Any landlords here?

[Chris_]

We are having a serious problem with our current apartment complex.

We have called in a request to maintenance numerous times (for the same issues) for the past month and a half.  We give them permission to enter each time.  The first time, they left the work order on our front door and said they did not enter because they did not have permission, but the work order CLEARLY stated they did.

When I called about it, one of the girls in the office said someone would definitely be out on Thursday (a few weeks ago).  She made it an appointment fix.  NO ONE showed up.  I called that same day once I got home from work and bitched about it.  Another lady in the office set up an appointment for Saturday.  Again, no one showed up.  We sat around that whole day, even though we had plans. 

The next day, our freezer stopped working completely.  That was one of our issues that had to be fixed the FIRST time maintenance was supposed to come over.  We ended up calling and complaining for a good hour or two just to get someone to come over and fix that ONE issue for now. 

About three of our maintenance guys live on grounds, including the maintenance manager. 

Our washer broke today.  That thing has always sounded like a freight train when it goes into the spin cycle.  We have told them leasing office about it for months.  They kept telling us to do "lighter" loads.  You could put two pieces of clothing in there and that thing would sound like it was about to explode.  Anyway, the washer finally stopped working after today's freight train cycle.  My work pants were in there.  The dirty water is still in there. 

We called the office FOUR times today.  Each time, the girl down there was trying to avoid our issue.  My husband kept bringing up the fact that we have called this issue in numerous times and we have had no one come over and fix our damn crap.  After the fourth call, that girl called my husband back and said someone would be over within an hour and we need to lie to the maintenance crew and tell them our washer was leaking.  She is basically telling us in order to get someone over, we need to lie about why we need them there to fix what they should be fixing in the first place because it's their f-ing job to do so.

The "within an hour" started at 3:08pm.  It's now 3:40pm and we still haven't had anyone stop by.  My gut tells me they aren't coming over at all.  The office closes at 5pm.  I will be going down there once the hour is up and confronting them in person.

Are there any landlords here that can help me out or give me advice on stuff like this?

Our lease states that maintenance has to come over in a "timely" matter to fix things.  I don't think timely means in 30-45 days.

[Zeus]

Rental laws are state specific but a paper trail is always a help. Deliver your work request by certified mail

[Chris_]

Thanks.

We finally got a maintenance guy to come over around 4:30pm, after calling the leasing office at 4:08pm.  He tried to see if he could make the washer work, even temporarily until tomorrow, but there was just nothing he could do.  The washer is dead.  RIP cheap POS washer.

Since the guy didn't have an extra hand, they will replace our washer/dryer tomorrow.  I'm going to call in the morning and verify that they WILL be over.  I have one pair of work pants that air dried and didn't look like crap.  My black pants still had lint, cat fur, and what looks like dust... which I think is just from all the dust blowing around outside today.

My fingers are crossed that these people will actually replace our stuff.  We've been tenants here for two years.  These problems have just started recently.  That's why it is so stressful dealing with it.  They have never been huge slackers until this summer.

[Toastedturningtidelegs]

We are having a serious problem with our current apartment complex.

We have called in a request to maintenance numerous times (for the same issues) for the past month and a half.  We give them permission to enter each time.  The first time, they left the work order on our front door and said they did not enter because they did not have permission, but the work order CLEARLY stated they did.

When I called about it, one of the girls in the office said someone would definitely be out on Thursday (a few weeks ago).  She made it an appointment fix.  NO ONE showed up.  I called that same day once I got home from work and bitched about it.  Another lady in the office set up an appointment for Saturday.  Again, no one showed up.  We sat around that whole day, even though we had plans. 

The next day, our freezer stopped working completely.  That was one of our issues that had to be fixed the FIRST time maintenance was supposed to come over.  We ended up calling and complaining for a good hour or two just to get someone to come over and fix that ONE issue for now. 

About three of our maintenance guys live on grounds, including the maintenance manager. 

Our washer broke today.  That thing has always sounded like a freight train when it goes into the spin cycle.  We have told them leasing office about it for months.  They kept telling us to do "lighter" loads.  You could put two pieces of clothing in there and that thing would sound like it was about to explode.  Anyway, the washer finally stopped working after today's freight train cycle.  My work pants were in there.  The dirty water is still in there. 

We called the office FOUR times today.  Each time, the girl down there was trying to avoid our issue.  My husband kept bringing up the fact that we have called this issue in numerous times and we have had no one come over and fix our damn crap.  After the fourth call, that girl called my husband back and said someone would be over within an hour and we need to lie to the maintenance crew and tell them our washer was leaking.  She is basically telling us in order to get someone over, we need to lie about why we need them there to fix what they should be fixing in the first place because it's their f-ing job to do so.

The "within an hour" started at 3:08pm.  It's now 3:40pm and we still haven't had anyone stop by.  My gut tells me they aren't coming over at all.  The office closes at 5pm.  I will be going down there once the hour is up and confronting them in person.

Are there any landlords here that can help me out or give me advice on stuff like this?

Our lease states that maintenance has to come over in a "timely" matter to fix things.  I don't think timely means in 30-45 days.

Find out who actually owns the property. Most large complexes are usually run by a manager who reports directly to the owner. Contact the owner and you will be shocked how fast your problem gets addresses. Landlords don't like losing good tenants!

[Texacon]

TTTL gave you some good info.

Keep detailed records.  Keep any work orders or anything they give you.  Keep a log by the phone and better yet if you can email those items to them with a return receipt that helps.

Read and know your lease by heart.  See if you can have the items repaired and hold that out of the lease payment.

I had an owner who complained we weren't taking care of her rental property.  I emailed her 3 pages of repairs that had been requested and fixed within a couple of days if not hours of request.  Her complaint after that?  There were things the lessee was requesting the workmen do when they showed up that were never fixed.  I asked how we were supposed to know these things were broken if the tenant was telling the workmen and not us.  Her answer?  The workmen should have reported those things to us.

Detailed records girl.  Keep 'em.  I know it's a pain but anything you can document will be a huge help to you.  And as TTTL said .... go over their head!  Do you know if your property has recently been sold?  Under new ownership by any chance?

KC

[debk]

Another reason for keeping documentation ....it will help you break the lease if you are still under one, without penalty if you guys end up moving back to Illinois before the lease is up.

[Chris_]

It's only $300 to break our lease.  The lease is up on Thanksgiving. 

We have contacted corporate before... when maintenance entered our apartment illegally in April 2009.  They claimed I made a work order, but I did not and my phone records also showed that I never called them.  They day I supposedly called them, I was home sick from work.  I had lost my voice, migraine, and running nose.  I asked them why I would even call them if I felt like shit.  They had NO answer.

The corporate manager offered us a $50 gift card.  I told him he could shove it where the sun don't shine because a gift card would not fix the fact that they entered illegally.  It got us NO WHERE.  I even e-mailed him the links to the Nevada tenant laws about entering without permission.  Nothing happened.  All we got was, "oops, oh well, want a gift card?" 

I'd love to move to a whole new property and company, but it's just so much of a hassle.  It's not even worth it since we could possibly be moving to Illinois.

We finally got a new washer & dryer though.  We had to call them constantly to make sure things were getting done.  I think the ladies in the leasing office play on Facebook and eat bon bons all day.  Once one of the guys from maintenance came over, everything was taken care of quickly. 

We can't wait for the day where we no longer have to rent.

[littlelamb]

We used to rent our home while the Ex was in the military we had a few crappy tenants until our last one she was wonderful.
She took care of the home like it was hers.
She was great until she got injured at work then quickly she let the house go to shit.
By the time she moved out it was covered in black mold and roaches.