Help With Best Response To A Slum Lord. Want To Raise Rents For The Rats Living Here

[Ellabella44]

One thought is a humane trap for squirrels and when full delivery to his home so that he can talk to his Tennant's about their rent.

Repairs and rats as well as your injury due to his neglecting property maintenance should be his responsibility.

One of my husband's aunts sued his parents because their chain broke on the bench swing hanging from their tree because her back hurt. So if she can sue, I don't see why you wouldn't have a case.

Good luck.

 

[Friday]

WA has laws to protect renters against Landlord retaliation... For exactly this. You are legally withholding payment of rent until the heating is fixed and he's had a licensed & bonded exterminator out to take care of the rat infestation. That email just handed you your slam dunk in court... Because he's not only threatening you with eviction (a), but also b-d listed below. He couldn't have written you a BETTER letter :D :D :D Photocopy that bitch, and frame it :D :D :D It's just guaranteed that you'll never have to pay back dime 1 in unpaid rent AND that he can't mark up your tenant history.

((And no... The courts DGAF about threats made by implication, like "other" landlords would do this to you... So you'd better do what I say! They see those as direct threats, and breaking RCW 50.18.240 ))

RCW 59.18.240

Reprisals or retaliatory actions by landlord—Prohibited.
So long as the tenant is in compliance with this chapter, the landlord shall not take or threaten to take reprisals or retaliatory action against the tenant because of any good faith and lawful:
(1) Complaints or reports by the tenant to a governmental authority concerning the failure of the landlord to substantially comply with any code, statute, ordinance, or regulation governing the maintenance or operation of the premises, if such condition may endanger or impair the health or safety of the tenant; or
(2) Assertions or enforcement by the tenant of his or her rights and remedies under this chapter.
"Reprisal or retaliatory action" shall mean and include but not be limited to any of the following actions by the landlord when such actions are intended primarily to retaliate against a tenant because of the tenant's good faith and lawful act:
(a) Eviction of the tenant;
(b) Increasing the rent required of the tenant;
(c) Reduction of services to the tenant; and
(d) Increasing the obligations of the tenant.
[2010 c 8 § 19025; 1983 c 264 § 9; 1973 1st ex.s. c 207 § 24.]

______

For legal aid... If you need assistance in dealing with this asshole, start here: Link Removed

 

[Friday]

For response:


I am legally withholding rent in accordance with RCW 59.18.110, RCW & 59.18.115. until you meet habitability laws in WA and fix the heat, and have a licensed exterminator out to deal with the ongoing rat infestation. If you need to have a scheduled monthly contract with the exterminators, as you point out that this is an old building, that is hardly my fault or my problem. As the landlord, you are responsible for maintaining this building to habitable levels, by law.

Your threats of eviction and raising rents are in direct opposition to RCW 59.18.240 prohibiting Landlord Retaliation against tenants who are withholding rent until such a time as needed repairs are made. It is also against the law to withhold services, or to insist that I take care of your rat problem.

I will view any further threats as harassment & go to both the police & housing commission, as you are breaking the law threatening me.

 

[Ellabella44]

Applauds! Nice bit of research there! Yep frame that sucker and take it out to dinner!

Reading that you definitely have a case against him. And also he was aware of you being injured on the stairs that be neglected to have fixed. Good luck!

 

[Friday]

<grin> For a look on the bright side? While I'm sure you would far rather be warm and rodent free.. The longer he delays? The more rent you're saving up for your next place by living there. He won't be able to raise your rent for at least 6-12mo without being seen as Retaliatory.

@Ellabella44 ... I lived in WA for about 10 years, and had 2 piece of work landlords. 1 of them finally got sent to "slumlord school" (a punishment reserved for repeat offenders, and it both sucks and is hugely time consuming), the other every few years or so tries to charge me with the rent I withheld as "unpaid"... Even though I clearly won in court (I just fax over that paper to the credit bureau, and they wipe the charge. Snort. Unless I'm all PTSD'd out. Then it sits for a year or two before I go down to the courthouse & get a new copy & fax it :p Asshole tried to say I owed him 4 months rent when he *finally* got a new furnace installed. Um. No. That rent was withheld due to inhabitibility. Just because it's habitable now, doesn't mean it was habitable then. Moron.). LOL Otherwise known as, I couldn't remember the RCW codes off the top of my head, but I knew they existed! And where to look.

 

[Deleted member 28740]

WA has laws to protect renters against Landlord retaliation...

Thanks Friday. It is more complicated. The RCW. It differentiates significantly in terms of multi unit and single dwelling in terms of landlord and tenant rights. Have help in trying to find out if the "estate" owns more than 4 rental units, then, my tenant rights are stronger. Other issue is if inspectors condemn property (single dwelling) I have to move out without any recourse, often within 3 days, as they are concerned about my health and safety.

Other issue I did not mention in this latest letter was his response to my notification that one of the steps of the deck broke away and I was slammed to the ground on my right side. Right foot is acute sprain. I have been non weight bearing on foot since 11/11. He wrote that he was sorry I slipped. Here is the catch. If I am not current in rent I can not pursue any legal action. This again goes to the single vs. multi unit. His family owned at one time unto 28 rental properties. I am trying with other free legal help to find out what other rentals may exist and how that works under and estate situation.

I walked Bella 2-3 miles a day and that has not helped my mental state at all. I mostly live outdoors when I can, place is for sleep, cook, clean. Stuck in bed while I try to heal the foot. "Sorry you slipped on the stairs." When I wrote that the step had broken away. He has 10 days to repair. Not done.

Thank you for your research. I am awaiting result of property records to proceed. No free legal help for the injury. But some for the tenant situation. Most important is the infestation, and he and they know if I call in inspectors likely is condemnation. IF he had more than this rental I might have access to 2-3 months back rent, and relocation assistance.

Just too f'd up on so many levels.

Thanks again Friday. Waiting to write a careful letter as he has ignored my medical issues as well. My Mom told me to make nice, that a landlord can write bad things and wreck havoc on getting another rental. WHAT? Not Slander? God are you going to get a lawyer for this and then what? *She is a landlord. Hurts a lot.

 

[Changing4Best]

Have you checked with City or Town hall as to what can be done to FORCE the landlord to fix the problems? There should be building codes that to some degree address these things.

Also, one thing that you can do is to close off parts of the house and heat the rest with space heater(ers) where heat is desired the most. A friend of mine who lives in a trailer does this all winter long. She just heats the kitchen and living room and sleep on her couch in there. I assume the bathroom is also heated enough by this means to prevent pipes from freezing! (Important). Her landlord is a slumlord of sorts too. I think she pays $100 a month for the place.