Q: What can be done when a landlord's failure to maintain fit premises ends up costing you money?
After moving into an apartment in Arlington, VA in December, my girlfriend and I indicated an air spillage issue that was occurring in the master bedroom in our move-in inspection. Maintenance came and confirmed the leak but failed to follow up. We recently put in another maintenance order to get the issue fixed as we believe the spillage is causing our heating bills to be higher. They finally returned to address the issue and are expecting the repair to take another month (waiting for parts). Do we have any viable options to mitigate the amount we have spent on heating a month after the original inspection and the amount we are set to incur while we wait for the repair during the coldest period of the year?
A: You can call the Office of Housing Code Enforcement for Arlington County and make a complaint. An inspector should come to inspect the housing problem. They may issue a Notice of Violation to the Landlord. You can also tell the Landlord that you will file a Tenant's Assertion and ask for a rent abatement unless the Landlord agrees to abate the rent by the increased heating expense.
1 user found this answer helpful
Justia Ask a Lawyer is a forum for consumers to get answers to basic legal questions. Any information sent through Justia Ask a Lawyer is not secure and is done so on a non-confidential basis only.
The use of this website to ask questions or receive answers does not create an attorney–client relationship between you and Justia, or between you and any attorney who receives your information or responds to your questions, nor is it intended to create such a relationship. Additionally, no responses on this forum constitute legal advice, which must be tailored to the specific circumstances of each case. You should not act upon information provided in Justia Ask a Lawyer without seeking professional counsel from an attorney admitted or authorized to practice in your jurisdiction. Justia assumes no responsibility to any person who relies on information contained on or received through this site and disclaims all liability in respect to such information.
Justia cannot guarantee that the information on this website (including any legal information provided by an attorney through this service) is accurate, complete, or up-to-date. While we intend to make every attempt to keep the information on this site current, the owners of and contributors to this site make no claims, promises or guarantees about the accuracy, completeness or adequacy of the information contained in or linked to from this site.
