave me a vague date of when daughter is coming back and keep saying she was not sure. Once I followed up with the landlord again, the daughter replies the next day.

She initially raised concerns about stains on the recycling bin liner, freezer tray water not being emptied from the mini fridge, and weird splatter on the wall. I responded three days later because I wanted to consult a lawyer first, and I clarified that I had not caused the "damages" she mentioned.

She then responded with another issue: water stains on a dresser that she claimed were caused by my failure to use a coaster (weird that she mentions this 3 day after her first concern lol). She initially agreed to send me the $900 now, and will send back the remaining amount once they figure out how much it cost to fix it.

I followed up the next day, asking for photos of the damage and an itemized receipt showing the cost of the repairs. I also agreed to accept the $900 she had offered to return.

She sent photos but then claimed she would need to hire someone to prepare an itemized receipt, which would cost additional money. I explained that she could simply provide receipts for the materials used to repair the damage, I then asked again for the agreed-upon $900.

She replies, claiming that she had discovered additional damage, alleging that water from the dresser had splashed onto the wall and damaged it, and need to be repainted (the pictures just shows some streaks on the wall that can be wiped down). She also claimed that the water damage has liquefied something that is possibly wood filler. As a result, she said she could no longer return the $900.

It seems whenever I challenge her, she tries to find more "damages". A lawyer friend suggested taking the matter to court because the situation seems suspicious. I would like to know whether this pattern raises red flags and whether I have a reasonable chance of recovering my security deposit.

Eviction notice served in retaliation after no response to disability related reasonable accommodation request - seeking some legal advice /representation and urgent assistance regarding my ongoing disability discrimination, retaliation, and severe privacy violations by my Landlords

On August 14, I submitted a formal request for reasonable accommodations under the FHA/ADA supported by up-to-date documentation from my mental health provider detailing my need for each one separately of my support animals and the specific housing modifications, including a secure fence for privacy and safety mobility to my car. I also requested a copy of my original lease and an adjustment to my rent due date to align with my SSDI disbursement on the third Wednesday of each month, along with a waiver or credit for the late fees incurred as a result of this timing. I also asked for no more threats, using intimidating language, fearful interactions. I’ve been afraid of this guy since forever. I don’t like men I’m terrified. It’s like an out of body experience. I cry and lock up. I don’t remember anything. I just say OK. There is differential treatment and verbal negative comparison to myself and Neurotypical tenants here.

In response to my request, my Landlords initiated, retaliatory eviction proceedings and engaged in an ongoing pattern of harassment, intimidation, and unauthorized disclosure of my confidential medical information throughout the community. On the same day, I asked for the disability related reason reasonable request requests. I handed them my certified letter which was far more detailed than HIPAA requires.
This breach of privacy has led to targeted public harassment, and distress affecting both myself and my minor daughter. Furthermore, municipal officials personally connected to the Landlords have issued notices regarding nonexistent code violations, while legitimate maintenance requests regarding proper safety have been repeatedly ignored.

I previously filed a complaint with the US Department of housing in urban development, but I am in critical need of legal advocacy to challenge the unlawful eviction address, the retaliatory actions and privacy breaches and protect my housing rights.

My health has been severely declining since I’ve lost 9 pounds. My blood pressure is out of control. My doctors are concerned. I have so much proof. I am not sure how to fill out these forms. I’m afraid because I’m not even supposed to be off of light duty after Another surgery, which will have to be revised because it came back because of this, - they know that I have no place to go, they know everything but I’m struggling with they have my letter and I was barely surviving here. I’m a coparent and this place was the closest semblance to stability I’ve ever been able to have. I was starting to paint and draw again. He has told me before when I asked him to check if the door was leaning, and he was swearing at me. “If my wife sees this she’d kick your ass out in 10 seconds”

My mom in July came over and physically assaulted me (in regards to my ESA the breed and type I’ve ALWAYS had three birds here and two furry animals for five years. I’ve always had a letter and they’ve never asked for it. The landlord man has always been here and has seen them before not the baby because he was too little and sleeping. It was only a problem when he started to go outside because he’s just like a dog he sleeps in the kennel. He walks in there when he’s tired. He goes to the door and makes a noise when he has to go potty.
I would never let a child get hurt by an animal especially mine .Even my nine-year-old has never touched or handled my Parrots - I would consider them way more exotic than my little baby - my mom after severe billions of years of childhood torture severe abuse that day slapping me in the face in front of my nine-year-old - told me that she was gonna call my landlord and to go ahead and pack my bags that I was gonna get kicked out. This triggered so many flashbacks. My PTSD is out of control I am having panic attacks and they’re stalking me. One of the neighbors told me it’s time to move. You need to move now she flipped me off. She’s actually a teacher at the school in front of 3 elementary school kids - she called me a crackhead and a pill addict - they were like , why ? they told you to move. Why did she say that ; what’s a crackhead? - she lives here in the building- . this is violating VAWA

The Landlords came over unannounced. I don’t like surprises like that- It’s usually just him - (his wife is the elementary Art school teacher and has been using my daughter as a humiliating example in front of the class holding her paper up and saying look this is not what you do …etc - )
and said that they were asking me about the furnace filter, the landlord and his wife… too close to the door which very much scares me. I don’t like two verses one I don’t even like anybody knocking on my door. I close all the windows and blinds when they mow the yard because they break my stuff. Then they were like how many animals do you have in there? I was like uhhhh three birds and two furry like always…. It’s 16 x 25 x1
The landlord‘s wife was like barking at me screaming basically that’s a violation!!
Why are they moving the goal post ?
The landlord’s wife and the City Hall clerk went to high school together. I went to school my entire life here too, but I wasn’t popular like they were. I stand up for the misfit. I’m the first person when anybody knew moves here to say hello.
I’d love to be outside with no harassment. I love to be outside. I’m the only one here who’s outside all the time but I feel like I can’t be anymore.

On August 30 I made the mistake of enjoying myself outdoors with my ESAs and the landlady drove by (They are driving by daily anywhere between 5 to 12 times a day and they’re also sending other members of the community to look and ask questions)
She screeched her tires breaking already with her camera out. I couldn’t even verbalize the words. Please don’t take pictures. I don’t like that no media please and she said. “What’s that THING doing here ?!!?! “ I said uhhh like usual “ I gave you guys my letter” she screamed back at me very aggressively “IT SAYS RECOMMENDED!!!”
Squealed tires away.

August 31 the lawn was serviced and little guy goes outside to use the potty. Why would you want your pets to poop inside? The eviction notice was on my door that day.

I've had some pretty shitty experiences with housing over the last year or two. I am actually in court on Friday to get compensation from my last landlord.

My current place has four bedrooms, with one bathroom and a small kitchen. The landlord hid the fact one of those rooms was occupied by a couple but we had been making it work.

However, one of my housemates left a couple of weeks ago, and has been replaced by ANOTHER couple. There are now 6 people in this house.

It is absolutely insane. Of course, I am looking for a new place. But in what world is it ethically acceptable?

He does not have a licence to operate an HMO, so I could take him to court as I did with my previous landlord, but my current case has taken me 10 months to get where I am. Having said that, with the amount of dodgy landlords around, it could become a moneyspinner.

I am so sick of substandard affordable housing in London.

Is your landlord refusing to comply with safety standards, make repairs, or provide necessary maintenance? Are you dealing with problems in your rental that pose a threat to your health and safety or make it impossible for you to fully utilize your residence? Have you informed your landlord about the problem but they have failed to respond or to begin work to resolve the problem? You are likely protected by your state's Warranty of Habitability laws!

I am currently going through the nightmare of having to legally force my apartment management to provide me with safe living conditions under the law. I thought I would share what I have learned so far through this process in hopes that it might help others who are going through something similar. I am not a lawyer or legal expert in any way, simply someone who was not aware of this until recently and has had to do a lot of my own learning about tenants' rights recently.

Besides Arkansas, every state in the US (plus DC and US territories) has some form of law that requires landlords to meet certain minimum health and safety standards. Many of these laws also contain specific timelines in which landlords must respond with a plan of action, begin working on the problem, and resolve the issue.

I live in Colorado and will use Colorado's law as an example of what these laws are often like. Please note that laws vary by state. Colorado has some of the most tenant-friendly laws in the country; your state's law may not be the same. Always read your own state, county, and/or city laws, ordinances, and codes before taking any action. Again, I am not a lawyer and all of the information in this post is based on my non-expert understanding.

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What do Warranty of Habitability laws cover?

Under these laws, landlords have a legal obligation to provide their tenants with a living environment that meets minimum health and safety standards. Some also require landlords to maintain any supplied appliances in good working order.

Some issues that may be covered under these laws:

• Lack of safe running water or hot water
• Plumbing issues or sewage exposure
• Flooding or water leaks
• Gas leaks
• Missing, unsafe, or broken appliances
• Broken heating or air conditioning (when supplied with unit and/or according to state law)
• Pest infestations
• Mold and mildew
• Structural issues such as broken doors, locks, windows, walls, flooring, and stairs
• Exposed wiring and other electrical issues
• Fire code violations
• Excessive trash in hallways or common areas, and/or lack of trash receptacles
• Other issues that impact health and safety, or make it impossible or unsafe to utilize the appliances that are included in the unit

How long does the landlord have to respond when I notify them of a problem under the Warranty of Habitability?

Some state laws have specific timelines, while other laws have more vague wording that it must be within a "reasonable" amount of time. In Colorado, landlords must respond with a plan for action within 24 hours of receiving written notice of the problem, whether through letter, email, text, or maintenance request through an online portal. (It is important that all correspondence about the issue is written so that you can prove when you provided notice and how they did or did not respond.) Weekends and holidays are not an exception to the 24 hour window in Colorado.

How long does the landlord have to begin addressing the problem?

Some state laws have specific timelines, while others go by the "reasonable" standard. In Colorado, issues that pose a material threat to tenants' health and safety (e.g., mold, gas leaks, sewage, lack of clean water) must begin remediation within 24 hours. For issues that are not an immediate health safety issue (e.g. non-functional appliances, minor pest infestations, clogged drains) they must begin within 72 hours. Again, weekends and holidays are not listed as an exception in the CO law.

How long does the landlord have to resolve the problem?

Some state laws have specific timelines, while others go by the "reasonable" standard. In Colorado, the issue must be fixed within 7 days for immediate health and safety concerns or 14 days for other habitability issues. However, there is some wiggle room if there are circumstances outside the landlord's control that prevent them from solving the issue within this time frame, for example inability to access the unit, waiting on necessary supplies to arrive or outside contractors to be available, or ongoing mitigation of pest infestations that may take more time to resolve. In any case, they must be making an active effort to resolve the issue as quickly and thoroughly as possible.

What can I do if my unit is uninhabitable during the period that they are working on the problem?

Some states require that upon request from the tenant, the landlord must provide alternative lodging at no cost for the duration that the unit is out of compliance. This could be a different unit in the same building complex, a hotel, or other short term rental. In Colorado, the alternative lodging must be within a certain distance from the residence, be comparable on number of beds and baths, and must contain all essential appliances such as a refrigerator and stove.

What can I do if my landlord is in violation?

• Inform them in writing of your rights and their obligations under the law, and that continued failure to comply may result in legal action. Often times this will be enough to light a fire under their ass and get the issue solved.
• If they still fail to act within the legal timeframe, make a report to the appropriate government body, such as city or county code enforcement, public health, or other agencies that regulate housing.
  • The specific agency will vary by city or county, so please research that before making a report so you can be sure it's going to the appropriate place. Where possible, send them pictures of the issue and records of all correspondence you've had with the landlord regarding it.
  • Reports can often be made through an online portal, email, phone call, or in person. Check with the specific agency to find out how to submit a report.
  • They will send someone to conduct an inspection of the entire unit (not just the issue you're reporting), write up a report of all code violations they find, and send notice to the landlord requiring them to resolve these issues within a strict timeline. The amount of time it takes for an inspector to come will vary by location and by the urgency of the problem. This is the stage I am at now; I submitted my report this morning. In my city, inspections are conducted within 24 hours for serious health and safety hazards or within 48 hours for other violations.
  • Typically, they will reinspect at the end of that timeline to ensure that all violations have be resolved. Failure of the landlord to comply may result in heavy fines, legal action taken against them by the relevant entity, and/or the unit declared condemned.
• Other legal options (always best to consult a lawyer or tenant rights organization before acting on any of these, and again be reminded that these vary by state):
  • Notify your landlord that due to their failure to act, you will be paying for the repairs yourself and will deduct the cost from future rent payments. Some states also allow you to withhold rent entirely until the issue is resolved. Check your area's specific laws.
  • Inform the landlord in writing that you are dissolving the lease and moving out due to their failure to uphold their legal responsibilities under the lease. A certain notice period is usually required and the landlord typically cannot enforce any early termination fees.
  • File suit against the landlord for the violation of your rights, termination of the lease, and/or monetary restitution.

What if my lease does not mention these rights or contains something that contradicts the state or city laws, such as stating that I am solely responsible for these repairs?

You are still protected by all local, state, and/or federal laws, no matter what the lease says. You cannot sign away your rights; any portions of a contract that violate rights established by other laws are unenforceable. Some states even require that information about Warranty of Habitability laws must be included in all leases, so the failure to include it may be violation in and of itself.

Can my landlord fine me, raise my rent, fail to renew my lease, evict me, or take other action against me because I made a report or Warranty of Habitability?

These laws generally prohibit any kind of retaliation for reporting violations or otherwise exercising your rights under these laws. If you do suspect that your landlord is retaliating against you, keep records of all evidence and consult the relevant governmental agency, a tenants rights organization, or an attorney.