| THIS IS A READ-ONLY ARCHIVE FROM THE SORABJI.COM MESSAGE BOARDS (1995-2016). |
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So I go into my daughters bedroom to put some of her clean clothes away in the closet and about 30% of the paint on the door is gone and another 30% is bubbled up all over the place and hanging off of the door. I peel it off and take it to the front office and slap it down on the desk. She fills out a "work order form" with attitude and then orders me to throw the peeled up paint in the trash and then moves the trash can because it is bothering her asthma. I also mentioned the termites in the master bathroom, but that didn't even make it to the work order list. When I said something about it for the third time (after being ignored the first two) she waved her hand at me as if to tell me to leave her alone. This building is old enough that with the peeling paint, there is an asbestos risk, and it has been discovered that some of these old buildings do have asbestos. I realize that it is their apartment complex and if they want it to fall apart, that is their problem, but it does need to be safe to live in. Frankly, with my asthma and the asthma problems my kids and the whole family has, she should be compassionate and not whining with attitude. I want to bitch slap her right now, I won't, but I want to. |
its not hard to get a city inspector out to look at these things. issue a report and demand for repair, or else they start reducing rents. its real easy to be a pain in the ass to landlords as most of the laws were written for your benefit |
I know that our lease says that after 3 reports in writing we can get out of our lease, but I don't know how long to wait between reports. By the way, does anyone know what asbestos looks like? I saw something funny on one of the doors, but don't know what to do (take a picture for records or just clean it off)? I think the thing that gets me is being treated like I am some horrible bitch and a total incovenience. I hope that chick says something while I am over there getting Hayley from the bus stop, because I will totally get in her face and make her look stupid as hell in front of everyone. |
two phone calls and one letter before i fired off a letter to the city inspector, making sure to send them a copy. (it also helped that a neighborh worked at the city clean air department and knew people in the housing and inspection office.) i noted the time and date of each call and letter, whom i spoke to and whom sent the letter to. Document everything. If it doesnt specify how long betweem reports, fuck it, do them in consecutive days. You have a legal right to demand and be loud about this crap. This is where you and your children live. Do not get in anyone's face though. The deal is to be smart about this. Of course they think you're a bitch, you are potentially costing them money they would rather not spend. Asbestos is white and powder like. YOu don't have to worry about it, because it would take a palmfull to be harmful....the parts per million in drywall, in this instance as you have described are not really a threat, so dont worry. Asbestos is inside the drywall its not something you would see on the wall. You may note, in the lease there is something about drilling holes into the wall or something, this is where youcan potentially be exposed, but the stuff that comes out, drilling a hole to hang a picture are no threat what so ever, as I have come to understand it anyway. |
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As I looked closer it was more green and white mixed than just white, so I think it is mold under the paint. Also, I found out that these exact same problems happened to the people who lived here before us. The termite looking bugs are also in the apartment upstairs now. They just made it up there this past week. I am going to bitch (properly) and I think I am going to start taking pictures for documentation, if I can find my camera and film. I am going to ride their ass professionally. I am going to look into code violations if they aren't here within 24 hours. I am going to look for a house as soon as we can. 3 months of this crappy lease down, and 3 to go. I also think that I am going to start saving the receipts for every bottle of bug spray and bleach I have to use on the mold around here and see if it is possible to take it out of the rent. To find out about the city codes, rental laws and things of that nature and the legal way to dock rent and things like that, where do I start, the Library? |
Go to the city homepage, look for Housing Authority and start there. Make a call, explain your situation and that you think there are things below code and that your landlord is not responding to repeated calls for repair. City red tape is still red tape, just make some calls, you may talk to 5 different people but don't bother busting out the lawbooks, let the professionals do that. |
Either way, it is time to start fighting, and like I said, 24 hours, then letters and phone. Usually I am totally not confrontational about this kind of stuff, but I have had enough, and my family is in danger, from the rotting ceiling and now there is the risk of lead poisoning. I am not going to play games. Anyways, time to start dinner. |
Did all of these problems exist when you moved in? If so, that could be a problem. |
They slap a band-aid on it and call it fixed, when all they did was cover up the problem and not fix it. For one of my neighbors, they had water damage to their bathroom ceiling (much like ours) and the company didn't come and fix it until after the ceiling collapsed on their kids. Ethan is 5 and Paul is 4. Fortunately the kids weren't hurt. They were standing at the opposite end of the room (by the door) and stepped out before it actually came down on them. Everything here is jerry rigged. When we first moved in our stove caught on fire from faulty wiring. When I called to report it they said it was the cleaning chemicals that the housekeepers use when preparing a new apartment and to put tinfoil on the pans. I had to argue that it was wiring and inform her that if it wasn't fixed then next time we would just let the building burn down. Then someone came to fix it. There are too many plumbing problems with this place to count, and none of the maintenance men are licensed plumbers. This place is supposed to be the nicest apartment complex (outside of medical center) in the entire San Antonio area. If this is the best, we're screwed. I won't call the owners. I will just call the City. The peeled paint with mold alone should be enough to warrant something. This building is old and we did get a thing about peeling paint and lead poisoning, so hopefully it will get something done quickly. I miss David. He was the best landlord. I want a landlord like him again. |
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Only time will tell what happens next. I can tell you that many of the things that were wrong when we moved in were fixed within 2 weeks, but there are some things they refuse to fix (paint related). The rest of the stuff has happened since we have moved in. Like the termite looking bugs and the paint chipping and peeling off. The burning stove has been rewired, the broken doors to the laundry have been fixed. They have community hot water here and the hot water has been shut off 5 times for repairs, twice the water was completely shut off because of a pipe bursting and once because of multiple water heaters exploding. This is apparently their new system as well, which has only been in since November. Of course, I love the floor plan of this place and the conveniences, the pool right out back, the park within 100 feet, the bus stop within a 3 minute walk, the stores all here, the mall across the freeway (which we live just south of) the school district. If they would keep these places in decent repair, I wouldn't mind staying for a while. If only they took care of the place. Even if we left and rented a house, it is reasonable to think we would lose square footage, or get a crappy floorplan. I dunno. I just wish they would fix the place decently and stop whining about their fucking asthma (as if we all don't have it) and get their collective shit together. If they did that then the place would be someplace I could be happy for a couple of years at least. Expecially if I could paint the damned walls in here. Then I would be really happy, to make it my home (remember I am almost always here and rarely go out) and have it in the same condition it would be in if I owned the damned place, not perfect, but decent. At least up to code. |
the paint peeling....Im not sure what you can do about that, considering, (in CA anyway) they are required to put two coats of paint on after someone moves out (I believe), but there is probably no law stating what quality of paint or how thick of a coat they have to put on, or whether they have to strip the previous coat. The reasons why its chipping is because its probably about 5 coats stacked on each other. Thats legal, just a cheap effort on their part. |
I can fix the ceiling in the bathroom myself. I just don't want to. Actually, I just called the office, and I don't have to pay a deposit, so long as they can paint it back white when I move out (meaning no really dark stuff that can't be easily painted over white). I spoke with the person who is most strict about the rules. She is usually a pain in the ass, but pointed out how I can fix most of this stuff myself, and do it in a way that I like, I feel better about the whole thing. They are giving me more freedom to make this place more my own, so I guess it shouldn't be a bit deal if I change some drywall out in the ceiling, do a little work, because they are giving me more free reign with this place. I love the floorplan. I guess I will just end up doing the work myself. Happy Mother's Day to me. We now know what I will be doing. Making this freaking white apartment liveable. The white walls in the dining room have been driving me nuts. Now I can do something about them. I have a plan of what I want to do, but I am just trying to figure out one thing. What do you put over a flat paint that will give it a semi-gloss or gloss finish without changing the color? I am feeling much better today. |
what? when? i'll be damned if id be fixing any dry wall matters in my apartment due to bad plumbing. yes you can paint your apartment. i did. get a stripper, that old paint comes off in no time. But don't let them talk you into doing their work. There is a difference betweem personalizing your place and the maintanence. |
instead of ladders to reach the bits near the ceiling? I'm feeling a bit giddy. |
I think I am going to strip whatever doesn't just peel off, because I have over 2/3 of one door done already, just with what is already lifted and I can peel off by hand. My two year old thinks it is funny. I am not going to do too much work. This is rental property and I am not going to pour my heart and soul into something that isn't mine. When I own a home, then I will go all out and really put major effort into it. Being able to paint the place myself does take care of everything but the ceiling in the hall bath and I think I will end up doing it just so that it gets done. They have already sent someone out once to fix it and he left it. I might just do it to get it done. I am almost excited. I get to fix this place up! I have a feeling that Spunky will get tired of it, though, because I plan on doing a lot of wall treatments. Of course, the reason I am excited about this may also be for other reasons. I have had a few people considering having me come into their home and do some interior design work (low budget do it yourself kind of stuff) but they haven't been able to see my work. If I get this place decent, then they can see my home as examples of my work. Pictures of my home of course, but still. Something. It would be nice to do some work I can do with my kids nearby and still make some money. I just wish I was better at drawing sketches and my sewing machine worked. They weren't trying to talk me into doing their work, but it seems small now, and I just might do it to get it done and over with. |
http://www.azcentral.com/news/articles/0409beverlyhillsmold-ON.html |
I just got back from the pool and have to get ready for the BBQ at Spunky's bosses house tonite. I am hoping my little Japanese summer dress will be allright. |