Q: Landlord delays repairs, which end up costing me money. Any recourse when repair/deduct clause doesn't apply?
My landlord does repairs himself or his cousin. They have full time jobs, so we have to wait until they have time/money. When the heat broke he claimed no company was available to come out and wanted us to wait for his off day to come fix it, 3 days later. My husband found someone with no problem and we paid. When I expressed concern that the leaking toilets and tub pipe will raise our water bill they took 2 wks to fix the pipe and my husband fixed the guest toilet himself. The master toilet had to be replaced. This took a month. My water bill was very high. Also, the toilet was replaced with a cheaper, much shorter one. My husband is 6'2". I had back surgery. I wouldn't have ever rented a house with a toilet this small. The landlord broke the master hot water sink handle 2 months ago, preventing use. I asked weekly about repair and was told he was looking for parts. He finally said he'll replace the entire faucet. Still waiting a mont. These are just a few examples of many.
A:
You need to see an attorney.
Keep all proof of the repair situation at your property (letters, pictures, emails, texts), and bring that to the lawyer along with a copy of the lease.
If you do not have hot water, heat or plumbing, you can contact the health department and file a complaint. These are essential services that must be fixed in 24 hours.
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