5 Bad Landlords You Might Meet—and How to Keep Them in Line
| Sep 14, 2017
Landlords wield an awful lot of power over their tenants—and where there’s power, it’s likely to be abused. We’re not saying all landlords are awful, but some sure can get annoying or offensive, or leave you in the lurch. To help you navigate these dicey scenarios, here’s a field guide to the five types of landlords you might encounter. We’ll show you how to deal with their worst behaviors so you can find a way to live happily under their roof.
1. The MIA landlord
You know that landlord who’s so impossible to reach, you wonder if he’s a figment of your imagination? Playing hard to get might work great for him, but tenants often need to get in touch with landlords for all kinds of issues, many of them urgent.
“All landlords, property managers, and building owners should be providing the tenant with emergency phone numbers,” says Denise Supplee, co-founder of SparkRental.com.
But if yours doesn’t—or rarely returns your calls or emails—it might be time to ignore polite decorum and be a squeaky wheel. Call and email daily if you must—it’s annoying, but it will likely get his attention. Or send a certified letter. Or, since you have to send a rent check every month, include a letter, pictures, or other evidence that details your problem with that check. If and when the check gets cashed, you’ll know your landlord received your complaints.
You might be tempted to withhold rent, but that’s rarely a good idea. Doing so can damage your rental payment history and credit score, or even give your landlord cause to evict you. In some states, withholding money is a viable option, but you should set that money aside in an account, because if you go to court and lose, you’ll have to pay it back.
2. The landlord without boundaries
On the opposite end of the spectrum are those landlords who are around way too much. Your landlord might call at all hours—or worse, drop by unannounced.
“A landlord is not permitted to drop by without notice,” says Supplee. That’s true even if he’s rapping on your door because you’re late on rent! In fact, in most places a landlord is required to give you 24 to 48 hours notice before visiting, and those visits are usually kept between the hours of 9 a.m. and 5 p.m.
So if your landlord’s barging in whenever he wants, you’ll want to politely but firmly make those restrictions clear. If you’re uncomfortable with being so direct, try something along the lines of, “I work long hours, so I prefer peace and quiet when I get home.”
If the problem persists, though, you might have to draw a harder line.
“Write down every date and time a landlord violates your privacy and send him a written request to stop,” says Supplee. “If the behavior continues, you may have to contact an attorney to file suit.”
3. The lazy landlord
Whether it’s a leaky faucet or a collapsed beam, your landlord is responsible for arranging and following through on certain repairs. So if he is dragging his feet, you have a few options.
“There’s a little-known tip called ‘repair and deduct,’” says Supplee. “Each state has its own requirements, but generally speaking, if the tenant gets the repair done, he or she can deduct the receipted amount from the rent.”
Thomas Mark, an attorney who specializes in tenant-landlord disputes, explains: “In court, you must show that the landlord knew about the problem and that he failed to repair the problem within a reasonable time.”
You can bolster your case with photos of the flaws, documented repair requests, inspection reports from professionals, and even witnesses in your apartment who can testify on your behalf.
4. The subtly discriminating landlord
Of course, you’d never choose to live under a landlord who’ll discriminate against you because of your race, gender, sexual orientation, or some other factor, but you can’t always tell right away. Some studies have shown that discrimination can manifest in subtle ways, like when landlords show you the laundry room and other facilities when showing you an apartment. Once you’ve moved in, a biased attitude might affect how long it takes them to respond to an email or phone call.
And “discrimination doesn’t have to be overt to be illegal,” says Mark. If a landlord makes you feel uncomfortable or unwelcome, you could have a case. When in doubt, contact the Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights to find out about housing discrimination enforcement agencies in your state.
5. The BFF landlord
Being pals with your landlord: What could be better? Don’t get too excited, though, because there’s a reason—several, actually—why it’s risky to do business with friends. For example, what toll will a rent hike take on your friendship? And what about repairs? At first, your landlord buddy might rush to fix your problems, but who’s to say he won’t count on your “understanding” that he can’t get to something right away?
Bottom line: Even if you’re pals, make sure there’s a rental lease in place outlining expectations in terms of rent, repairs, and other sticky issues. If you care about your friendship—and your home—it’s the best way to avoid messy misunderstandings.
Matt Christensen, who lives in Westlake, OH, has written for Maxim, Cosmopolitan, Men’s Journal, and other publications.
