Bedbugs?
Posted: Wed Aug 13, 2008 7:14 am
If the property owner is only in possession of 1 building, it's highly unlikely that this would see the inside of a courtroom or tarnish a credit report. These kind of legal disputes can go on for months, and it costs enough money that a small time slumlord would rather just fill in the vacancy then pursue a court battle. A threat to call the building inspector will have them shaking in their boots.
That being said, if you are renting from a property management company, they probably have legal counsel on contingency and you will end up in a bad spot if you haven't played by the rules. I was in a position will a small time property owner that required us to have an attorney/friend advise us on how to deal with the situation. We had repeatedly asked for window bars and new locks on our doors in light of a previous incident that occurred with former tenants.
We documented every call and kept on him with no response. We got robbed only 1 month into the lease, and we filed a police report detailing the stuff that we lost. We got in touch with our friend who had some experience with residential rental property, and she told us to serve him with a letter detailing the above information. We did, and we moved out the following week - While we never got our security deposit back, it was a relief to have that shit behind us. Don't let these people walk all over you - They make a living slinging dirty property, and they have no regard for anybody but themselves.
That being said, if you are renting from a property management company, they probably have legal counsel on contingency and you will end up in a bad spot if you haven't played by the rules. I was in a position will a small time property owner that required us to have an attorney/friend advise us on how to deal with the situation. We had repeatedly asked for window bars and new locks on our doors in light of a previous incident that occurred with former tenants.
We documented every call and kept on him with no response. We got robbed only 1 month into the lease, and we filed a police report detailing the stuff that we lost. We got in touch with our friend who had some experience with residential rental property, and she told us to serve him with a letter detailing the above information. We did, and we moved out the following week - While we never got our security deposit back, it was a relief to have that shit behind us. Don't let these people walk all over you - They make a living slinging dirty property, and they have no regard for anybody but themselves.