Google Search

TenantNet Forum Archives 1996-2002
Posting and Replies are disabled in all Archives
TenantNet Forum | TenantNet Forum Archives Index


Re: worst landlords in Madison, WI

Posted by Renee on February 10, 2001 at 05:12:01:

In Reply to: worst landlords in Madison, WI posted by Louise on February 09, 2001 at 12:55:37:

First of all - notice period: It is required by state law. Check your state law to see what the required length of notice is in Wisconsin. It is usually one rental period meaning that if your rent is due on the 1st of the month, your 30 day notice is due on the last day of the preceeding month.

You say you had a move-in checklist. What does it say about the condition of the carpet? Did you note all the stains, etc? Then, he cannot charge you for these. He cannot charge for anything that is normal wear such as worn out areas in traffic pattern, but he can charge for damage (stains - this is not normal wear and tear, rips, cigarette burns). This is a reason to take great care in filling out the move-in checklist. Do not be rushed. Take your time before the furniture is in so you can see everything.

You should have addressed the furnace problem at the time by calling the local housing authority and having this situation recorded and repaired. At this point, it is a non-issue since you no longer live there.

Most states do not require that the repairs / replacement be done by a professional, therefore a receipt is not really necessary. The actual work does not even have to be done in most places as long as the Landlord can prove the damage. Call a few places and see if the estimate he provided is within normal cost to perform such work.

Refrigerator: What does your lease say about having worked performed on the appliances, are you responsible, is a professional service company required? Did you notify the LL in writing that the fridge was not working and have a copy of the letter to present in court? Unless the person that worked on this fridge was not qualified and did some serious damage, I would go to court on this one. Make sure that you have a copy of the receipt for the work that was begun and you had paid for. See if the appliance repair person could provide you with an estimate of what the repairs would have cost and most of all - if the freezer could be repaired. You should not pay for replacement of the entire fridge if all it needed was a timer. Does your lease require that you maintain the appliances and pay for repairs. Some leases do.

Keep in mind that these are general principles that apply in most of 47 states (California, New York and Massachusetts laws differ greatly from the other states). Most state laws are quite general compared to NY and do not delve into specifics as do NY laws. Check your state laws and most of all - read your lease. It holds many answers.

Follow Ups:



Note: Posting is disabled in all archives
Post a Followup

Name    : 
E-Mail  : 
Subject : 
Comments: Optional Link URL: Link Title: Optional Image URL:


   

TenantNet Home | TenantNet Forum | New York Tenant Information | Contact Us
DHCR Information | DHCR Decisions | Housing Court Decisions | New York Rent Laws |

Subscribe to our Mailing List!
Your Email      Full Name