Inexperienced Landlord . Tenant VS Landlord

[Oscar Menendez]

(I’m going to try to make this as short as possible , excuse any brain farts as I’m just done with this mess and not had a good nights sleep since)

I’ve been renting for 7 years from a good nice family in Los Angeles CA. The landlord has not raised our rent and has helped my family out by giving a week or so extension on the rent (lost my job a few years back, everything is fine now).

We have only called him twice for repairs in the 7 years and I’ve been the one fixing things around the house also added new fixtures and ceiling fans etc.

We get hit with an inspection of the property, the inspector finds many items wrong with property such as removal of popcorn ceiling, paint exterior of duplex, replace sinking tiles and replace smoke detectors . The landlord finds a person to knock out these items , long story short , the contractor did not properly cover my furniture . There is dust , popcorn ceiling, plaster all over mine and my kids mattresses. Our couches were full of that stuff as well.

My wife and I were trying to be nice so we would go over the house to clean after this pig of a contractor and cover our items only to find it uncovered again because he used the plastic to remove more popcorn ceiling. Every time we’ve been there we’ve uncovered more and more trash.

My couches and mattresses if you hit them nothing but dust comes out. They used other personal items for their work such as my new $200 shark vacuum. The carpets that I paid for to have put in because the landlord didn’t have any money to replace his worn “still new” carpets are full of dust, ceiling , paint etc.

My family has been living at my mothers house because the contractor one day showed up to remove the ceiling, said it was going to take a few hours which is fine only to find out we cannot sleep there that night. He comes again next day and says we cannot sleep there that night as well because the dust is really bad specially for my kids .

Fast forward we are on week 5! My 2 kids are sleeping on an air mattress and my son on single thin mattress on the floor. My wife and I sleep on a full size stiff bed . They hired a new guy but only comes for 2 hours when he can after work.

This process is a burden on my family and I am tired of being Mr. Nice guy. I cannot put my family through this anymore.

My question is what can I do as a tenant ? I’m pretty sure he has to find us a proper place to live meanwhile right? We are so stressed out with this I cannot think straight and is affecting us at work and school. Do they have to replace my furniture? My son has asthma so I refuse to let him use the same mattress.

Any advice is helpful and sorry if this is confusing. Any questions please let me know

[Ramon Flores]

Hi Oscar, I have rented in L.A. and I have had my share of bad landlords.The landlord has a duty to provide a habitable environment. Here is what I found:

 According to state laws (Civil Code § 1941.1 and § 1941.3), at minimum every rental must have:

• -effective waterproofing and weather protection of roof and exterior walls, including unbroken windows and doors
• -functioning plumbing, heating, and electrical facilities, including hot and cold running water and a working toilet and kitchen sink
• -clean and sanitary building and grounds (that is, free of debris, filth, rubbish, garbage, rodents, and vermin), with adequate trash receptacles
• -well-maintained floors, stairways, and railings
• -deadbolt locks on certain doors and windows
• -no lead paint hazards, and
• -no nuisances, a catchall provision referring to something that is dangerous to human life, detrimental to health, or morally offensive and obnoxious, such as allowing drug dealing on the premises.

If I were you I would take LOTS of pictures and document everything. Be nice but also firm. You should not gamble with your families health. Ask the landlord for a deadline on repairs. Inform the landlord that you maybe forced to go to a hotel and you may have to deduct it from the rent. Hopefully that will make the landlord finish repairs ASAP!