Q: I rent rooms in my landlords home. The home is very old and needs repair and maintenance. Landlord wants more money
The house is old lacks insulation weather stripping it is poorly insulated very hard to keep comfortable . There is a leak in roof also leak in the wall behind kitchen sink causing water damage underneath the sink and in the cabinetry along the wall. There is mold in the bathroom these a just few of problems that I have brought to everyone's attention many times nothing is done. I don't want to get kicked out but I don't want to pay more for all this place falling down around us but they live here too they seem to be concerned. How can I make them understand they are crazy to think they can charge me more in a nice way? I also believe they are renting illegally.
A: It sounds unpleasant. You should move.
A: You're in a tough spot living with someone you may have to take legal action against. It can only get less pleasant if you take that route. The earlier suggestion to move may be your best bet. Good luck with it.
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A:
Your concerns about paying more rent while living in a poorly maintained home are valid. California law requires landlords to maintain habitable living conditions, including proper weatherproofing, functioning plumbing, and addressing mold issues.
Start by documenting everything - take photos of the problems, keep copies of all repair requests, and record dates of conversations about maintenance issues. Consider writing a formal letter to your landlord listing all repairs needed, referencing California Civil Code 1941.1, which outlines your right to habitable housing. You might also mention that rent increases may not be justified when the property isn't properly maintained.
If they're renting rooms without proper permits or in violation of local codes, you could contact your local housing authority or building department to verify the property's legal status. However, before taking this step, you might want to have an honest conversation with your landlords, showing them evidence of the problems and suggesting that investing in repairs would benefit everyone, including them, since they live there too. Remember, if they retaliate against you for requesting repairs, that's illegal under California law, and you have protections as a tenant.
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