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The Extreme Woes of a Renter - Help!

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  • The Extreme Woes of a Renter - Help!

    So... I want some advice from you lawyer types out there.

    I moved into this godforsaken slum of an apartment on August 1st and much to my chagrin, they had not done half of things that we discussed prior to lease signing. For example, cleaning. Or painting. Or exterminating.

    I reminded my landlord on move-in night (via message because he doesn't answer and after the gas leak fiasco through which he also did not return my calls) that I had wanted the apartment cleaned and it obviously was not done. The kitchen and bathroom floors had visible dirt on them, the tub was *shudder* disgusting colors of yellow and black, and the cabinets had this icky brownish yellowish drippy stain all over them. The stove had cobwebs on it and was missing a handle (still is...), the refridgerator was on a tilt because the floor wasn't level, and there were MULTIPLE cases of wood rot, half of which I have fixed myself.

    I have spent over $300 on paint, wood rot repair, and cleaning supplies for this shithole and they STILL have not come to fix a damn thing.

    This morning, I woke up to a spider in my bed. Then, as I was immediately changing my sheets, I shook a blanket so it would lay flat on the bed and it caught a huuuuuge tangle of invisible cobwebs that were apparently draping across the ceiling from end to end. (Did I mention I'm aracnophobic??????? ) Since then, I've Raided the apartment (not the first time), ran head first into 4 spiderwebs, had a spider drop from the ceiling right next to me on the couch while watching TV, and on my way to the shower just now, I killed 8 spiders just in there!! And 3 more on the way out!!!

    I'm going out of my mind and I need them to do something about it - STAT! What can I do? Can I withhold rent until they address my issues? Can I get out of this lease??

    I NEED HELP!

    :titanic:

  • #2
    Should this post be in a more private area?? I didn't realize it was here. I wasn't paying attention because I'm in a crappy mood. You can move it if you want.

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    • #3
      maybe you can call the health dept, or the health inspector. be careful tho....that could really stir up a hornets nest!

      we had problems with our last landlord. dh sent a very detailed letter with the things that needed attention. it didnt work for us, but maybe you could try??

      good luck, and im sorry about the spiders.
      ~shacked up with an ob/gyn~

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      • #4
        Where are you living ? Grace Street near VCU ?

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        • #5
          I know that this phobia of mine is terribly "silly" but I am in complete hysterics. My dog is wondering what planet I came from, I'm sure...

          I am exhausted and as I was about to get into bed, I saw a large spider on the wall next to my bed. I ran into the kitchen and grabbed the Raid and when I got back, it was gone. I got frustrated, turned back to the kitchen, and there was another teeny spider dangling from the ceiling right in front of my face!!!

          I can't move, I can't go near my bed, and I just need to go to bed. I wrote my landlord a desperate email, but I'm seriously tempted to go sleep in my car! I can't escape this apartment - I want to ::

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          • #6
            what the heck is going on in there??

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            • #7
              You need a cat!!!!!
              Luanne
              wife, mother, nurse practitioner

              "You have not converted a man because you have silenced him." (John, Viscount Morely, On Compromise, 1874)

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              • #8
                You POOR thing!!!!!!! I am sorry you are going through this!!
                You need to get your place sprayed whether or not the landlord pays. Call an exterminator tomorrow.
                Unfortunately, I can totally relate to what you are going through. I just went through the same kind of hell in June when I arrived in LA. The place was so bad I ended up putting everything in storage and looking for another place to live. Nightmare to say the least. And the anxiety still hasn't left my body. It's terrible to be stressed like you are in your own home.

                Renter's rights are pretty thorough nowadays and I imagine your landlord isn't up to date on his responsibiliites.
                Go online and search for renters rights in your state. Write a letter to your landlord detailing what needs to be done. Find out what your legal rights are and keep a paper trail of everything! In California, excessive pests such as spiders is a landlord's responsibility....
                You deserve to have a safe and pest free home!!!!

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                • #9
                  Originally posted by jesher
                  what the heck is going on in there??
                  That's what I'm saying.

                  Well, I finally got in touch with the landlord and he said, "Sorry, but that's not our problem." I made him aware that, yes, it was his problem and I wanted firm plans in action TODAY. I am not paying rent to live in a slum and that's all there is to it. So I gave him the number for a few pest control places and they are coming out at the end of the week and then every three months for the next year. An Orkin sort of deal but with a smaller local company. They also told me to fog the apt this evening and they would reimburse me for that.

                  THANK GOD.

                  I found a spider on the skirt I picked out this morning.

                  PS - My SO is my hero. I called him last night during my panic attack and could barely even talk but he let me come over and sleep at his house despite having a test this morning. I helped him study with flashcards after he calmed me down and though I was worried I bothered him, he got a 97 on his Biochem test! Yay for super boyfriend!

                  Luanne, Super Boyfriend is allergic to cats. [/quote]

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                  • #10
                    you did give your landlords address for the bill, right??? also if he doesnt pay for it, just deduct it from your rent! (again, be careful doing that...it could backfire)
                    ~shacked up with an ob/gyn~

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                    • #11
                      Thanks for all the feedback!

                      I'm in a MUCH better mood today! I bombed/fogged the apartment on Monday night and stayed with SO again. I didn't go back to the apartment until last night because I wanted the buggers to be really, really dead by the time I came back. (Box says 1 hour, I say 24. )

                      They are dead!!!! :=

                      I am sooooo glad that I stayed at SO's place the last few days because last night we were taking the sheets off my bed and we found FIVE dead spiders in the bed! :thud:

                      The landlords came by to check up on things and everything looks good so far. I hired a cleaning crew to come in on Monday because while I can wipe off a couple tables and wash all my dishes (by hand, argh) I do NOT want to clean up dead buggers. AND, I negotiated the crew down from $85 to $25!!!!! I rock!

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                      • #12
                        5 spiders in your sheets? girlfriend - are you sure you're not camping??

                        and how in the hell did you negotiate that?

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                        • #13
                          Stella -
                          I hate to worry you further but have you spoke to any others living in the building? Do they have a similar spider problem? Because this sounds like a possible infestion in or under the building. There is a big difference between a few spiders in the house and a serious infestation. I really hope the spraying worked and you are pest free from now on!

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