Landlord required to keep building up to code?

[01rangerxl]

Tell the landlord to get the place up to code or you will have to call the fire marshal. It sounds like that is what it will take for her to do anything.

It depends on your lease and the laws where you live, but in NC a tenant cannot just walk out on the lease because the landlord didn't fix stuff.

This lady is an idiot for not taking you up on your offer to do the labor for free. Slumlords usually are idiots though.

My situation is different since I'm a residential tenant, but my landlord always fixes stuff ASAP. We just got a new roof, a new stainless steel side by side fridge, and a bunch of little things fixed. The only issues with the house are minor cosmetic things. Apparently my landlord is making money while still keeping the place up, so I just don't see any good excuse for someone to be a slumlord.

 

[Gary Allan]

I'm sure there's more to it, but your lease may have no stipulations of suitability for any purpose. Some legalese term for merchantability in terms of space. Whether or not it's legally defensible is another matter.

..but ..I'd simply talk to her in a "Look, I know you're not in this to break even, but I've got about $300 worth of badly needed repairs in material. I'm willing to do the work for my own benefit and would just like some consideration for the materials. Run the numbers yourself and you KNOW that you're getting 1000%+ on the dollar. Money out of pocket, surely, but a tremendous ROI, so let's stop with the chain jerking here."

She's conditioned to treat you like a generic tenant and predisposed to getting more out of her than she gets out of you. That's the basic nature of people ..and commercial tenants. It's one of those "bad habits" that people develop that are more sensible (for as "bad" as they are) and somewhat required.

If you were the landlord you would probably encounter people just like her who would be looking to exploit you for your maximum worth with zero monetary input to any interaction.

It's kinda like expected defective behavior due to everyone being "damaged goods"

 

[labman]

She need to talk to the guy that sold my son his house last year. As part of the deal, my son offered to go halves on repairing the chimney. No deal. The building inspector forced the seller to fix it at 100% out of his pocket.

She can work with you or risk the building department letting her hire licensed professionals. Of course, they might find things you missed. You may be like me, having a fairly good idea what is safe and workable, but not up on the latest code. The building code is going the way of the tax code.

 

[Gary Allan]

Quote:
The building code is going the way of the tax code.


It's a natural evolution in all things. Just take our transmissions and whatnot. I really don't think that they've brought much to the table in terms of revolutionary performance enhancements for all the money that was required in their development and continued use. Same with child safety seats ..propane bottle evolutions ..impact standards...

The people that pull this stuff out of their behinds don't have much of a purpose if they just stop at "good enough".

This is sorta my "balance point" for stagnation. It's when "developments" get more out of you than they bring in added utility/safety/etc.

We're there ..virtually across all sectors/aspects/etc.

 

[mrsilv04]

I wouldn't do a single repair to a building like that, with a landlord like that.

Why?

Say you make repairs to the furnace, and you send the landlord a bill for the parts.

Next week, the furnace catches fire, and burns a hole through the ceiling and roof. The city building inspectors come in and declare the building "uninhabitable" and cut off the water and power. They notice the other violations, but the biggest problem right now is the huge burned out hole in the roof, and a worthless furnace.

At that point, the landlord's income stops, and other tenants have to move out as well, and they're unhappy about it. As a result, of all of this, the landlord's lawyer will likely be involved.

And now WHO is in the middle of this mess? YOU, because YOU were the last one to make repairs to the furnace.

I wouldn't lift a finger. Contractors that the landlord hires will have liability insurance to cover for problems like this. You likely don't.

 

[mechtech2]

I am not a lawyer in your State, neither do I play one on T.V., but it is almost a certainty that she is responsible for maintaining the building up to any codes or laws.

You offered to be a blessing to her, and she is dis associating herself from the process!

Call 5 0 ? Don't cut your own throat in the process.

 

[expat]

If you don't like the condition of the building, Why are you renting it?
If you thought the place was not up to code (and you could point out deficiencies) I would make make it a condition on the rental agreement, it be brought up to standard prior to your occupancy, Or No Deal.
Never do work for a Landlord! Never allow a tenant to do work on a property, if your are a Landlord!
If thinks turn bad, and you go to arbitration, the situation can get very 'muddy' with You said - He said, standards payment etc.
What does it say a bout the condition of the property in your rental agreement?
If you were to rent from me it would say "Rented as seen and inspected"
Don't look to the state to coddle you. It's the Landlords property, she can do as she wishes, and it's no business of yours how she got the property or what she does with the rent.
As I say, if you don't like it, Walk!

 

[Kestas]

Not to say that you have nefarious intentions, but as a landlord I've had bad experiences when people offered to do work in lieu of rent.

 

[Gary Allan]

More often than not its done for the benefit of the tenant. I had one guy who was a self proclaimed "con'o'sewer" of construction ..as he spoke with the kitchen cabinet lower door hanging on one hinge.

...but if I found a tenant that actually took care of the place ..decorated it ..kept it up. That tenant got increases only when the taxes and fees were of the outrageous levels and then I assured that THAT unit was below market. I never wanted them to leave.