Hi. I am a 13 year tenant in an older apt building in LA. There are 8 units but only 1 other is currently occuped. The landlord is doing massive upgrades and repairs. I am not getting any upgrades or an air conditioner but I was just put through hell, for the "electrical upgrades" new outlets, complete rewiring and switches/dimmers. She said it was required legally. A team of guys was in my apt all day for 6 days and I had to turn every room of my 2 bdrm apt upside down packing antiques and fragile items, paintings, clothing and furniture, glassware. Pretty much half of my items as if I was moving. Took a week. White dust from cutting drywall through to the brick walls is everywhere now and I have to clean it up and the floors in additon to unpacking and moving everything back where it belongs. I am working at this 12 hour days w/ no end in sight (The only good thing about being unemployed.)White splotches from the patch team are all over the walls and it looks terrible. About 6 months ago she reluctantly honored my request not to increase my rent for 6 months (about $50 more monthly). But I feel like she is unfairly taking advantage and I am doing way too much work without any help, apology, written notice or compensation. Not to mention listening to banging on the walls, jackhammers etc from 7 am for about 3 weeks. Was I wrong to allow this much disruption, especially without written notice? I bet she is turning these to units condos and will try to get me out or raise my rent again shortly. It is very unfair. Sorry that was long and rambling. Thanks for being here.

If the work was required by law - and you appear to think that it was - I don't see that the landlord had any choice.

It appears to me that the landlord has (in theory) "paid" you $300 ($50 a month for 6 months) by not raising your rent as she had intended.

Have you asked her what her intentions are (whether this is an upgrade required by law or an attempt to turn the building into a condo) and expressed your frustration with the mess, dust, noise? If your apartment has been uninhabitable (or is uninhabitable) due to the work you certainly can legally break your lease and move.

Were any of the other tenants compensated (more than you were) for the inconvenience and mess?

First, you have a right to have your apartment returned to the condition it was in before the work was started. That includes repainting walls and complete clean up.

But other than that, I don't see where any rights were violated. If the landlord did not return the apt to pre-work status, then you could bill him for the value of your work cleaning up.

If she does plan on selling the apartments individually, you will probably be grandfathered in. Check LA law on coop (or condo) conversions.