Posted by DK on December 07, 1998 at 12:57:25:
In Reply to: Screwball landlord & wife posted by Kathleen on December 06, 1998 at 14:24:05:
It sounds like you're not really compatible with your landlords. If there are so many problems that you cannot work out, does it really make sense to stay there? I would urge you to have a calm, serious discussion with them about the issues which you've raised. In a calm and non-threatening way, you should let them know that you would consider moving if the problems cannot be resolved.
Ordinarily a landlord cannot threaten eviction because a tenant complains to the authorities, but the retaliatory eviction law in New York (Real Property Law section 223-b) does not apply to owner-occupied buildings with less than four units.
Even still, you are a month-to-month tenant, which means that your landlord must give you at least one month's notice before you can be evicted. In New York City, the termination notice must be in writing and must be served in a formal manner.
: my landlord's wife is overweight, and complains that the heat bothers her. I've complained more than several times in the past two years to him about the heat not being on, and finally got to the point that I told him that I was either going to purchase two portable heaters(1 for the living room, 1 for the bedroom) and deduct the purchase price and the difference in my electric bill from the rent, or I would have no other choice but to report this to the heat complaint board. His answer was that if I did either that I would have to move!. He & and his wife have also on numerous times rang the phone , stomped on the ceiling, banged on the door, and even flushed the toilet upstairs in their premised when they would hear the water running, and on several occasions asked why the water was running. When I explained that I was taking a shower/washing the dishes etc. the response I got from him was "didn't you do that yesterday?". He cites that the septic tank has collaped and is corroded and that the amount of water needs to be watched carefully, but yet he, his wife, son and other family member use the water to no avail. e.g. washing clothes (serveral loads), washing their cars watering the law, filling the swimming pool. It seems that when it comes to them using the water there is no problem. I happen to know that the septic system is corroded and have contaminated the entire system. This problem has been on going for the past 2 years now, and the landlord refuses to fix the septic tank and thus eliminate the problem. Also one day I was 1 day late with the rent. His wife threatened me and told me that the rent was due on the 1st of the month not the second. What can I do about these problems???? They have stated more than serveral times that THEY OWN the house, and therefore can do whaterever they want, and if I don't like it I can move out!
: The house is Privately owned by them and I have no lease. Somebody Please help???
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