Landlord won't fix my A/C - any ideas?

[The GIGGAS]

Re: Landlord won't fix my A/C - any ideas?

That sounds like it should shock them into shape on this issue. Keep us up to date on this, man.

[ODogg]

Re: Landlord won't fix my A/C - any ideas?

Yeah it's pretty good I think. I will certainly update everyone. People who are responsible and pay their bills on time should not be treated like dirt. This company should fear me, I have a vendetta now and a lot of money to do whatever it takes to make them miserable!!

[ODogg]

Re: Landlord won't fix my A/C - any ideas?

And if nothings done in a couple of weeks, or if this gets any nastier, I may just look into a huge banner to unfurl or a large sign to put in the yard about them. I seriously will do that too. That's a brilliant idea.

[stlstudios189]

Re: Landlord won't fix my A/C - any ideas?

This time of year in Ohio the temp can be 54 one day and 88 two days later so I would think they would want to keep their $995 a month resident but, if not submit your 30 day notice and move out.

[jonpt]

Re: Landlord won't fix my A/C - any ideas?

Hey ODogg, I think you're doing all you can. I am a leasing manager at an apartment complex with over 200 units. Have been for almost 20 years now. Like someone mentioned earlier it is all about priority. Best thing you can do is stay on them every day about the problem. Longest we have let an a/c go is maybe 3 days but some smaller things get pushed aside sometimes if we are busy. I can tell you that most times the people who get things done faster are the ones who drive the office and maintenance staff crazy with their persistance. The ones who go a few days between complaints unfortunately get put on the back burner sometimes on smaller things at our complex.

As far as legal matters, I'm not sure what you can do. Really, leases aren't set up for the resident but for the owners. For example in our leases it states that Resident is responsible for all repairs required for damages caused by his negligence. And that the Resident agrees to let the Owner's agents enter the premises at a reasonable time to make necessary repairs. Not much else is stated about maintenance. Most leases will say nothing in a case such that you have because they're not set up for the resident.

We have had residents call code on us before but it has never got beyond a phone call. One woman did call code on an a/c we were really not fixing because she was evicted for non payment of rent and refusing to move. We just gave code the "we are waiting on a part" bs and they never called back. No way we were doing anything for somebody who destroyed her apartment and was not paying rent.

But like I said, The ones who usually get the quickest service are the ones who pay their rent and call us constantly to see if things are getting done. So if I was you I would just stay on them about it. If they get irritated, you know it's working cause then most likely you will be a higher priority just so you will leave them alone. Don't threaten though just be persistent. That is if they actually answer the phone. I know alot of places that use messaging to handle maintenance..Good Luck!!

[ODogg]

Re: Landlord won't fix my A/C - any ideas?

jonpt - thanks for the advice. i think you're right, i'm going to keep calling them and emailing them.

[ODogg]

Re: Landlord won't fix my A/C - any ideas?

I just left a voicemail with the president of the realty place. The woman handling maintenance wouldn't give me his number so I called and selected the directory and typed his name in to get it. I hope he calls back. I'm going to come at him with a sympathetic, please help me out here tone and not a confrontational one.

Honestly I think a big part of this issue that angers me is how the office manager Debbie has treated me. She has this attitude of annoyance that I'm interrupting her day. And her emails just have a real "who the heck are you to be questioning me??" tone.

Terrible customer service. She needs to take a course in how to deal with customers I think.

[Pokes]

Re: Landlord won't fix my A/C - any ideas?

I just left a voicemail with the president of the realty place. The woman handling maintenance wouldn't give me his number so I called and selected the directory and typed his name in to get it. I hope he calls back. I'm going to come at him with a sympathetic, please help me out here tone and not a confrontational one.

Honestly I think a big part of this issue that angers me is how the office manager Debbie has treated me. She has this attitude of annoyance that I'm interrupting her day. And her emails just have a real "who the heck are you to be questioning me??" tone.

Terrible customer service. She needs to take a course in how to deal with customers I think.

Luckily the place I live at now is very laid back when it came to management. The place I lived at before is one of those typical college student apartments that nearly everyone that works there is a student and the employees would often get attitudes with you openly.

[jonpt]

Re: Landlord won't fix my A/C - any ideas?

I just left a voicemail with the president of the realty place. The woman handling maintenance wouldn't give me his number so I called and selected the directory and typed his name in to get it. I hope he calls back. I'm going to come at him with a sympathetic, please help me out here tone and not a confrontational one.

Honestly I think a big part of this issue that angers me is how the office manager Debbie has treated me. She has this attitude of annoyance that I'm interrupting her day. And her emails just have a real "who the heck are you to be questioning me??" tone.

Terrible customer service. She needs to take a course in how to deal with customers I think.

I think that is the best course of action. Sometimes you just got to be a bigger person and try to handle it in a professional way even though management may not be. Just keep her annoyed and eventually she will probably want to get you off her back as long as she doesn't see it as confrontational and it gets personal to her.

One other thing I forgot to mention. If ,unfortunatley, you do have to move do not tell the places you are applying to why you are moving. Even though your problem is very legit, most experienced managers will see your complaining about previous maintenance or how bad the manager is as a bad thing for you. They have no way of knowing the "real story" and will label you as a "chronic complainer" even though like I said it is very legit. Some managers may even ask you what you thought of the place your living at. That is usually just bait to see how you react. Managers will find ways to turn those who complain down or discourage them from renting there...just part of the business. Just trying to help bro! Good luck again!

[ODogg]

Re: Landlord won't fix my A/C - any ideas?

I have to move at the start of next year and my job ends at the end of the year so moving is pretty much out of the picture due to the expenses on my savings and the effort and everything else it would require. So yeah that's pretty much out at this point. If it gets hot I'll just have to get some window A/Cs I guess.

The woman that lives in the other unit (it's a duplex) hates the management company too. She had bad bugs and they just basically told her "well houses have bugs, not much you can do" and didn't even work with her on trying to fix. Basically they just want to sit back and collect money and not listen to their tenants. It's deplorable IMO.

[ODogg]

Re: Landlord won't fix my A/C - any ideas?

Could we report them to the Better Business Bureau?

[cardsfan2222]

Re: Landlord won't fix my A/C - any ideas?

Could we report them to the Better Business Bureau?

You can, but the BBB doesn't have authority to make them do anything. Businesses don't have to respond to the BBB, but if they don't they may get a lower rating from them. My only experience with the BBB wasn't great because they really didn't do anything but pass my complaint on to the company, who I had already complained to.

[JBH3]

Re: Landlord won't fix my A/C - any ideas?

I'd tell them that I had blood pressure issues. If they didn't fix it within the next day or so, I would talk to them about getting out of your lease.

If he doesn't have high blood pressure or any other documented medical illness in which lack of climate control would aggravate now you've just advised him into fraud.

[ODogg]

Re: Landlord won't fix my A/C - any ideas?

Luckily for me I do have a long history of high blood pressure though. I sometimes have it now depending upon when it's taken but it's well documented as I used to take a lot of medication for it when I was fatter.

[ODogg]

lol, yeah, lucky me huh?