Renting is bullshit · 8:39am Mar 27th, 2021
So I live in a rented apartment. I've been here for 8 years, and we pay 975 a month for this 3 bedroom place from the 1950s that lacks a ground loop, has a broken shower that only does random temps, smells like rot and death sometimes, has lots of pipe noises and cracked windows.
Over that 8 year period, we've given our landlord 93,600 dollars. That's almost the amount necessary to buy a crappier house up here in Alaska. Almost 100k USD given to this man and we have cracked windows. A shower that dosn't work. Electrical wiring that's over 70 years out of date and a hazard. A stove that's busted...
Oh and we pay utilities. Everything but water and heat, but the heating IS water because radiators.
This man has 8 buildings that hold 4 units each in this complex. So that's ~3,000,000 bucks from this complex over the last 8 years alone. Yep. 3 mill. And our wiring sucks and I have ice in my window because its cracked. Oh and he owns another complex in town too. Sure, he has to pay tax, and upkeep the stuff, and pay for garbage collection but COME THE FUCK ON!
Check your Lease Agreement and consult with HUD for Alaska. Generally speaking, landlords have an obligation to keep an apartment in working order. If they don't, you can take them to court. If you have enough residents who are fed up about it, you can stage a renter's strike and refuse to pay rent until a set of grievances are addressed OR to renegotiate your lease agreements.
Or you could move to Houston, where I live, where 975 bucks is about what I pay for a 1000 square foot apartment with a bed, a deep tub, and a pretty responsive repair staff. Oh, and occasionally they host events and invite food trucks. Just saying.
5484311
Meanwhile, in reality! "Man I wish I could afford to take anyone to court for anything..." *continues to make stone soup for dinner*
It would be realy cool if there wern't things like court fees :c
i.kym-cdn.com/entries/icons/original/000/035/316/that'sroughbuddycover.jpg
Literally the only thing I can say that isn't patronizing or unintentionally talking down to you. Just... hang in there.
That really doesn't sound like he's paying any real 'upkeep', Meeps....
And because he knows that no one in his complexes has the money for court fees, he doesn't have anyone he has to answer to for not upholding his end of the lease.
Even after telling him that you have all these issues he shrugs and says he can't do anything? Mega lame dude.
Yeah, renting is rarely worth it my friend.
5484314
Well, I understand, but taking someone to small claims court, at least in Texas, is like $85. You don't need an attorney and can represent yourself. If you want an attorney, they're also not very expensive. Depending on your situation, you might be able to file for free with the landlord incurring court fees.
I'm not trying to be patronizing or talk down. A lot of people genuinely overestimate the cost of going to court, and especially if you have a pretty solid case, it can be over pretty quick. In fact, even threatening to take them to court could make them decide to just bite the bullet rather than face the case. You could even join in a lawsuit with the other tenants, in which case you could collectively split the cost of filing.
I don't know your personal situation, but I hate to hear of a friend suffering. And, as a longtime renter, I've made some mistakes and let some things slip by that, had I the chance to do them over again, I would have fought much harder. I'm fortunate to have a great situation now, and I can't stand to see someone taken advantage of.
Whatever you decide, my heart goes out to you. Take care of yourself, okay?
5484746 Yeah, it's not a lot from most people's perspective, but that 85 bucks is about 1/9th of my monthly income. I would have to cut out... most meals. one every 3 days. To afford that. And up here the court fee is something like 250.