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View Full Version : Landlord Issue iin California


RayDiant
Aug 26, 2010, 11:55 AM
My husband and I have been renting a home in Northern California for two and a half years. We pay our rent on time every month and keep the property in immaculate condition. When we moved into this house, the Landlord told us we could paint it any way we wanted and he would pay us back for the paint. (When the time came to pay us back, he only paid us back half of what we bought).

This house was disgusting when we moved into it. We were getting bitten by fleas, the walls were dirty as was everything else. We did an entire clean out and painted every room, and cleaned the carpets. The house is now in better condition than it was, when we moved into it. WE LOVE THIS HOUSE.. we have made it into a HOME!

For the past 8 months, our Landlord has just been getting the water paid by the due date. One time, in February, the day before my birthday, the water was turned off because the Landlord did not pay the water bill. It is in our Lease that he is responsible for paying the water/garbage utilities. It hasn't been turned off since but we are now down to the due date wire again.. and the water will be turned off on Monday if not paid.

Another thing that has happened recently is that the side yard fence is falling down. It is leaning and several of the boards have fallen out, due to high winds in our area. The Landlord has stated to us that he is getting bids but they are all way too high. We even got an estimate from a guy who is working on the house across the street because he is prepping it for sale and would like our fence fixed due to being an eyesore for potential buyers.

My husband and I have sent several emails and left voicemail messages for our Landlord with the water shut off notice and fence issues, and he will not respond.

Does anyone have any suggestions on what we should do or what our legal rights are, as tenants?

ScottGem
Aug 26, 2010, 01:17 PM
Get a couple of estimates on the cost of repairing the fence. Then send your landlord a certified letter stating that, if the fence is not repaired within x number of days you will contact a specified repairer to make the repairs and deduct the amount from your rental.

As far as the water bill, you can either sue or deduct from the rental any damages incurred because of utilities shut off due to his failure to pay the bill.

have you talked to the landlord about buying the house from him?