Posted by Melissa on 10/12/2008, 10:09 pm
Hi,
Well...I've gotten myself into it this time. I'm 32 and single with a dog, so it's hard for me to find a place I can rent (regardless of the "ACT", if you're renting a basement it's nearly impossible to find a place where they'll take a dog).
Anyhow, I moved into this place on June 1st (basement) and the agreed upon rent was $750. There were a couple of things that the landlord didn't tell me - such as that I have to move someone else's BIG van in the evenings, as we have to share the driveway space. My unit also has laundry (very important to me) but you have to hook it up to the kitchen sink. This makes it very tedious as you can't get water from the sink or do dishes while you're doing laundry - the laundry machine also looks like it's from 1973.
So when I moved in I noticed a "running" sound from the toilet. I am not home all that much (full time marketing career) and I don't see my landlord that often (my cell also doesn't work in the basement so I don't usually think to call upstairs, etc.). Anyhow, when I saw my landlord a couple of months later he asked me how everything was going with the apartment and I said good, except for this one little issue with the toilet. He was all concerned - said he'd been away for a few weeks but his daughters (who live upstairs) had gotten a call from the town saying the house was using some huge amount of $$. He asked why I didn't tell the OTHER tenant in the basement about it and I said well....he's another tenant....why would I think to tell HIM about a problem in MY unit??
So....he fixed the toilet. About a week later I got home from work and he knocks on my door. He has this water bill for $1200 or so and says that it's because of the "running" toilet and that his normal bill is $100-$200 or something. He had old bills to support it....he was asking me for $$...I hesitated and he started saying how it was a "great" apt and it wasn't worth renting it out if this kind of thing was going to happen, etc. (keep in mind, the woman who lived here before me was here for 15 years but she never did her laundry here - she would go away on week-ends and do it somewhere else). He had asked me to give him $100 and after thinking about it for a half hour, I went upstairs and gave him a cheque for $100.
A few days later he came down to change the card in the satellite system (no pre-warning - just knocked on the door, walked in and pulled the card out, although I was watching a program on tv). He mentioned then that he had fixed the plumbing problem on July 21 and that the next billing date would start July 28 (e.g. insinuating that I would owe $$ on the next bill).
I didn't say anything.
So this Thanksgiving week-end I'm at home and I decide to put on a load of laundry. I affixed the "nozzle" onto the kitchen sink - I noticed that when I turned on the tap, some water was dripping over but after fiddling with it it didn't seem to want to go on any other way. I thought okay - it's going to drip some water in the sink but - oh well......
I left the room and was watching tv....after a few minutes I came back into the kitchen and the floor surrounding the machine was COMPLETELY FLOODED.....water was everywhere. I got out some towels to wipe it up (I have old, industrial-like carpet in my unit). I also called the landlord upstairs and told him I'd had an emergency with the washing machine.
He came down with an old wet-dry vac and started to try and suck up some of the water...the carpet was obviously really dirty (never been cleaned) because the water coming up was practically black. His back was obviously hurting him - I offered to vacuum it up but he refused.....he then went upstairs and got an ancient dehumidifier and said that would dry everything up.
At that point, he pulled out the water bill and said - "Oh...I hate to bring up $$ but....." and showed me a bill for $400. At that point, I said - "ACTUALLY - I called the LL and Tenant Act and they said that you weren't entitled to any $$ initially". He started becoming irate....saying how I hadn't put the "nozzle" on the sink correctly, etc. and that the washing machine was "brand new". I said uh huh - it looks like it's from 1973.
He also checked the toilet again and he said "Well..you know....these things (e.g. the running toilet) just don't happen on their own". I said to him - what do you think - that I fooled around with the toilet ON PURPOSE so it would start running?? I'm not a plumber!!
He then went on to say "This is NOT WORKING OUT". I said - so let's get this clear - are you EVICTING me??? If so, you need legal grounds. He says "Oh well...I don't know......blah blah blah"
THEN he turned around and said - well I am just going to have to up your rent to $800 a month. I (practically laughed) and said - umm...I think you'll find that you can't do that. As per the LLT Act you can only raise the rent X% per year and I've only been here since June 1st. He then said he would "talk to his lawyer" and he left.
At that point, I changed quickly, took my dog and went over to a friend's to chill. He called me about 1/2 hour later saying he was coming down with another wet/dry vac to try to clean up some more water. And I quote "I don't have a very good wet/dry vac but I don't have the $$ to buy another one" (this guy drives a Mercedes). I said fine - and he said - oh sorry about what I said - sometimes we all get upset and say things we shouldn't. I just said don't worry about it, etc. and that he had my permission to go into the unit.
He called back AGAIN another 20 minutes later or so saying he got most of the water...he was VERY demure - he kept repeating that I'd just maken a mistake (with the washing machine) and that we all make mistakes, etc. and that he was worked up and said somethings he shouldn't have, etc....and that we should "try to be friends".
He also started saying that he's had a lot of personal problems lately - his back bothering him, his sister ill in Ireland and that his daughter (upstairs) recently tried to commit suicide.....
I don't know what to do....I have compassion for this guy, but this was my THANKSGIVING WEEK-END and I really didn't anticipate someone threatening to evict me. My parents are trying to say that the whole thing should be "smoothed over" but I am pissed at this guy.....we ALL have personal problems but he has no right to try and bully me into giving him $$ that is not part of the rental agreement.....I feel like I am now walking on pins and needles until I inadvertently "slip up" on something....
btw......I have rented before and gotten along great with landlords....my dog (as am I) is quiet and I don't party/have people over late, etc....
I want out of here but there are costs associated with moving (and my parents don't want to move me again).......I highly suspect that this is an "illegal" apt....(although I think it's up to fire code).....this landlord keeps saying he was a Property Manager before......how can he be so ignorant about what is legal and what's not??
Any opinions?? I know I should probably stay but I'm waiting for the next "event" when this guy gets upset and starts threatening me again.....
Mel
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