Lizmo0360
Jul 29, 2013, 07:38 PM
I live in vandergrift pa and have been living in a duplex for a year now.we never got a copy of our lease and have asked many times for it. About 8 months ago a really bad storm came through and put a hole in our upstairs sealing. He just fixed the roof maybe 5 or 6 months later but still has yet to fix the sealing. We went all winter with a hole in the roof and sealing. We are moving out and are having sOme trouble with our land lord. While moving our fridge out we had a problem turning the water to the fridge for our ice maker off. We thought we got it but when we undid the hose it leaked. We called the man who fixes everything and he came up. He got it to turn off but then under our sink started to leak so he turn the whole units water off while he figured out the problem. The next day my boyfriend got a text saying the 4 sealing tiles needed replaced and it was going to cost $300. I thought this was funny because that was the amount our down payment should've been but he waved that fee because we spent two days painting before moving in. Now he is telling us that we have to be out by this Monday because that is when our lease is up. I asked for a copy of our lease because we had never gotten it and he said that he didn't have it because he shredded it. I said why did you do that and he said he didn't need it because we are moving out. I'm afraid he is going to try making us pay a crazy amount of money and I just want to know what my rights are. Anything would help. Thank you.
N0help4u
Jul 29, 2013, 07:49 PM
What is your dispute with the landlord? That he wants you to pay the $300. For the tiles? That amount for ceiling tile doesn't even sound right. What do you hope to accomplish by having a copy of the lease? Ceiling tile damaged by a storm isn't your responsibility more than likely.
joypulv
Jul 29, 2013, 08:08 PM
First the move out day - generally 1 year leases go from the first day of a month to the last day of a month, so if yours started Aug 1 2012, you must be out by midnight on 7 31 2013. If he is saying Monday, that's Aug 5, so consider yourselves lucky, unless your lease started on the 6th last year. Which would be unusual.
Second, a copy of the lease: you should have not even moved in without a copy of the lease. You shouldn't even go 24 hours after paying any money without it. You hand over the money with one hand and take a copy with the other. He might be lying about shredding but there's nothing you can do now. Without a copy of the lease you are a tenant at will.
As for damages, you need to register complaints in writing, and you need promises such as for painting in writing, and you do need to pay for the damage to the downstairs ceiling when your water line to the fridge leaked. $300 doesn't sound like too much to me for any water damage. But if you are expected to pay it (or it's coming out of a deposit), you can demand a copy of the receipt for the work and materials. If you are expecting $300 because you painted and have nothing about that agreement in writing or receipts, you are out of luck.
'Crazy charges' aren't much help if you are just speculating so please try to be more specific. If you overstay even one day, you can be charged with a whole month, unless there are people moving in - then you only owe for days that don't overlap.