Call your landlord when they try to flake on their responsibility to you as a tenant. It's typical for people to rent until you're able to purchase your first property, but living on someone else's property doesn't mean you don't have rights as a renter. Besides keeping the property in good condition, property owners must also ensure their rentals are safe and habitable. In other words, when they don't live up to these expectations, you'll be within your rights to send a formal complaint or pursue legal actions if necessary. If you're looking for a guide on how to report landlord negligence, stick around till the end to find out how to tackle such situations:
Recognizing Negligent Conditions
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Safety Hazards
Keep an eye out for hazardous situations that could compromise your health. Despite most rental agreements giving tenants the brunt of the responsibility for daily cleanliness, your landlord still has to play their part in maintaining proper sanitation. For instance, they often have to communicate with the HOA or garbage disposal company about routine trash pickups to prevent pest infestations. Aside from making sure the property is tidy; they also have to tend to potentially hazardous situations such as poor ventilation which could lead to mold growth. In essence, responsible landlords should address major repairs that could harm your health and well-being.
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Unresolved Maintenance Issues
Enjoy living in a functional apartment by making maintenance requests when systems in your rental fail. Savvy landlords often have an emergency fund set aside to address leaky pipes, faulty electrical outlets, and cracks in the wall when they happen. After all, it's their job to make their rental as comfortable as possible. So, despite not putting your physical health in danger, landlords are still responsible for ensuring their properties remain functional. That's why poor property management can make or break a rental by failing to resolve tenant concerns.
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Code Violations
Confirm your property follows current housing codes. It's not enough to fix broken toilets and seal wall cracks, landlords also have to abide by local housing codes that dictate property conditions in your jurisdiction. Generally, these standards are set to protect residents from dangers such as health violations. For example, local laws often prohibit landlords from cramming too many tenants in the same space or mandate the provision of adequate ventilation.
Formalizing Complaints in Writing
Gathering Evidence
Back up your requests for maintenance by gathering evidence to support your claims. Sometimes landlords underestimate the severity of a problem till they see photographic or video evidence of the impact which can prompt them into action. Thus, it would be best to take clear pictures of any damage or safety hazard you want them to resolve, and attach the images to a formal letter explaining the issues. For prompt replies, use the mode of communication your landlord prefers which could be email, texts, or a specified tenant portal.
Documentation
Create a detailed outline of the specific problems you're having to make it easier for your landlord. Aside from gathering photographic evidence, it's essential to explain in clear terms the challenges you're facing, including details about the specific location of the damage, and property if necessary. Also, keep copies of your communication with your landlord to strengthen your position if you need to pursue further legal actions. Bay Property Management Group Northern Virginia recommends documenting and communicating repair issues to landlords in writing.
Understanding Repairs and Habitability Laws
Landlord Repair Duties
Notify your landlord when they need to make essential repairs concerning plumbing, electricity, or the property's structural integrity. However, it's crucial to know when minor fixes are part of your responsibilities as a tenant. For example, there's no doubt that property owners are responsible for major costly fixes like a leaking roof, but it's impractical to expect your landlord to replace a burnt-out light bulb. Unless you're in a vacation rental, most lease agreements require tenants to take up interior maintenance to keep the property in good condition.
Habitability Laws
Get familiar with your local jurisdiction's habitability laws. These are essential services your landlord must provide such as heating, water, and electricity. Property owners need to provide anything a building requires to be structurally sound and functional. Thus, if they don't keep their end of the bargain, you're well within your rights to take up legal actions or seek compensation if you spend personal funds to fix such issues.
Tenant Responsibilities
Play your part in maintaining the property's condition by alerting your landlord when something goes wrong. Tenants too can be guilty of negligence, and since you live on the property 24/7, you need to have a keen eye for repair needs or the first signs of mold growth. Besides, sending timely reports to your landlord also means timely repairs that improve your convenience and strengthen your mutual relationship.
Conclusion
Hold your landlord accountable by calling them out when they ignore their duties. Dealing with leaky pipes and mold growth can be frustrating, especially when your property owner doesn't seem to be taking active steps to solve the problem. However, you don't have to suffer in silence when you know what counts as negligence. For instance, ignoring your requests to repaint the apartment may not count, but failing to fix a broken toilet certainly would.
With that in mind when you notice definite signs of neglect, communicate openly with your landlord, or if that fails, write a formal complaint asking your landlord to rectify the situation. It would be best to keep a detailed log of photographic evidence and your correspondence for posterity's sake. Remember, that the law requires landlords to maintain minimum habitability standards in their rentals, and it's your right to demand as much.
