My rented apartment’s wall paint is worn out and unpleasant. Can I force my landlord to get it restored?
Full Question:
My rented apartment was renovated 6 years before I moved in and the landlord has not taken any measures to revamp the house after I moved in. It has been two years now and the paint in the living area and kitchen is all worn out and looks very unpleasant. I usually have a lot of guests over and it is embarrassing for me to have such walls staring at them. I had requested my landlord to do up the walls, but it has been over a month since I made the request and nothing has changed. Is there any way to force my landlord to undertake this minor maintenance work?
11/10/2016 |
Category: Landlord Ten... » Repairs |
State: ALL |
#26504
Answer:
Whether your landlord should be bothered about or take charge of a minor repair depends on a number of factors, beginning with the nature of the problem. Purely cosmetic repairs are not legally required. If a problem is the result of your own carelessness, the repair bill will appropriately be advanced to you. The terms of your lease, any oral or written promises your landlord has made, state and local building codes or state landlord-tenant laws also are factors which decide who must do the repairs.
It's often more difficult to implement your rights to minor repairs than major ones. However, you can give it a try by sending a written letter requesting the landlord to do up the walls of your home stating the issues you face due to it. You can also add why it's in the landlord's best interest to have it fixed (for instance, here you could say that the walls are so dirty that it would cost the landlord higher amount to get it repainted if it is delayed further). If the requests fail, then you can opt for mediation, which will help you both to reach a mutually agreeable solution. Many communities offer free or low-cost mediation services as an alternative to going to court. Some minor problems violate local rules and in such cases you can report your landlord to your local building or housing agency or sue your landlord in a small causes court if you can prove in court that the unaddressed problems decrease the value of your unit (a judge can award you the difference between what you've been paying in rent and the amount the unit is actually worth). However, these options will surely take a toll on your relationship with your landlord. But if every other option fails you might as well go for it to get your problem resolved.