I’m huddling beneath a blanket two sweaters and thermal socks as I type this.
It’s 58 degrees in my apartment!
It’s been like this for the past 4 days. I’ve tried contacting the super and he tried his best to fix it, but it seems the problem is more complicated than what he can handle. So he says he needs a plumber.
That was four days ago today he tells me that the owner believes there is nothing wrong. It’s freezing in this apartment! Nothing wrong my ass.
We do have warm water (though not really hot) but the water does not seem to circulate around the heaters. Their stone cold.
I’m worried that the temperatures will drop and I’ll wake up an icicle!
At the same time I don’t want to withhold my rent because I want to renew my lease next year (I really love this apartment).
WHAT DO I DO?!?!?
I still have my doubts about seeing a plumber any time soon.
Depending on what state/city you live in, you may have the right to call someone to fix it yourself and deduct that amount from your rent, or withhold rent until they get it fixed.
Where are you located? Every municipality has codes which lay out certain minimum requirements that landlords have regarding heat. Call your local housing authority, or ask at your friendly local public library for the local housing regulations.
Does the landlord pay your power bill? If he does, get a couple 3000w heaters, and make sure to inform the landlord that they’ll be running nonstop. If not, get a smaller 1500w unit and pick one room to keep warm. If you don’t open the door too much, it should be possible to keep it reasonably warm without too huge a hit on the power bill.
Free tip: before going to bed, make a sort of tunnel out of the covers and blow a hair dryer through it for a few minutes. Then climb into a toasty warm bed.
This, of course, is all merely stopgap measures while you utilize whatever means available to coerce the landlord into fixing the heat.
Screw the library, call city hall. There should also be some tenant/renters advocacy groups in your town that are staffed by hippies and law school interns that get off on “screwing” landlords (really, just getting them to do their jobs…).
I had similar problems with my former apartment, but making a pain out of myself was the best way to get the problem fixed. One thing you don’t want to do is start throwing around threats, remember that these people are responsible for not only giving you your deposit back but are potential references for your next apartment. Someone who has a reputation for threatening all sorts of legal action is not going to have an easy time getting a new place.
Of coure, it’s debateable whether or not they actually check references…
If you are going to throw down the glove, so to speak, when you talk to the Building Department, or whoever, ask about getting an inspector out, they’ll check several apartments and if something is amiss, likely fine, or threaten to fine the landlord. That will make them get off their asses!
