Q: I've been renting for over 12 years. During that time he has done no repairs on the inside.
I gave him a list of repairs 2 years ago and still nothing has been done. I have had a garbage disposal that was working when I moved in and he refuses to replace it. The list of repairs also included the carpet which is buckling. I telephoned a local carpet place in town and they said carpet usually last about 10 years. Last year he had someone come and do the gutters without giving me 24 hour notice. The person that came was very rude and stated vulgar sexual requests to me stating he had been paid by Action Realty to do the gutters I stated to him that I did not rent from them and that he needed to leave. The landlord came to visit last September and I told him about this person that came and said these things to me he stated well maybe I'll just have Action Realty do this side of the duplex and I'm going to raise your rent $50. The reason the duplex is rented for 650 on the other side is because when the landlord moved out he had the carpet removed and wooden floors put in.
A: Oregon landlord-tenant law specifies minimum habitability requirements for any residential rental dwelling. You are entitled to force the landlord to comply and you are generally entitled to pay reduced rent until he does fully comply if he delays at all. To the extent that you need to sue for the reduced rent, you can only go back 1 year even though you may have been there for 12. You had an absolute right to require the gutter people leave if you wished, plus you always have the right to require any worker supposedly working there on behalf of the landlord to produce written authorization, signed by the landlord, or you can require them to leave. If you have trouble, consider reviewing it all with a local landlord-tenant attorney. They can help you dispose of the garbage. Good luck.
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