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badams1316 · Dec 21, 2008, 05:50 PM

How can I find out if I'm living in an Illegal apartment?

badams1316 · Dec 21, 2008, 05:57 PM

If there are things wrong with your apartment (i.e. Chipping paint, cracked windows, broken door fram [which was done by the landlord]) and the landlord knows about it but won't do anything. Isn't there someone I could contact to make the landlord do it, or would that just cause problems? I should also add that the man who rented me the apartment is no longer a partner with the man who actually own's the property. But I have talked to the maintenance man, and I could only assume that both men would have passed on what I said to the owner. But nothing gets done. I don't want to get kicked out by trying to make him fix things. But like the door frame he did (the actual owner) , he had to break into my apartment because I lost my keys, (which supposevley he said I had the ONLY key for yet it was a brand new lock) he said he would come back to fix it and never did.

ScottGem · Dec 21, 2008, 05:59 PM

If these repairs represent an uninhabitable condition, you need to formally report them to the landlord and give them a reasonable timeframe in which to effect the reparirs, if they don't tell them you will get the work done and deduct it from the rent.

ScottGem · Dec 21, 2008, 06:05 PM

Why would you think you are and why would you want to know?

badams1316 · Dec 21, 2008, 07:27 PM

Im a single Mom of a 5 month old. I just heard today about something called an illegal apartment. And how it could be an attic, or in a certain zone. My apartment used to be an attic. And I didn't sign a lease. If this is an illegal apt. I'm scared that there's a chance at anytime my son and I could get kicked out.

ScottGem · Dec 21, 2008, 07:32 PM

Ypu can check the housing department to see if your area is zoned for accessory apartments. It is possible that it is an illegal apt. Which means that the landlord has not gotten approval to rent the space. If the local housing dept finds out about they could force you to vacate. But its unlikley you will be forced out preciptously.Ypu shpuld be given time and help to find a new place.

badams1316 · Dec 21, 2008, 07:34 PM

Ive lived here since July, before I even moved in my mother and I mentioned the windows to the, then landlord. Could I just do the repairs myself. Or do I have to let him know first? It just seems like my landlord doesn't care to fix anything. This isn't the best part of town, and the other tenants here don't seem to care how they live.

ScottGem · Dec 21, 2008, 08:06 PM

I've merged your two threads since the answers bear on both situations.

If it is an illegal apartment you are caught in a sort of limbo. You can't just make the repairs without informing the landlord, but neither of you want to have this issue go to court. If you do, the status of the apartment will come out. You could lose the apartment and the landlord could get fined. You need to proceed as if you assume its Legal. You need to document everything.