John

During the process I learned that he should have been paying interest on my security deposit and that he should have notified me which bank was holding my deposit. Of course I brought this to his attention before going to court. He denied having a security deposit. I got showed him a copy of my check which indicates a security deposit was made and that my lease shows a security deposit. This information stopped his eviction proceedings and he agreed to accept the back rent.

Now he has mailed me a check for the interest on the security deposit for the past five years. How should I handle that?

Additionally, I’ve mailed him a list of the repairs along with a check for the current months rent and asked that they be completed within 14 days of receipt of the letter. I know he received the letter because he cashed the check. The list contained only 9 of 22 repairs needed. So far he has only completed one. What do I do next?

I really need your advise. Please help.

Thank You.

So. I just want to know if there is someone I can contact who can come LOOK at my concerns and tell me whether I might be within the Ordinance to go through the “deduct and repair” process.

Some examples:

1) The kitchen sink is made from some kind of composite. It is permanently stained, and it was that way when I moved in. I figured I could clean it. However, I have never seen anything like this, and I have tried all kinds of chemicals, scrubbing, soaking, and everything else. It’s disgusting, and it won’t come clean. Not only that. This composite MELTED when I put a skillet in the sink. I’m sorry, but how does someone put a sink in a kitchen that won’t stand normal kitchen use?

2) There is ceramic tile in the apartment that was never installed properly. The grout is GONE from many places, and I can never get up all of the gravel. The landlord thinks it’s fine, but has said that he will “fix” it — and then when it falls apart again (since it’s only a “fix” and not a standard tile installation), he’ll fix it again. How do you fix a substandard installation? Not only that, but the tiles are so cheap combined with the substandard installation, many of them have cracked and broken under normal wear. And they’re not sealed so when something drops or spills in the kitchen, the tile is permanently stained.

3) The shower stall has basically fallen apart. The magnets to keep the door closed just fell out, AND there’s mold and rust that I get clean.

4) The bathroom tiles just randomly come up for no apparent reason -and there’s dirt ground in to the grout – if it is grout.

There’s so much more, but these are examples of more than a dozen “little” things — but they add up. Most importantly, I cannot clean most things that are stained, worn, or just in unacceptable condition. I’m so fed up.

Who might I contact to come look at my apartment and tell me whether I’m being unreasonable and if “good working order” means clean?

Thank you.

I have a problem with a sewage smell coming up from the heating vents when the heat is turned on. The landlord has been aware of the problem for a while and as of 2 months ago said they are working on the problem, but they are dragging their feet so nothing has changed and the problem still exists. Would this be an issue I can deduct an appropriate amount (after providing written notice) for what I believe is the reduced value of the apartment? The problem is intermittent, but when it is happening it is gross and embarrassing and maybe even a health risk. I work from home and notice the smell at least once a day for an hour and sometimes longer. If it is permissible to deduct rent for this, how would you suggest arriving at a monetary value for something like this?
Thanks in advance for any help you can provide.

Rent is higher the following month. As for the repairs, they involve the property next to where I reside, which the property manager also oversees. He charges my entire floor for any amount of litter that ends up on the neighboring roof. This is because the back patio on my floor is the only one higher than the roof in question. However, anyone in the building has access to the my floor’s patio. Moreover, the gate which allows public access to the property is broken. Thus, anyone has access to the stairs that lead up to the patio. I know it’s unlikely for passersby to come up and throw their refuse on our neighbor’s roof, but I hope I’ve conveyed my concern with the fairness of these charges.