I HATE the landlord. (VENT)

Okay, so as many of you know, FH is just moving in to a new apartment. We were told that a whole bunch of stuff would be repaired, the carpet would be cleaned, etc, before we moved in. My cousin (the last tenant) scrubbed the entire apartment when he left and left it spotless. We get there on saturday the carpets are DISGUSTING, there's dirt EVERYWHERE..and...ok, and this has to be the grossest part, there's someone else's clothes in OUR washing machine (and it is ours, my cousin bought it when he lived there and left it for US, not the apartment). EWWWW. We have NO idea who was in the apartment using the washer. We asked the upstairs nighbors, the landlord, everyone..it's SO bizairre. And there are those arm covers for the couch in there too. Who could come to our aparmtnet and washa pair of pants, swim trunks, and the arm covers from a couch? UGh...

And the landlord barely fixed anything. We have to pay $100 to get the carpet fixed and almost $200 to get it steamed. And we already had the truck rented for this weekend, thinking the placewould be clean, so we have all of our stuff and furniture shoved in closests and the laundry room so the people can come clean the carpets tomorrow..at our expense. The bathroom lighting fixture is hanging off the wall, half of the outlet plate covers and light switches are MISSING (and the landlord said "you'll have to buy a new one")...and the place is FILTHY. I am SOOOO discouraged. So tomorrow the carpets are being cleaned, firdya they're being repaired, friday night we have to clean this dump because saturday the cable guy is coming and so is the couch. I'm SO pissed. We were told it would be clean and the carpet would be cleaned and repaired. And I had no idea that the contractors would rip the light switches out of the wall and not replace them....UGH...

At least he had the place painted.


*sigh*

I just have to keep imagining how nice it will be once it's all clean and set up.

Re: I HATE the landlord. (VENT)

Maybe I am too bold, but I would write the rent check MINUS expense and send along copies of receipts :o) GL

Re: I HATE the landlord. (VENT)

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Posted by soxfan

Maybe I am too bold, but I would write the rent check MINUS expense and send along copies of receipts :o) GL

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Message edited 9/1/2004 10:43:53 AM.

Re: I HATE the landlord. (VENT)

Yeah, the landlord kind of shurgged it off. FH said to him "didn't the carpet need to be cleaned?" and the LL said "OH yeah, you can just have it steam cleaned". Cheap *******. And I am still really concerned and upset about the laundry, because while it was before we had the keys and it was "ours", I really think the LL should know who has access. I really want to ***** about the carpet cleaning thing, but everyone's telling me not to make waves.

Re: I HATE the landlord. (VENT)

Jennifer - step back for a second, he said "OH yeah, you can just have it steam cleaned", so do not sweat it . . .Do not get worked up, just take care of the apartment (take pix before and after) the way you would reasonably EXPECT it to be when you first opened the door and send him the receipts. Unless I missed something, he did not said he would not pay for it, just not going to do it. Right?

Re: I HATE the landlord. (VENT)

No! If he were going tp pay for it, I totally wouldn't care. But according to FH (I wasn't there) he was NOT going to pay for ANY of it.

THAT's why I'm mad!

ETA: I AM really upset because it's our first apartment and I had this vision of what it would look like. I thought we'd be moving into someplace that was at least CLEAN, and didn't have dirt and stains and cigarette burns in the rug. I expected to do some cleaning, but I didn't expect it to be filthy, especially after the immaculate way that my cousin left it for us.

Message edited 9/1/2004 11:06:54 AM.

Re: I HATE the landlord. (VENT)

I definately think taking pics is a good idea...especially if you can get the ones with the date stamped on them.

I would tell him that you are concerned about who had (or even still has) access to your apt & to the wash, and possibly tell him to change the locks????? Or maybe you can do it, so that way you know who has a key.

Re: I HATE the landlord. (VENT)

definitely change the locks! don't take a chance with someone being able to get in. i'm sorry your so frustrated about the cleanliness. the landlord is definitely being a jerk. i would definitely take pics, send him the rent check minus costs for cleaning and the receipts. if he wants to complain go to court. good luck!!!

Re: I HATE the landlord. (VENT)

I would also say that you need to get the locks changed ASAP, and hold the landlord responsible for paying the bill on the cleaning charges or give him first months rent minus the cleaning charges, and give him the receipts.....(Give him copies and keep the originials.)
Scott

Re: I HATE the landlord. (VENT)

That would be my instinct too. If I had been there, I would not have given him the rent check until the place was cleaned. I want to send him the bill, but my family keeps telling me not to make waves b/c he could just be like "actually, I found someone else for this apt...bye!"... so....I don't know. I guess we'll just pay for everyhting to be fixed, make the place nice and forget all about this. We just have to get over this hurdle.

Good idea about changing the locks

Re: I HATE the landlord. (VENT)

I agree...you should NOT be paying for repairs or cleaning of the carpets!!!

Re: I HATE the landlord. (VENT)

Oh...and the stuff in the wsh....if there is a visible garbage outside or something...THROW IT OUT!!!

Re: I HATE the landlord. (VENT)

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Posted by marymoon

Good idea about changing the locks

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Re: I HATE the landlord. (VENT)

hahahahahahahahaha....


if I only had a lease!


i'm going to ask him about changing the locks. That could get really expensive. My cousin installed the current lock and it's one of those expsnive master locks. However, we have the card and they kay can't be duplicaed without that card, so I just have to know who actually has the key.

Re: I HATE the landlord. (VENT)

No lease? Are you in an illegal apartment?

Lock changes arent that expensive. Medeco cylinder changes (for two locks for example) will run about $150 buks installed for both.

Message edited 9/1/2004 12:28:42 PM.

Re: I HATE the landlord. (VENT)

Yeah it's an illegal apt. These amster locks are, I think like $500. I know we don't have to get the same lock again, but I like them because you can't pick them and you can't copy the keys.

Re: I HATE the landlord. (VENT)

I doubt you can change the locks.... especially if its an illegal apartment. Yeah you can report him... but you can also find yourself out on the street as well.

Tough situation.

Re: I HATE the landlord. (VENT)

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Posted by marymoon

hahahahahahahahaha....


if I only had a lease!


i'm going to ask him about changing the locks. That could get really expensive. My cousin installed the current lock and it's one of those expsnive master locks. However, we have the card and they kay can't be duplicaed without that card, so I just have to know who actually has the key.

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Re: I HATE the landlord. (VENT)

Exactly, we really can't do anything about it. I just want to talk to him about the lock issue though. Since it is that master lock, I don't think it's a loose key issue, but more like someone was let in. The barrier that boarded up the door from the first floor to our apt (it's a basement) fell down, so we thought maybe it was the people upstairs, knowing the apt was empty decided to do some laundry, but they swear it's not theirs, sooo...

I never would have gotten tino this situatuion (illegal apt, no lease), if my cousin hadn't lived there for 10 years and recommended the apt to me. He did warn us that the landlord was cheap, but basically leaves you alone.

Re: I HATE the landlord. (VENT)

1. You can report him and not get thrown out. Legally. At least that is what they did across the street from me. He will get fined. and it is very hard to throw someone out of any kind of apartment.

2. If you live in Queens I can reccommend a very good hardware store to get locks from. Any kind of locks good and cheap

Message edited 9/1/2004 12:52:39 PM.

Re: I HATE the landlord. (VENT)

I don't want him to gt fined. I don't need problems. i just want the carpets cleaned and to have privacy and security.

Re: I HATE the landlord. (VENT)

Just take a deep breath, change locks and enjoy your new apartment.


I would just casually mention to him that someone used the machine

Re: I HATE the landlord. (VENT)

We did he said "throw it out" Fh is going to call him today to ask if we can install cabinet knobs and replace the bathroom lighting fixture, I'm going to have him mention the laundry again and tell him we're concerned about who does and does not have access to the apartment.

Re: I HATE the landlord. (VENT)

Personally I would look for another apt. If this is how you are starting out with your landlord, I would hate to see how he is when you leave.

He has aldready not done anything he said he would, there is someone using your apt. applicances and you have to put in the light fixtures. Sorry, but I would not spend my $$ on his apt. You will never see this money again. JMO. Good luck with whatever you decide to do.

Re: I HATE the landlord. (VENT)

yeah. the only thing is that the rent is pretty low and my cousin did the same thing, he put in all of the appliances and carpeting and all kinds of improvements paid for them himself, so the apartment really is nice, and it was worth the investment because he was living there for so long. If we lived in another apartment, we wouldn't have all of these appliances that only my cousin used (or so I thought....) and we wouldn't have a washer dryer at all and a private entrance, etc, etc. I think I just need to get over this hurdle.

ETA: I also meant to say that the $$ we're spending to fix this place up is $$ that would go to rent elsewhere. And we inheritied a fairly new AC, fridge, washer/dryer and some furniture that my cuz left for us, so it'll hopefully be worth it once we're settled in

Message edited 9/1/2004 1:26:49 PM.