Help OR else the boat has to be sold Another UPDATE NOW I AM MAD

[SigSaurP229]

Re: Help OR else the boat has to be sold Another UPDATE NOW I AM MAD

SOoo Both units have now been fogged. Didn't do anything, but make the roaches mad, and apparently something happened I am not sure what. The landlord ended up coming over, and cussing and yelling at my wife because the apartment was still full of roaches. I am over it I no longer need an exterminator, I now need an attorney. Time to break lease and sue for deposit money back.

 

[waterinthefuel]

Re: Help OR else the boat has to be sold Another UPDATE NOW I AM MAD

I think I know what happened, I think he got your certified letter! LOL

Keep us updated on this!

 

[SigSaurP229]

Re: Help OR else the boat has to be sold Update 07/22

Re: Help OR else the boat has to be sold Update 07/22

Well here it is, another exterminator company came out to do another half *** job. They were nice enough to make me clean everything out of my Cabinets and drawers, and use 2 10oz cans of Phantom Bug spray. The roaches weren't even phased. I talked to the Landlord, yesterday and he is 100% determined to sue if we break the lease. I never actually sent that specific letter my wife asked me to tone it way down to try and be more amicable. Soo I typed a new letter and sent it certified mail this morning. It was much nicer but should still get the point across. I feel as if the property was misrepresented, he said it was a safe clean environment and it most definetly has not been. I have some digital photographs I showed to my son's doctor, my wife called the department of Human Services and they have both told us to leave. All exterminators have said this is a minimum 90 day job, my family will not live like this for another 8 days let alone 90 no way not going to happen. No help from the health department either. I only have one option left and that is court. Soo I am probably going to end up with a judgement against my credit, and owing him $1350 but I see it as a $1350 fee for getting my family out of an unhealthy situation. He is going to have to prove several things first. He is legally obligated to re rent the unit ASAP. So I may not end up owing him $1350 just the actual amount of money due. For whatever the balance is the apartment is undamaged and pictures will be taken upon move out to verify. Soo I could end up owing as little as $450. Or the judge could say that it is all bs that we have had to live like this and void the whole lease and tell him he is out of his mind. I am obviously hoping for the later.

 

[ezmobee]

Re: Help OR else the boat has to be sold Update 07/22

Re: Help OR else the boat has to be sold Update 07/22

No, he will lose in court. You need to eat the security deposit and move immediately.

 

[Woodonglass]

Re: Help OR else the boat has to be sold Another UPDATE NOW I AM MAD

I am officially an OLD FART. 60 yrs old. My wife and I have been Up and Down. During the DOWN cylcle we live in a Roach Motel. She Used Boric Acid Powder. Sprinkled it under the Stove, Fridge, Kitchen sink, Bathroom sink and every DARK place she could find. In about a Week we Had NO ROACHES and I mean NO roaches. You can google it an see that it really works. ACE hardware sells a product called Roach Proof which is basically Boric Acid. Try it

 

[SeaSprite18]

Re: Help OR else the boat has to be sold Another UPDATE NOW I AM MAD

As Woodonglass said, Boric Acid Powder, AKA Borax or Boraxo. Yes, the powder detergent. Works everytime.

 

[njrextreme]

Re: Help OR else the boat has to be sold Another UPDATE NOW I AM MAD

If you read, he has tried the powder acid. The landlord sounds like jag off slum lord. When you do leave, put a big ad in the local paper so future renters can be warned. Sorry to hear about your problem. Ive never had to deal w/ roaches and never would stay in a place w/ them.

 

[roscoe]

Re: Help OR else the boat has to be sold Another UPDATE NOW I AM MAD

Nothing is going to get rid of them if they have infested the walls, attic, basement, and the other unit.

Take the offensive.
Notify the landlord of his breach of contract. Document everything.

Get the doctor to put his recommendation in writing.

Get the health department to do the same.

Then get proactive. NOW !

Take the landlord to small claims court for the cost the security deposit, your child's medical bills, and every single cent you have paid him in rent money, and of course you are seeking release of the lease contract.

Get another apartment NOW, and start moving things.


Go in with photos, statements, documentation, and the claim that he has cost you out-of-pocket monies, and discomfort, by his misrepresentation of the property, and failure to remedy the situation.

Much of this may be dis-allowed in small claims court, but he will have no leg to stand on in trying to sue you for breaking the lease.

Shouldn't cost you more than $100 and 2 hours of your time.

You win, he loses.

This is not rocket science, its nothing new. Happens to 1,000's of people a year.
Get moving now!

 

[tswiczko]

Re: Help OR else the boat has to be sold Another UPDATE NOW I AM MAD

Nothing is going to get rid of them if they have infested the walls, attic, basement, and the other unit.

Take the offensive.
Notify the landlord of his breach of contract. Document everything.

Get the doctor to put his recommendation in writing.

Get the health department to do the same.

Then get proactive. NOW !

Take the landlord to small claims court for the cost the security deposit, your child's medical bills, and every single cent you have paid him in rent money, and of course you are seeking release of the lease contract.

Get another apartment NOW, and start moving things.


Go in with photos, statements, documentation, and the claim that he has cost you out-of-pocket monies, and discomfort, by his misrepresentation of the property, and failure to remedy the situation.

Much of this may be dis-allowed in small claims court, but he will have no leg to stand on in trying to sue you for breaking the lease.

Shouldn't cost you more than $100 and 2 hours of your time.

You win, he loses.

This is not rocket science, its nothing new. Happens to 1,000's of people a year.
Get moving now!

X 2
It is the landlords responsibillity to provide a reasonably maintained, healthy safe enviroment if he doesn't remove the roaches he has not properly maitained the property.

Also I hoped you documented him coming over and cussing at your wife. Not only was it very unprofessional, I would think that kind of intimidation tactic would not go over well with the courts.

I would borrow a cam corder if you do not have one and have it near the door so you could record any threats or profanity from the ladlord in the future

 

[SigSaurP229]

Re: Help OR else the boat has to be sold Another UPDATE NOW I AM MAD

As Woodonglass said, Boric Acid Powder, AKA Borax or Boraxo. Yes, the powder detergent. Works everytime.

Boric acid borax powder and all pesticides have not worked.

My wife was on the phone with my dad when it happened, and it has been documented. He has apparently allready contacted his attorney but he can't technically file suit until we breach contract. He is chomping at the bits. The last alternative I have given him either involved us voiding the lease or him providing a suitable alternative in a pest free and toxin free environment.

 

[Tubingluvr]

Re: Help OR else the boat has to be sold Another UPDATE NOW I AM MAD

Let me share my experience with you.
I spent 15 years in apartment maintenance before I started driving truck.
I have held positions as a tech,supervisor and area director.

We were certified pesticide applicators and did all exterminating in-house (because we could do a better job than most companies)
What happens is the roaches adapt-a percentage of them will die but you will never kill all of them unless you bait, and this only works part of the time.

The best success I ever had was with (don't laugh) Gecko's.
Thats right once we got the people that were causing the infestation evicted we would go to the pet store and pick up a few gecko's and let them loose in the apartment.
It needs to stay warm in there so we would crank the heat up to 80.
Took care of the problem every time.

 

[avenger79]

Re: Help OR else the boat has to be sold Another UPDATE NOW I AM MAD

just a couple thoughts. first if you stop paying rent because of this you will have roaches and a judgement against you which will make it nearly impossible to rent somewhere else.
Second I hate to tell you this but if it is infested as you say, moving will only serve to relocate the roaches as well. they are in everything you own.
it is the landlord's repsonsibility to get it taken care of. start documenting conversations and start contacting the health dept if he won't take immed action to begin clearing this up. if you pay for it up front there is no law that will require him to reimburse you. taking it out of your rent on your own will lead you back to point one.
whether or not it is the cause of your child's health problem is irrelavent. it is unsanitary and unhealthy to live that way. social services could threaten you with removal of your child from the family if they knew your home was infested.

 

[korygrandy]

Re: Help OR else the boat has to be sold Another UPDATE NOW I AM MAD

I own a sixplex in MN. There are no roaches in MN...or so I thought...until one of my tenants went on a trip to Louisiana and came back with roaches. Now there are roaches in MN...and in my sixplex. There a pain in the *** and hard to get rid of. Who knows if they are gone...the appearence is they are gone but yes they went from one unit to the next and back again.

I didnt think they would be able to survive the MN winters myself.

 

[thefairlaneman]

Re: Help OR else the boat has to be sold Another UPDATE NOW I AM MAD

Heres what to do. Go get several large rat snakes and let them lose in the neighbors appartment. When he moves out because of the snakes just say " Well I guess the snakes are there to feast on all the bugs" "Bugs draw snakes you know" lol

 

[kellmike626]

Re: Help OR else the boat has to be sold Another UPDATE NOW I AM MAD

My father is a landlord of over 100 units total. Not one single of those apartments is infested with cockroaches or unhabitable.
The point I'm trying to say is, it's the Landlord's job to make the tenant satisfied with the living place he is provided in return for rent payment. My dad is 63 years old, and has done everything in his power to make his tenants satisfied.
From what I've read, your Landlord is a slob, and doesn't give a rat's *** about the place, as long as he's getting rent. The VERY LEAST he should be doing is paying for the extermination of the roaches.
If you take him to court for your security deposit, there's no way you can lose. Heck, you could probably get some rent out of it (possibly, not guaranteed). Maybe back in his days, he lived in worse conditions, and considers this duplex a palace. Well, obviously he needs a little wake up call of what kind of society we live in today.

Read your lease carefully about the agreement between you and him (the landlord). Take photos of the unsanitary conditions, highlight the parts of the lease that were violated on your landlord's part, and listen to what everyone's been saying on the forums.
STOP PAYING RENT. If he sues you for non-payment, then let him, and make a counter claim for the deposit. He's not going to win once the judge sees the conditions your wife and 5 year old are living in. It's unhabitable, and unacceptable.

It's like a cell phone contract. You sign for 3 years and the carrier says you'll get good service. You get no service, or it's very unsatisfactory. You can break out of the contract. No point in paying for something you aren't getting.
It's not a very good example, but it gets to the point.

Good luck, and I hope you get out of that building asap

 

[SigSaurP229]

Re: Help OR else the boat has to be sold Another UPDATE NOW I AM MAD

We signed the lease on a new apartment today. We really like it and they are allready on a monthly pest control program. My wife and I have discussed this issued in great detail because we are people that DO live up to our word. HOWEVER we are paying for a service and we are not getting it. What is really funny is we explained to the new landlord the situation and why there was bad blood. My old landlord told the new landlord that my wife and I had been model tenants had always paid our rent exactly on time, and the place looked better than it had in years.

Our old landlord didn't really get mad about us breaking the lease until he found out that we had documented everything, then he was REALLY mad. He has also been telling people that he is evicting us rather than the truth.
I am not fond of the idea of going to court and I will have to answer why I broke the lease, BUT I AM going to make sure that he answers to why he expects my family to live in an unsanitary environment.

We have decided that worst case scenario we are considering this a $2000 dollar fee to get ourselves out of a bad living environment. Best case scenario we walk away with our deposits and such back.

We are moving on Friday, I will keep everyone posted.

We have allready been pulling our belongings out of the apartment and as somthing comes out it gets bleached and treated with pesticide. 90% of our clothes have been packed they have all been washed in HOT water dried on HIGH heat Placed in sealed bags which were treated with insecticide.

 

[korygrandy]

Re: Help OR else the boat has to be sold Another UPDATE NOW I AM MAD

Being a landlord myself I think you made the right choice. Law this law that...the bottom line is you were basically forced to live with roaches by no fault of your own. You tell any judge that and they will have sympathy for you and the tenant is favored in court anyways.

If I were that slumlord I would learn from my mistake and focus my energy on taking care of the problem and finding a new tenant.

If he's old and has a lot of time on his hands he might take you to court but if I could have a discussion with him I would tell him it's not a fight worth fighting...you have a roachcoach dude!

Get all your stuff moved in and take a big long breathe and sigh of relief. Don't let this bother you anymore and move on with life

 

[Beefer]

Re: Help OR else the boat has to be sold Another UPDATE NOW I AM MAD

The important question - Did you keep the boat?

 

[Doernuth]

Re: Help OR else the boat has to be sold Another UPDATE NOW I AM MAD

Sorry you had to go through that. You did the right thing by leaving.

In Ohio the landlord would be screwed in court if you can document your issues and you can. If he files first then make sure you answer and file a counter claim for your deposit, rent and all out of pocket expenses including filing fees with the court.

Also talk to the State Attorney General's office. many states have a consumer affairs division that may also be able to help you.

Agree With Beefer, what happened to the boat!!!!??????

 

[SigSaurP229]

Re: Help OR else the boat has to be sold Another UPDATE NOW I AM MAD

I worked it out with the New Landlord THE BOAT STAYS. It is not being sold soo the project continues.

Also I started moving all of our crap today, I work an odd schedule so its impossible for me to meet up with friends for help. I moved an entire housefull of furniture on my own. I AM REALLY hurting now. I told my I don't care if its Armageddon I am not moving again.