Sleepless in Glen Cove

[cmbc587]

My roommate and I are two female graduate students in our mid twenties. We moved in to the second floor of a house in the second week of February. The first floor of this house is occupied by the landlord. This is the first time he is renting out this apartment. We were informed before move-in that the place was move-in ready however, when we arrived, the electricity in the kitchen was not hooked up and there was no gas hook-up for hot water for two weeks. We paid the landlord full rent for this month.

After a few days living there, we heard animal footsteps walking around on the roof. We decided to inspect the attic and learned that there was a raccoon living inside between the roof and the ceiling. Within a week a very foul odor was permitting into our bedrooms. I spoke to the landlord right away about the raccoon since it sounded like the animal was chewing the structure and possibly doing some damage. He said he would take care of it but two months later, after asking him many times to do something about this, little sleep and breathing in urine air, it is still there.

The first time we tried to use the brand new oven a flame shot out from under the oven and the apartment was filled with the smell of gas. We have not attempted to use it since and the landlord told us that it is our responsibility to take care of repairs. We never even used it! He made us get full coverage renters insurance.

A month into living here, at 10PM at night, we heard banging at the front door and someone trying to get into our apartment with a key. We had a bolt lock on the door so they were unable to get in. After going to the door I saw that it was the landlord. I frantically asked him what was going on while my roommate had her finger on 911. He said he came to our apartment to alert us of a flood pouring into his living room. He inspected our bathroom and told us that the tiles needed proper caulking. He turned off the water that night so that it could be repaired early the following morning by one of "his guys". We were without water for two days until he turned it back on. A few days later I went to his apartment to speak to him. He invited me into the living room where he supposedly had a flood and there was no evidence of a flood or any damage what so ever.

Upon agreement, however not stated in the lease we were guaranteed Internet and cable, it took us more than a month to get it and now it rarely works.

As part of our lease we are responsible for half of the electricity. He never put in a second meter. Before we signed the lease he told us that his highest bill was approximately $130. After being there for only three weeks he showed us a bill for six hundred and some dollars and said that he would figure out what portion we owe because he had not paid his bills in a few months. He then stated that we would be responsible for half of three hundred and some odd dollars which is almost three times the amount that he stated his highest bill was. We are out of the house at school for 8 hours a day and study at night with one light. How much electricity could we possibly be using? Everytime we ask him about the bills he tells us he will figure it out and tell us later.

Also, we have no proof, but have several reasons to believe that he has been entering our apartment without notice while we are at school for the day (e.g. we have come home to the front door being wide open after locking it from the outside with a key).

We want to MOVE as soon as possible. We feel very uncomfortable and taken advantage of. However, we have five months left on our lease. Is there any way that we would be able to get out of it based on the circumstances? If we do leave, can he take us to court? We are afraid that we will not get our security deposit back and as students we can not afford to lose this money. He requires that we pay him for rent in cash and will not accept any other method of payment. He gives us a hand written receipt. Is that fishy? We are extremely intimidated and do not trust him. He told us he was a real-estate lawyer however we have come to find out that he lied to us and he is a real-estate agent.

Any advice you can give us would be greatly appreciated. Thank you in advance.