[sarahbarah]

I have been living in the same apartment for 17 months, we pay $650. With utilities included... also included w/ the apartment is washer/dryer. After living here for 3 months the dryer broke and we have repeatedly been asking for this to be fixed. Our landord is a dumbass and still has not done a thing about it, we are finally going to move out, but will be here prob for 2 more months... ive been trying to find the laws about deductions in rent due to broken stuff... what I have come up w/ is measuring the square footage, figure out how much of that space doesn't work, and subtracting that from today's rent... does this sound like anything that anyone knows anything about?
Help!

[CaptainForest]

Generally you have to notify your landlord in writing, then if he choose not to fix the problem, you can go out, find yourself a repair man, then deduct the repair mens bill from the rent you pay.

It varies though depending on where you live. Where do you live?

[sarahbarah]

I live in Wisconsin... but here's the deal, I know I could go out and buy one new, and deduct the cost from rent, but I don't want a new dryer, I want compinsation for the last 14 months that I've been paying for this perk and not receiving it.

[Fr_Chuck]

i live in wisconsin...but heres the deal, i know i could go out and buy one new, and deduct the cost from rent, but i dont want a new dryer, i want compinsation for the last 14 months that ive been paying for this perk and not recieving it.

First does the rental agreement or lease state that a dryer and washer is included, or where they just included but not listed. Only those items listed as part of the lease in writing are required. Things like heat and air would be covered as making the apt livable. If the landlord would have the option of not including it then he would have the option not to fix it.

For example I sometimes include a washer and dryer in some of my rental houses, but they are not included in the rent, it is my option if and when they break to merely remove them or fix them or repair them, since they were not specificly included in the rental agreement.

I even do the same with the window air units, since a lot of people in TN don't have air, I offer them the use of, but not to be included in the rent.
I normally have several extra sitting, so if one goes out, we just pull it and put another in, but I have at times had to just take one out and not replace it. If the apartment was to be rented WITH washer and dryer, then he did not fix it, the difference you could possibly claim is what value that dryer added to the rent. If an apartment without a washer dryer rented for 30 a month less, that may be what you could claim.

But you will have to first show in the lease that he was required to furnish the washer and dryer, then attempt to come up with a value of the item.


I guess I would have to say also the court may want to know why you waited and lived there over a year without doing something.