I am a college student, and because of that, I have been paying rent (since October, month-to-month) on a ROOM in an apartment inside of a house. The house has two apartments and a studio in it. There are three other people living in the apartment I reside in, each of which have a separate lease.
I have had several problems since moving here, including disputes with the landlord regarding heat, electricity (the fuse kept blowing out) and, most ingly, rodents. She never fixed the latter problem. She claims she called an exterminator, who gassed the basement, but the handyman says the exterminator gassed for BUGS, and that even if he had treated the apartment for mice, it would have been proper for him to have treated all three floors since, otherwise, the mice would have simply traveled upward, to my apartment.
Additionally, I have had to call the police on two occasions because of aggravated harassment against me, courtesy of one of my roommates and her girlfriend. In one case, the roommate's girlfriend physically assaulted me, and in another, she and my roommate broke down the door to my room. When I spoke to the landlady about this, she became angry that I called the police, and has taken no steps to ensure my safety. Most appallingly, she recently asked me to leave, saying that 'I don't get along,' with the other roommates, and she has been getting complaints from them and the neighbors about my calling the police. I believe that calling the police was the only proper thing to do in my situation, and that her asking me to leave is retaliatory.
I was wondering what my options are in the way of suing the landlady. Can I sue her for at least part of the rent I've already paid, citing her lack of action in matters concerning the livability and safety of the apartment, or is that unheard of? If so, for how much and with what sorts of evidence?
Also, do I have to leave? It doesn't seem fair that she should ask me to leave because I called the police on someone who had been violating me! Surely there are laws which protect tenants in my sort of renter's situation from such nonsense.
Please help!