All right, it’s things like this that makes me feel like the world hates me. I am currently renting an apartment for 250 dollars a month. It’s a very nice size, with two bedrooms. I am looking after two 15 year old girls who live with me, one of which is my sister. Yes, I realize I could just move somewhere else, but I won’t be able to find a place cheaply. I cannot really afford it. Yes, I realize that there are many without homes, I am grateful for what I have, but It would be nice to have my home not suck so bad. Yes, I realize that the rent is very cheap. Very. However, there are a few problems. Lets start from the top.
The wiring is bad. It must be. Otherwise why would my hydro flicker all the time. Also why else would the hydro have gone out for almost 2 weeks in about 3/4s of my apartment.
It’s a shit hole. It is. There are holes in the walls everywhere and the ceilings are unfinished. There are parts where you can actually see up into the attic. I don’t really think I should be able to do that.
my stove. It does not work. I was told by my one friend, the electrician, not to use it . Why? The wires in the back are all fried and there was major evidence of arcing. I have not had the use of a stove for almost a month. I have also in the time since i have lived here, had the dryer die on me and the fridge freeze EVERYTHING.
there is no shower. that is fine, i mean bathes are all right. but it still sucks.
the floors are icky. yes, icky. they are heavily pitted and well, icky. I know its not the best rant in the world, but hey, that all I can think of right now
the landlord. Well, actually my building was taken over by a mortgage company, so their rep., however he is an ass. He has never shown up when he said he would, which would be fine If I didn’t have to work or to go to school full time. I mean, I would love to do nothing but wait all day for him to show up, well, why wouldn’t I?
However, the icing on the cake was today. I walk in to my little home and there he is. In my kitchen, “fixing it”. Notice the quotation marks, I put those there as I doubt he was “fixing it”.
Oh, well, my stove works now, mostly, but now I have no hydro at all in my kitchen, expect for the damn stove. My poor little fridge has about 5 extension cords running all the way into the living room so that all of my food won’t go bad. I haven’t called him yet, I know I need to, but he is such an ass everything I talk to him.
I’m thinking of going to the rental tribunal. I realize that is rather weak, may not even belong in the pit, but hey, here it is. I also apologize for the rambling. I am rather unhappy right now.
Yes, what is hydro? Since hydro (to me) implies water, I’m sure it would screw up your wiring.
As for the baths, I believe you can get a hose that attaches to the tub spout and turns it into a shower. You can get a shower rod that is pressure-mounted so it won’t damage the walls.
And as for seeing the insulation, that isn’t good.
hydro is another name for electricity. I live in southern Ontario and that’s what I and others have always called it. Sorry for any confusion. Fin_man we actually do have a hose thing, but it kinda sucks. Also, about seeing the insulation, there are a few parts where if someone was standing there, you could see them. I don’t think this place is insulated very well.
I can’t move. not really. I live here because I can afford it. I wouldn’t be able to afford much else, besides, I have trouble getting places to live. Housing is hard to come by where I live, also very few people will rent to me, as i am only 18.
I’m sorry the place is such a crap-hole. Would you be interested in looking into picking up a do-it-yourself book and spending some time (and hopefully very little money) fixing what you can? I know, you shouldn’t have to but it could make things nicer.
On another note, we have a 18-year old (and I’m assuming female) living with her 15-year old sister and another 15-year old. This could be verrrryyy interesting. :dubious: STOP THAT!, you are a married man. You should not be thinking like that. :smack: :smack:
You are living in a slum and your landlord is a SLUMlord. There has to be some sort of regulation that has to be followed. Can you look into welfare? This is not a good environment for any of you. I’ve lived in some pretty crappy places, but yours sounds much worse. Make some calls. There has to be SOMETHING out there that you can afford.
250 canadian? That place must be a dive. You really need to contact some agencies that can help you and your charges get some better lodging. From what little you have shared, it sounds like you have little to no family (estranged?). If you were in the US, I could probably give you a few places that may be able to help. Your situation sounds dire. I hope some of our Canadian friends can give you some ideas. I don’t mean to pry, but it sounds strange that you are taking care of 2 minors and one of them is not related. This situation sounds like a disaster in the making. You definately need some help, and I don’t mean that to be mean. I’m not sure what I can say or offer.
Fin_man we have actually have done a lot of fixing up. We are still doing more. I’m lucky in that my dad lives in the same town and used to do construction. So he helps out with that sort of thing. However, my landlord guy does everything possible to make my life hell.
He has even broken into my apartment before, also he just drops in without calling, I’m pretty sure that’s against the law.
There is one other tenant in this building. We are both pretty sure that the company that owns this places wants us out. That way they can fix the places up and than charge 600-700 for rent. There’s a store at the bottom of the building that is empty. Right now they are losing a lot of money with this building.
Alright, as to why I look after my sister, I have a lot of problems with my mom and her boyfriend. Trust me on that. I moved out ten days after I was 18. I have another 15 yr old living with me becasue her home life sucks too. I am on welfare and i get about 280 a month from them. I get child support from my dad, so the three of us live on about 600 a month. The one child i am not receving anything for. I’m trying to put her on my welfare check, but her mother dosen’t want me to. I am also trying to get housing, but it takes about 3 to 4 months and i’m still waiting for my landlord to fill out a section. I am trying to get out of here, but it is hard. Besides, i am sure there are others out there that need it more than I do.
Did you make sure he hadn’t gone through your underwear drawers, and the rest of your stuff and stolen anything? That’s the first thing I’d do, if I found a strange male in my house “fixing” things.
Isn’t there a law, that says he has no right to enter your dwelling if you are not home? I’d write the incident down, and date it just in case. I’d also let a friend know what was going on. I hope he doesn’t make this kind of thing a habit. Does his office know what he’s been up to?
I’m remembering my friend who was 18 at the time, who had the same problem with her landlord. He ended up propositioning her, she turned him down, only to have him forcing his attentions on her again. She had to move because the pig was stalking her, and at that time, there were no anti-stalking laws in place. (Yes, it was over a decade ago.)
Good luck, I’ll pray you find a quick resolution to this. ((Poetchick85))
I think you may have bit off a bit more than you can chew. You may very well get in trouble for harboring a runaway. It might be true that the girls parents are aware of where she is, but you do not have legal custodianship of the girl and you are assuming responsibilities for her that you are not allowed to assume. It sound like you have found yourself a rough row to hoe, but it does sound like you have some very compelling reason to take that course. I hope other SDMB’ers have some better suggestions for you, right now I am at a loss since it sounds like you have already approached the agencies that are there for you.
I admire your attitude, but think of it this way: It’s not a hand out, it’s a helping hand. Too many irresponsible people use and abuse it as a hand out, and too few people such as yourself, who seem honestly responsible and interested in moving forward, take advantage of it. Take full advantage of it before scumbags like this guy try to take advantage of you. Check into educational opportunities, grants, or scholorships. Food shelves, etc.
I’d much rather see a responsible person helping themselves up getting my money than a chronic loser. In my opinion, you need it more than they do.
I could be charged? I never knew that, at all. As to living with my dad, he has his own problems. Besides, my brother is moving in with him in a week. (my brother is 12 and sick of my mom as well)
He has a wife and a step child as well. He also has no room for me to move in, even so, i don’t think I would want to. I remeber living with my dad, it was not fun. Zabali_Clawbane , I hate that he just lets himself in, but I can’t do much about it. It bothers me A LOT though
I suggest this with hesitancy, because of all the “roomate from hell” stories I’ve heard. However, could you maybe get an apartment with a friend? (Have a backup emergency plan in case you end up out in the cold.) You’d be out of that situation, and into a better one. See if it’s possible to have a roomate temporarily. Maybe someone who’s in a similar situation, who would be willing to “pool resources” to get out of their nightmare too? It’s a thought worth looking into at least.
Failing that, start documenting all the “incidents”. I don’t know what the law is in Canada, but here in the US, you’d probably be able to take legal action. If the company really is trying to run you out, then they need to be held responsible. They are causing you misery, just so they can eventually get fat wallets? That’s bullshit! Start keeping a record, and see if you can consult a lawyer. Find a safe place, like at your dad’s house to keep copies of your documentation, update the copied record regularly. Just in case the creep snoops and finds it.
You don’t have to put up with the crap this creep is dishing out to you. The fact that you are poor does not mean you have to live in squalor that the landlord won’t fix. I know, I’m poor myself. Stand up for yourself, don’t sit there and take this. Keep a record, then get to a lawyer, there’s free legal aid in Canada too, right? I might even go to a lawyer now, have them come to your place and see it for themselves.
Zabali_Clawbane , you are a sweetie. Very much so. I don’t know about a roommate, i’ve tried throwing the idea around before, and no one wanted to do somthing like that.
I am faxing stuff to the landlord, stating that there are problems i WANT taken care of. I don’t know if I should get a lawyer, I mean what would I do with him/her? I will prolly be in court later this month, my neighbour is being evicted and he wants me there to be a witness for him as I have also exspeanced how much of an ass this guy is. Also, does anyone else find it stange that they only have the key for the apartment with young females in it?
They don’t have a copy of my Neighbour’s key, but they do mine.
Yes, I find that very strange! :eek: Seriously, document this stuff, and look into legal aid, quickly. That’s just not good, it alarms the hell out of me. I’d not sleep well in your position. Not well at all. Start keeping records, and give copies of them to your dad. Keep us updated too, ok?