Date Posted: 2012-06-04 02:53:56
Site Posted: Myproperty.ph
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As a general rule, the landlord is in charge of taking care of any repairs that the property you are renting may need. On the other hand, you don’t want to appear too needy and risk being written off as annoying by calling your landlord for every single concern. Here are some common scenarios in houses, apartments or condos for rent; and tips on when to ask the landlord for assistance.
A leak in the middle of the night has left your apartment completely soaked.
Don’t wait until the morning before calling your landlord; contact him as soon as you can. You might be rousing him from sleep, but fixing the leak as soon as possible can keep the damage from getting worse, which your landlord will be thankful for. Besides, even if you wanted to fix the leak yourself, you probably wouldn’t know the ins and outs of the pipes in the rental the way your landlord does, and you’d be wasting valuable time.
A rat is having a feast in your kitchen.
You do need to call your landlord, but how soon you do will depend on the urgency of the situation. If the rat is in the kitchen and you feel secure enough when you stay in your bedroom with the door shut, you can wait until the next day. On the other hand, if you have kids, you should call immediately, as rats can bite. The landlord is responsible for calling in an exterminator, but depending on the circumstances that brought the rat in, he can charge you for the service if it turns out to be your fault (check if your housekeeping efforts, or lack thereof, may have led to the infestation).
There has been an increase in the neighborhood break-ins, and you’re concerned about safety.
You can wait until business hours before calling your landlord. If you are renting a house, the most that a landlord can do is coordinate with you about steps you can take together, such as replacing flimsy locks and installing better outdoor lighting. If you are in an apartment or condo and crime seems to be concentrated in your complex, the landlord is responsible for ensuring the security of the entire building and surrounding areas.
The noise next door is making sleep impossible.
If you have asked your neighbor to keep it down and they oblige, then there’s no need to tell the landlord about it. On the other hand, if it happens frequently enough, or if you have talked to them and they refused to be quiet, you can ask the landlord to deal with it. In instances such as this, the neighbor has prevented other people from living peacefully in their homes, which can be grounds for eviction.
While renting does come with the privilege of leaving certain things up to the landlord, you have to remember that you may not be the only tenant whom he has to deal with every day. If you want to maintain a good landlord-tenant relationship with them, you need to know your responsibilities as a renter, too.
Jillian Cariola, Writer
(cover image by RoganJosh)
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