Q: It's been 22 days since my AC broke in my apartment and they've yet to fix it. Can I get a discount or break my lease?
I notified them immediately when it broke and was made to believe it was fixed when it wasn't no they say they're waiting on the contractor and he's backed up but that shouldn't be my problem.
A:
Don't pay June rent. Tell them you are withholding rent to pay the A/C guy. Get the most expensive guy in town. Pay the money to him to come out now on weekend rates. Call or email the Housing Department of James City County at Keith.Denny@jamescitycountyva.gov and ask where to file a housing complaint about broken utilities. File it. Do not fail to file it. Tell the landlord that your rent will be applied to the contractor's fee until he's fully paid. Keep receipts and cancelled checks. Take pictures of anything that melts and temperature readings of anything inside. If the landlord sues for unpaid rent, bring your evidence.
If the Housing Department tells you to do something different, either do what they say, or get a local landlord-tenant lawyer in James City County.
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