Can I get my landlord to help me with this?

[erub]

I rented a condo back in August. When I got the condo, I was looking at other similar units, but decided on mine in part because the monthly rent included cable and Internet. I asked him if it included ESPN,Fox Sports,Fox News (the three channels I watch the most). He said yes. The contract says that landlord will be responsible for cable and internet.

But now, the condo association has voted to switch away from the company that they are using, in large part because the company (PurDigital) isnt going to offer HDTV. I asked my landlord and he gave me permission to vote no, but the vote passed anyway. Now, they won't have as much of a package..all that will be included is a slower internet (damn, it was so awesome before), and the local channels, and CNN, TNT, USA. Everything else will have to be paid for separately thru DirecTV, costing me about $60/month after tax for what I had before for free.

The worst part is that they arne't lowering his HOA fee even though they are reducing what they are paying for cable/internet..that money will go for security (good, I guess..but sucks for me)

 

[Injury]

So... where's the question?

 

[keeleysam]

You'd like him to pay for the DirecTV?

 

[I Saw OJ]

Why not say forget direct TV and sign up for cable? Since you will be having to pay for either one, I should get to pick.

 

[SarcasticDwarf]

Best case scenerio? The landlord pays for part of DirecTV/whatever until your contract is up. Likely they will do nothing. I can see both sides of this.

 

[ultimatebob]

Your HOA fees include Cable and Internet access? Lucky bastard!

 

[mercanucaribe]

Fox News? Why don't you write a letter to Bill O'Reilly? I'm sure he can help you since he's a "culture warrior" and a douchenozzle.

 

[Garet Jax]

Your contract probably didn't specify speed requirements for the internet connection or specific channels for TV. So my guess is that as long he is providing something - he is satisfying the contract legally.

As a result, your only recourse would be to approach him on a gentleman's agreement level. He probably knows that the service is sub par to what you had when the agreement was made and therefore may feel obligated to remidy it. If not, there may not be much you can do.

 

[Vette73]

Originally posted by: mercanucaribe
Fox News? Why don't you write a letter to Bill O'Reilly? I'm sure he can help you since he's a "culture warrior" and a douchenozzle.

OH NOES!!!!! With out my faux news how will I ever know how the republicans are doing great and anything wrong with the country is the fault of those evil liberal Dem's.

 

[Kanalua]

You're out of luck, just pay for cable and internet like the rest of us.

 

[erub]

Originally posted by: I Saw OJ
Why not say forget direct TV and sign up for cable? Since you will be having to pay for either one, I should get to pick.

Can't, there is only one place where the feed can be brought into the building, its either DirecTV or the 'condo' channels.

Originally posted by: Kanalua
You're out of luck, just pay for cable and internet like the rest of us.

Right, but compared to the other units I was looking at at the time of renting, this was more pricey, but I chose the $100/extra per month based on the fact that I was going to get a good cable package and high-speed internet included (~$90-100)

 

[marulee]

Move out?

 

[Garet Jax]

Originally posted by: erub

Originally posted by: I Saw OJ
Why not say forget direct TV and sign up for cable? Since you will be having to pay for either one, I should get to pick.

Can't, there is only one place where the feed can be brought into the building, its either DirecTV or the 'condo' channels.

Originally posted by: Kanalua
You're out of luck, just pay for cable and internet like the rest of us.

Right, but compared to the other units I was looking at at the time of renting, this was more pricey, but I chose the $100/extra per month based on the fact that I was going to get a good cable package and high-speed internet included (~$90-100)

If that was truly part of your decision, then you should have asked for the exact criteria to be included in the contract thereby giving you an out if it changed.

As I said, approach your landlord and say what you said to us - I decided to pay the premium for your unit based on the upgraded internet and TV service. Now that has disappeared so has all my benefit of paying the extra $100.

 

[Injury]

Originally posted by: Garet Jax

Originally posted by: erub

Originally posted by: I Saw OJ
Why not say forget direct TV and sign up for cable? Since you will be having to pay for either one, I should get to pick.

Can't, there is only one place where the feed can be brought into the building, its either DirecTV or the 'condo' channels.

Originally posted by: Kanalua
You're out of luck, just pay for cable and internet like the rest of us.

Right, but compared to the other units I was looking at at the time of renting, this was more pricey, but I chose the $100/extra per month based on the fact that I was going to get a good cable package and high-speed internet included (~$90-100)

If that was truly part of your decision, then you should have asked for the exact criteria to be included in the contract thereby giving you an out if it changed.

As I said, approach your landlord and say what you said to us - I decided to pay the premium for your unit based on the upgraded internet and TV service. Now that has disappeared so has all my benefit of paying the extra $100.

:thumbsup:

Although the landlord, if smart, probably won't give a damn because he/she knows that you aren't going to go through the effort of moving out over it.

 

[Kanalua]

Originally posted by: Injury

Originally posted by: Garet Jax

Originally posted by: erub

Originally posted by: I Saw OJ
Why not say forget direct TV and sign up for cable? Since you will be having to pay for either one, I should get to pick.

Can't, there is only one place where the feed can be brought into the building, its either DirecTV or the 'condo' channels.

Originally posted by: Kanalua
You're out of luck, just pay for cable and internet like the rest of us.

Right, but compared to the other units I was looking at at the time of renting, this was more pricey, but I chose the $100/extra per month based on the fact that I was going to get a good cable package and high-speed internet included (~$90-100)

If that was truly part of your decision, then you should have asked for the exact criteria to be included in the contract thereby giving you an out if it changed.

As I said, approach your landlord and say what you said to us - I decided to pay the premium for your unit based on the upgraded internet and TV service. Now that has disappeared so has all my benefit of paying the extra $100.

:thumbsup:

Although the landlord, if smart, probably won't give a damn because he/she knows that you aren't going to go through the effort of moving out over it.

THese are the kinds of things I'm going to law school for.

Assume that if it's not in the contract yo have no protection. You personally made a decision based on a condition of service which had nothing to do with your housing contract. You took the risk of paying higher rent for a service that can and is routinely changed and terminated, as opposed for assuming that risk by paying for th at service yourself. You luck turned and that service changed, you negotiated and contracted for housing, not cable and internet service.

Unless your state has a statute specifically including cable and internet as a condition of the apartment, then if it's not in the contract your stuck...

Pay for cable and internet like the rest of us (or have you wife work somewhere that gives price break incentives on cable and internet services, like me!)

 

[erub]

Originally posted by: Kanalua

Originally posted by: Injury

Originally posted by: Garet Jax

Originally posted by: erub

Originally posted by: I Saw OJ
Why not say forget direct TV and sign up for cable? Since you will be having to pay for either one, I should get to pick.

Can't, there is only one place where the feed can be brought into the building, its either DirecTV or the 'condo' channels.

Originally posted by: Kanalua
You're out of luck, just pay for cable and internet like the rest of us.

Right, but compared to the other units I was looking at at the time of renting, this was more pricey, but I chose the $100/extra per month based on the fact that I was going to get a good cable package and high-speed internet included (~$90-100)

If that was truly part of your decision, then you should have asked for the exact criteria to be included in the contract thereby giving you an out if it changed.

As I said, approach your landlord and say what you said to us - I decided to pay the premium for your unit based on the upgraded internet and TV service. Now that has disappeared so has all my benefit of paying the extra $100.

:thumbsup:

Although the landlord, if smart, probably won't give a damn because he/she knows that you aren't going to go through the effort of moving out over it.

THese are the kinds of things I'm going to law school for.

Assume that if it's not in the contract yo have no protection. You personally made a decision based on a condition of service which had nothing to do with your housing contract. You took the risk of paying higher rent for a service that can and is routinely changed and terminated, as opposed for assuming that risk by paying for th at service yourself. You luck turned and that service changed, you negotiated and contracted for housing, not cable and internet service.

Unless your state has a statute specifically including cable and internet as a condition of the apartment, then if it's not in the contract your stuck...

Pay for cable and internet like the rest of us (or have you wife work somewhere that gives price break incentives on cable and internet services, like me!)

Cable and Internet are written into the contract, as utilities being paid for by owner. The channels required and the Internet speed are not, however.