Landlord from Hell

[sealalot]

My girlfriend and I signed a two year lease on a small townhouse owned by a friend of my dad's this past June. The unit was overpriced, but at the time it was all that was available. The townhouse was brand new. We were the first tenants to live in it.

From day 1, there were problems with the toilet. It leaked like crazy. I informed the landlord about the problem, and he came over to "fix" it one day while we weren't home, but he failed to tell me in advance that he had entered the unit. This was only the beginning of the invasion of our privacy.

Over the entire summer, I'd say he entered the property at least nine times (that we know of) without telling us, while we weren't home. Maybe three of those times, he was nice enough to call and tell us afterwards. The rest of the times, we were informed by our neighbors that they had seen him enter. The toilet? Never fixed. Never. Eventually, the stick-on tiles began peeling in the bathroom, exposing the OSB board (no sub-floor), and a large amount of black mold.

We went out of town about three weeks ago, and were going to spend several months away, but we changed our minds. He knew we would be going out of town, and I informed him that I would leave the electric running and the heat set at 55 so the water lines wouldn't freeze. So what does he do? Once again he enters without telling us, closes the main valve, DUMPS ANTIFREEZE into the water lines, and snoops around in our bedroom! We know this because the dresser drawers were open (the underwear drawers).

So what happens when we get home? I turn the water back on (I CALLED HIM, to ask about another unit he had for rent. That's when he told me he'd been in the townhouse and turned the water off, but mentioned NOTHING about the antifreeze), I pour a glass of water, chug it, and get a belly full of water mixed with antifreeze. I got pretty damn sick but I didn't know what it was until my neighbor told me that the landlord had told him about it.....but not me.

So we pack our shit, find another apartment within a day, and got the hell out. We just finished moving in and we call him to tell him we're not in the townhouse anymore. He flips out and says he's taking us to court. Unbelievable.

 

[Django]

Call the police and tell them that he tried to poison you with antifreeze....

I do hope that you saved some of it for evidence.....

Sounds like a whacko to me...........

Consider yourselves lucky to have gotten out of there alive.....

.....a friend of your dad's.........? I'd hate to meet his enemies.

D

 

[SrtBrad]

My girlfriend and I signed a two year lease on a small townhouse owned by a friend of my dad's this past June. The unit was overpriced, but at the time it was all that was available. The townhouse was brand new. We were the first tenants to live in it.

From day 1, there were problems with the toilet. It leaked like crazy. I informed the landlord about the problem, and he came over to "fix" it one day while we weren't home, but he failed to tell me in advance that he had entered the unit. This was only the beginning of the invasion of our privacy.

Over the entire summer, I'd say he entered the property at least nine times (that we know of) without telling us, while we weren't home. Maybe three of those times, he was nice enough to call and tell us afterwards. The rest of the times, we were informed by our neighbors that they had seen him enter. The toilet? Never fixed. Never. Eventually, the stick-on tiles began peeling in the bathroom, exposing the OSB board (no sub-floor), and a large amount of black mold.

We went out of town about three weeks ago, and were going to spend several months away, but we changed our minds. He knew we would be going out of town, and I informed him that I would leave the electric running and the heat set at 55 so the water lines wouldn't freeze. So what does he do? Once again he enters without telling us, closes the main valve, DUMPS ANTIFREEZE into the water lines, and snoops around in our bedroom! We know this because the dresser drawers were open (the underwear drawers).

So what happens when we get home? I turn the water back on (I CALLED HIM, to ask about another unit he had for rent. That's when he told me he'd been in the townhouse and turned the water off, but mentioned NOTHING about the antifreeze), I pour a glass of water, chug it, and get a belly full of water mixed with antifreeze. I got pretty damn sick but I didn't know what it was until my neighbor told me that the landlord had told him about it.....but not me.

So we pack our shit, find another apartment within a day, and got the hell out. We just finished moving in and we call him to tell him we're not in the townhouse anymore. He flips out and says he's taking us to court. Unbelievable.

He can take you to court but all you need to do is show up with witnesses and let the judge know why you moved. You went about this wrong and am afraid to say that you will probably loose the case based upon a 2 year lease.

However you can call the department of building and safety to make a complaint against the illegal entry and most important of all the black mold in your bathrooms. Let them know the entire history and have them document everything for court. When the judge gets a hold of this report you should win the case.

Whenever you have issues with landlords always make an official complaint in writing. The landlord has 30 days to respond and attempt to repair the issues and or problems. If the landlord fails to comply within 30 days then you can start an escrow account and pay rent to the escrow account and hire your own contractors to fix the problems. Whatever is left over goes to the landlord if he or she is lucky. This way the landlord has no legal recourse on you.

Best of luck to you but try to get all witness accounts of illegal entry in writing and notorized. Document all repair requests and what was done and when. Talk to a lawyer and see if you can counter sue him for Illegal entry. Call all city officials to inspect for mold/mildew. Make sure that the landlord has paid his or her rental registration. If the landlord has not paid the rental registration fee you will win in court automatically.

 

[SrtBrad]

BTW call the police on the landlord putting in Anti Freeze in your water supply. The police report will do wonders for the judge as well.

 

[sealalot]

Thanks for the responses. I know we'll probably win if he does take us to court. On a side note, two of the reasons why I've been so passive towards him is of course he's my dad's friend, and he also had a major family tragedy about two weeks after we moved in. I didn't want to say anything to him about his behavior and I basically forgave it because his mental state was (and still is) very poor. Ever since the tragedy, he's been acting extremely erratic and is pretty much completely intoxicated every waking moment.

We are not the only ones who have had troubles with him. A younger couple lives two doors down, and they've had the exact same problems. Actually it's been worse for them, but they aren't in the financial position to pack up and move the hell out. The guy is 22 and his girlfriend is 18. The landlord shows up drunk and offers the 18 year old girlfriend beer. Once he forcefully groped her and kissed her. He just walks right into their place whenever he damn well pleases. They've also had problems with the toilet seal and black mold.

I fear that perhaps he will attempt to bribe them to lie in court on his behalf. They're behind on the rent, yet he's letting them stay there. I have more than a gut feeling (after talking to them tonight), that he'll be forcing them to lie for him or else he'll evict them.

 

[SrtBrad]

Whatever your landlords situation is makes NO EXCUSE TO ILLEGALLY ENTER. He is lucky that he hasn't been shot yet or put in jail for it.

This guy is not your friend so don't make any excuses for him and protect your family.

 

[Prof]

All of the side issues may not have standing in a court case about you violating the lease. Get some advice from an attorney.

If he brings suit against you for walking out on your lease...your reasons, may not stand up, because you did not take the correct legal actions...sorry, but sometimes fore warned is fore armed. The judge may just say...your reasons may be good, but you did not take the appropriate actions.

Also with the other financial issues you face (mentioned in another thread) your motivation to leave may well be considered financial and in that case you are just in violation of the agreement you signed.

 

[OCBob]

We are not the only ones who have had troubles with him. A younger couple lives two doors down, and they've had the exact same problems. Actually it's been worse for them, but they aren't in the financial position to pack up and move the hell out. The guy is 22 and his girlfriend is 18. The landlord shows up drunk and offers the 18 year old girlfriend beer. Once he forcefully groped her and kissed her. He just walks right into their place whenever he damn well pleases. They've also had problems with the toilet seal and black mold.

I fear that perhaps he will attempt to bribe them to lie in court on his behalf. They're behind on the rent, yet he's letting them stay there. I have more than a gut feeling (after talking to them tonight), that he'll be forcing them to lie for him or else he'll evict them.

Years ago I had the same type of problems. It was the first place me and my first wife moved into, before we got married. She was 18 at the time too.

Our landlord used to come into the house all the time when we were gone, until I got a dog he was scared of. He actually had the gall to tell us that he didn't like the dog because he wouldn't let him in the house when we were gone.

The landlord was a guy around 50 or 60, and he did the exact same thing to her one day while I was at work, but he wasn't drunk. I wasn't able to contain my anger, so the next time he showed up I dotted his eye and sent him packing. He threatened to call the cops, I told him go right ahead, he had more to lose than me.

We ended up staying there about another 8 months before he finally got the balls to evict us, all rent free as I decided I wasn't giving him another cent. To this day I wish I would have hurt him worse heheh.

Good luck.

 

[RedSrt007]

Next time you run into that situation...a BIG dog and call it a day

 

[andrew heywood]

dang,this guy sounds insane anti freeze in the water supply? that sounds like a pretty low budget way to keep the pipes from freezing? not to mention toxic, caustic,and volatile,I think with enough skullduggin you will win in court.

 

[andrew heywood]

Call the police and tell them that he tried to poison you with antifreeze....

I do hope that you saved some of it for evidence.....

Sounds like a whacko to me...........

Consider yourselves lucky to have gotten out of there alive.....

.....a friend of your dad's.........? I'd hate to meet his enemies.

D

 

[OCBob]

You should also call your local water authority and tell them about him adding the antifreeze to the plumbing. I am sure that is highly illegal. There is the chance that it could leech into the water supply.