Vandalism: Who is reponsible? Landlord or me?

[LivinLaVivaPollo]

Been living at my apartment for a few months now, and recently someone has been screwing around with me.

A couple of times this past week, someone has been turning off my water main at night. Just recently, s/he also decided to superglue my deadbolt from the outside, rendering me unable to lock up my apartment, because I could no longer stick my key in there.

I missed a day of work, because I had to call a locksmith to fix the lock for me, and wait around all day for him to come.

I had to pay out of pocket for this. When I talked to my landlord, he referred to it as a security issue and not a rental issue, so he doesn't want to pay.

Who's liable?

And no, I don't have any enemies. I just moved in here recently. It's a brand new apartment complex, so these vandals couldn't have been targetting prior tennants.

 

[AgaBoogaBoo]

You're paying to use the apartment unit, however you couldn't get in because of issues like the lock being glued in. Sounds to me like even if it isn't his issue directly, it becomes his issue because you're not able to use what you're paying for.

 

[Fern]

Square One - What's the contract say?

Fern

 

[LivinLaVivaPollo]

Originally posted by: Fern
Square One - What's the contract say?

Fern

It actually mentions nothing about who's liable for vandalism.

Now that I'm looking at it... it mentions nothing about who's liable for fixing broking things in general, either...

 

[jagec]

You're paying to rent a brand-new apartment with fully functional locks. The moment it becomes anything else, either the landlord needs to fix it, or your rent needs to be adjusted.

 

[1sikbITCH]

It's probably your landlord stalking you. He's probably got cameras hidden all over your house!

 

[S Freud]

Originally posted by: jagec
You're paying to rent a brand-new apartment with fully functional locks. The moment it becomes anything else, either the landlord needs to fix it, or your rent needs to be adjusted.

Thats what I would say.

I face a similar situation with my landlord. My toilet stopped working and I couldn't get someone over to fix it since it was the weekend. They ended up replacing the toilet and now they are trying to get me to pay for the new toilet. :|

 

[Eli]

Originally posted by: S Freud

Originally posted by: jagec
You're paying to rent a brand-new apartment with fully functional locks. The moment it becomes anything else, either the landlord needs to fix it, or your rent needs to be adjusted.

Thats what I would say.

I face a similar situation with my landlord. My toilet stopped working and I couldn't get someone over to fix it since it was the weekend. They ended up replacing the toilet and now they are trying to get me to pay for the new toilet. :|

That's some bullsh!t right there.

 

[b0mbrman]

Originally posted by: LivinLaVivaPollo
Been living at my apartment for a few months now, and recently someone has been screwing around with me.

A couple of times this past week, someone has been turning off my water main at night. Just recently, s/he also decided to superglue my deadbolt from the outside, rendering me unable to lock up my apartment, because I could no longer stick my key in there.

I missed a day of work, because I had to call a locksmith to fix the lock for me, and wait around all day for him to come.

I had to pay out of pocket for this. When I talked to my landlord, he referred to it as a security issue and not a rental issue, so he doesn't want to pay.

Who's liable?

And no, I don't have any enemies. I just moved in here recently. It's a brand new apartment complex, so these vandals couldn't have been targetting prior tennants.

I don't know about the law but the couple times my tenants have had vandalism done to them, I've paid...

Now, if it becomes excessive or I find out that they're responsible, I'll kick them out...but for a one-time thing, I'll swallow the cost to keep a good tenant past their contract.

 

[lightpants]

Originally posted by: S Freud

Originally posted by: jagec
You're paying to rent a brand-new apartment with fully functional locks. The moment it becomes anything else, either the landlord needs to fix it, or your rent needs to be adjusted.

Thats what I would say.

I face a similar situation with my landlord. My toilet stopped working and I couldn't get someone over to fix it since it was the weekend. They ended up replacing the toilet and now they are trying to get me to pay for the new toilet. :|

Did you call the police?

 

[jupiter57]

Originally posted by: jagec
You're paying to rent a brand-new apartment with fully functional locks. The moment it becomes anything else, either the landlord needs to fix it, or your rent needs to be adjusted.

Do you work on retainer?

 

[Fern]

Originally posted by: LivinLaVivaPollo

Originally posted by: Fern
Square One - What's the contract say?

Fern

It actually mentions nothing about who's liable for vandalism.

Now that I'm looking at it... it mentions nothing about who's liable for fixing broking things in general, either...

Google around (renter rights in CA, etc). Often if an issue is not addressed in a contract some basic state or local law kicks in. I.e., if it isn't addressed directly it will default to one party automatically.

Fern

 

[CKent]

Originally posted by: S Freud

Originally posted by: jagec
You're paying to rent a brand-new apartment with fully functional locks. The moment it becomes anything else, either the landlord needs to fix it, or your rent needs to be adjusted.

Thats what I would say.

I face a similar situation with my landlord. My toilet stopped working and I couldn't get someone over to fix it since it was the weekend. They ended up replacing the toilet and now they are trying to get me to pay for the new toilet. :|

Crappy situation.

 

[JEDI]

Originally posted by: LivinLaVivaPollo
Been living at my apartment for a few months now, and recently someone has been screwing around with me.

A couple of times this past week, someone has been turning off my water main at night. Just recently, s/he also decided to superglue my deadbolt from the outside, rendering me unable to lock up my apartment, because I could no longer stick my key in there.

I missed a day of work, because I had to call a locksmith to fix the lock for me, and wait around all day for him to come.

I had to pay out of pocket for this. When I talked to my landlord, he referred to it as a security issue and not a rental issue, so he doesn't want to pay.

Who's liable?

And no, I don't have any enemies. I just moved in here recently. It's a brand new apartment complex, so these vandals couldn't have been targetting prior tennants.

u have sinned my child

 

[bobsmith1492]

Originally posted by: JEDI

Originally posted by: LivinLaVivaPollo
Been living at my apartment for a few months now, and recently someone has been screwing around with me.

A couple of times this past week, someone has been turning off my water main at night. Just recently, s/he also decided to superglue my deadbolt from the outside, rendering me unable to lock up my apartment, because I could no longer stick my key in there.

I missed a day of work, because I had to call a locksmith to fix the lock for me, and wait around all day for him to come.

I had to pay out of pocket for this. When I talked to my landlord, he referred to it as a security issue and not a rental issue, so he doesn't want to pay.

Who's liable?

And no, I don't have any enemies. I just moved in here recently. It's a brand new apartment complex, so these vandals couldn't have been targetting prior tennants.

u have sinned my child

??!?

 

[Farang]

Originally posted by: CKent

Originally posted by: S Freud

Originally posted by: jagec
You're paying to rent a brand-new apartment with fully functional locks. The moment it becomes anything else, either the landlord needs to fix it, or your rent needs to be adjusted.

Thats what I would say.

I face a similar situation with my landlord. My toilet stopped working and I couldn't get someone over to fix it since it was the weekend. They ended up replacing the toilet and now they are trying to get me to pay for the new toilet. :|

Crappy situation.

I'd be pissed.

 

[Amused]

Sounds like a lack of security. Your landlord is responsible.

 

[DrPizza]

I'm a landlord. Tenant's house had a door kicked in. It was reportedly her own son (who she had thrown out.) I'm not paying a penny to fix that door. Now, if it was someone actually breaking in who was a stranger... that's a little different.

However, as a landlord, I'd be pretty suspicious if someone was continually having vandalism done against them. You reported that you had problems a couple times in a week? That doesn't sound like random vandalism to me; it sounds more like you were targeted by someone (and therefore, your fault for some karmic reason.)


(is karmic the adjective for karma??)


Try this: since the problem has repeated itself several times, why not hook a camera up to your computer, stick it in the window, and record it for a few days/nights.