Apartment won't fix my unit

[Foxrac]

You are supposed to use a fan. Carpet should dry in 2-4 hours after cleaning.

Yes, I will not use towel again anymore (too much work), so fan should works fine. If carpet is over-wet so use carpet cleaner to take excessive water out.

My parent influenced me to dry the carpet with towel when clogged toilet went flooded and spread to some area with carpet, that was back in early 90's and it didn't completely dry until after 24 hours - that was cheap, ugly carpet.

 

[CrazyPaul]

That should answer your original question, "Does anyone know specifically what I need to do to get out of the lease?".

From Reba's link:

What alternatives does the tenant have if
the six conditions are met, creating landlord
liability, and none of the exceptions apply?
A tenant to whom a landlord is liable may, according
to Section 92.056(e):
• terminate the lease,
• repair or remedy the condition according to Section
92.0561 and deduct the cost of the repair
from the rent without the necessity of judicial
action or
• obtain judicial remedies as specified in Section
92.0653.
What happens if the tenant elects to terminate
the lease?
If the tenant elects to terminate the lease, the tenant
is entitled to:
• a pro rata refund of rent from the date of termination
or the date the tenant moves out,
whichever is later, and
• deduct the tenant's security deposit from the
tenant's rent without the necessity of a lawsuit
or obtaining a refund of the tenant's security
according to law (Section 92.056[f]).
The tenant is not entitled to pursue any of the
other remedies specified in Section 92.056(e) if the​

tenant elects to terminate the lease.

So it seems that you can break your lease due to the landlord's failure to make repairs within timeframe. Don't forget to take pixs of rusty water, too, just in case.

 

[deafdrummer]

Have you seen this? It's the Landlords and Tenants Guide - Real Estate Center - from Texas A&M.

http://recenter.tamu.edu/pdf/866.pdf

Nope. This is the Lost Book of tenant rights. It's well-hidden. People here were trying to force me to pay for access to this information. THANK YOU. I read the part about the Landlord's part in breaking the lease via lack of repairs.

 

[deafdrummer]

You are supposed to use a fan. Carpet should dry in 2-4 hours after cleaning.

Not true in my case. Even with fans, it can take 3 weeks for it to be dry enough. I know from experience in having the fans in here for so-called 24 hours.

 

[Reba]

Nope. This is the Lost Book of tenant rights. It's well-hidden. People here were trying to force me to pay for access to this information. THANK YOU. I read the part about the Landlord's part in breaking the lease via lack of repairs.

I hope it helps you.

 

[deafdrummer]

FINALLY, they came over, and they gave me two options. But first, they said that I didn't have mold (because it grows (not if it's no longer getting water)). And they would not replace the cabinets, but strip and resurface them.

While doing this, I would not be able to be in the apartment for two days because of the chemical resurfacing. And, they would be redoing the floor, replacing the carpet with tile, but I would have to constantly move around inside, and there is the issue of getting inside the front door while the tile is drying. As you can see below, I'm dealing with major inconveniences of a different nature, and that involves people... You're always having to do other people's job of getting your information correct. You might as well go up to the corporate building and use their computer to update your address yourself! This, I can just move stuff around and sleep out of my Jeep for a couple of days while the kitchen portion is being done.

The second option is to move to another unit with no transfer fee because of the circumstances. The bad thing is, it's on the other side of the swimming pool, facing the sun precisely at the wrong time of the day, the hottest part of the day. I would have to build an internal wall to block the heat of the sun out, and there goes my ambient lighting. The other thing is that I have to change ALL paperwork over to the new address, AND I have to move my DSL line. And I would have to use the light to see every morning in the living room. I would have to consider that this is temporary, since I never, ever want to go through this again, and I know what management is like when they think they can run rough-shod over you. The days of somebody else owning the structure that I live in will be over soon. This means that the term dates of my lease does not change. I still get to move out at end-of-September.

They did not give me an option of moving out, terminating my lease. I will be hard at work, closing out my remaining obligations to Houston as fast as possible. Anyway, they are going to be sending me a letter today outlining the two options.

 

[rockin'robin]

Guessing that if you choose to move to another unit while repairs are being made....they will pay for the move?....Then again, there will be all those transfer fees (not for the apartment), but for electricity, phone, etc., and a change of address....What an inconvenience!....

Just dunno what to say here....seems it's gonna cost you $$ and inconvenience all the way around anyway....The only option I can foresee is to stay in ur unit while they do the repairs....make a notation of all the inconvenience you will have to endure, give it to the management, and possible they may take something off your rent....(probably not tho').....A lot of people have to endure repairs to their apartments or homes, along with the inconvenience.....As for sleeping in your Jeep...no way!....Seems they could offer you a motel room (but knowing they would not do so).....

 

[Foxrac]

Not true in my case. Even with fans, it can take 3 weeks for it to be dry enough. I know from experience in having the fans in here for so-called 24 hours.

That's only works if carpet don't have excessive water in it and you have to absorb excessive water out.

 

[TXgolfer]

Not true in my case. Even with fans, it can take 3 weeks for it to be dry enough. I know from experience in having the fans in here for so-called 24 hours.

You must have had really bad fans.

 

[Jiro]

You must have had really bad fans.

lol yea or it should be something like this one -

instead of this one

 

[TXgolfer]

FINALLY, they came over, and they gave me two options. But first, they said that I didn't have mold (because it grows (not if it's no longer getting water)). And they would not replace the cabinets, but strip and resurface them.

You are in Houston. There is enough moisture in the air for mold to survive and grow well. There is even enough moisture in the air in North Texas. You should have seen the mold we dealt with in New Orleans, Port Arthur and Beaumont after the hurricane. You could see growth daily.

All that being said, they are handling things improperly. If you contact the sources I have listed you should be able to bring serious consequences to The landlord.

 

[deafdrummer]

You are in Houston. There is enough moisture in the air for mold to survive and grow well. There is even enough moisture in the air in North Texas. You should have seen the mold we dealt with in New Orleans, Port Arthur and Beaumont after the hurricane. You could see growth daily.

All that being said, they are handling things improperly. If you contact the sources I have listed you should be able to bring serious consequences to The landlord.

I've called the health department of Houston - Houston has ONE health inspector for the entire CITY OF HOUSTON. ONE. We are F*!

I need to ask - on the shelves in the affected cabinet, I see something black/brown that would look like bug droppings, but I don't have bugs here... What is it?

 

[TXgolfer]

I've called the health department of Houston - Houston has ONE health inspector for the entire CITY OF HOUSTON. ONE. We are F*!

I need to ask - on the shelves in the affected cabinet, I see something black/brown that would look like bug droppings, but I don't have bugs here... What is it?

Can you post a pic? It is hard to say. I wouldn't be surprised if it were mold spores.

Here is a link from the Harris County with some tips.

http://www.hcphes.org/eph/moldfaqs.htm

 

[deafdrummer]

Sorry, guys, but this was the best I could do.

 

[TXgolfer]

Sorry, guys, but this was the best I could do.

Pretty sure that is mold. Can't be 100% sure but......

 

[CrazyPaul]

FINALLY, they came over, and they gave me two options. But first, they said that I didn't have mold (because it grows (not if it's no longer getting water)). And they would not replace the cabinets, but strip and resurface them.

While doing this, I would not be able to be in the apartment for two days because of the chemical resurfacing. And, they would be redoing the floor, replacing the carpet with tile, but I would have to constantly move around inside, and there is the issue of getting inside the front door while the tile is drying. As you can see below, I'm dealing with major inconveniences of a different nature, and that involves people... You're always having to do other people's job of getting your information correct. You might as well go up to the corporate building and use their computer to update your address yourself! This, I can just move stuff around and sleep out of my Jeep for a couple of days while the kitchen portion is being done.

The second option is to move to another unit with no transfer fee because of the circumstances. The bad thing is, it's on the other side of the swimming pool, facing the sun precisely at the wrong time of the day, the hottest part of the day. I would have to build an internal wall to block the heat of the sun out, and there goes my ambient lighting. The other thing is that I have to change ALL paperwork over to the new address, AND I have to move my DSL line. And I would have to use the light to see every morning in the living room. I would have to consider that this is temporary, since I never, ever want to go through this again, and I know what management is like when they think they can run rough-shod over you. The days of somebody else owning the structure that I live in will be over soon. This means that the term dates of my lease does not change. I still get to move out at end-of-September.

They did not give me an option of moving out, terminating my lease. I will be hard at work, closing out my remaining obligations to Houston as fast as possible. Anyway, they are going to be sending me a letter today outlining the two options.

No shit! Maybe they read your thread and decided to show up. Anyway, they said there's no mold. OK, peel some paints off from inside the cabinet and if you see black stuff on wood that breaks apart easily and it has foul smell, that's mold.

If you decide to let them fix your apt and have to stay somewhere else for two days, make sure they will allow you to deduct motel costs from your next rent payment.

I know it's a pain in the ass to move to another unit if you choose that option. Did you look at it? If so, is it in a good condition?

By the way, the law requires a landlord to make repairs within 7 days. If the landlord fails to do it, you may be able to break your lease. But they already showed up much later so I don't know if it's too late for you to break your lease.

 

[TXgolfer]

Anyway, they said there's no mold. OK, peel some paints off from inside the cabinet and if you see black stuff on wood that breaks apart easily and it has foul smell, that's mold.

This is absolutely the worst advice you will ever receive. First of all it is highly inaccurate. Second of all, if you are sensitive to mold,the most dangerous thing you can do is disturb the mold.

 

[Reba]

lol yea or it should be something like this one -

These are what TCS has. He pulls up the carpet and aims the air stream underneath to "float" the carpet and dry it from underneath.

 

[TXgolfer]

These are what TCS has. He pulls up the carpet and aims the air stream underneath to "float" the carpet and dry it from underneath.

They are excellent, I used them a lot. They came in handy when drying new drywall texture in humid areas to.

*Hint for homeowners, in an emergency or when cleaning carpet you can rent these at most Home Depots

 

[whatdidyousay!]

That's what I thought. In America, usually a room can't be advertised as a bedroom unless it has a closet, a door, and at least one window.

Yes it has to have a least one window and a door too. and there need to a fire exit too. There been some tragic stories of people getting trapped in a fire and they had only one way out of their apartment.