Can I take my landlord to court for not fixing a leak in my apartment, which has ruined my bed and boxspring?

Get Legal Help Today

Compare Quotes From Top Companies and Save

secured lock Secured with SHA-256 Encryption

Can I take my landlord to court for not fixing a leak in my apartment, which has ruined my bed and boxspring?

My landlord refuses to fix a bad leak in my bedroom window that has ruined my bed and boxspring. Each time it rains, or even sprinkles, water rushes in through my window. I noticed for the first time yesterday that it is now causing the plaster to bubble and leak in other parts of the wall. I have repeatedly asked the landlord and his assistant to please come fix the problem, but each time I talk to them, they claim that I never told either of them about the problem and will “call me back” when someone can come out. They have not once called me and its been over 2 weeks. What should I do?

Asked on June 13, 2012 under Real Estate Law, Pennsylvania

Answers:

Andrew Goldberg

Answered 11 years ago | Contributor

First, send your landlord a certified letter notifying him or her of the leak and resulting damage. Second, you can pay your next month's rent into an escrow account and not to the landlord. You would send a second letter, regular mail and certified mail, informing the landlord that you are withholding rent payment but are  ( to comply with the law ) putting it in an escrow account until the leak is fixed. You must confirm the name and address of the bank and the bank account number for the escrowed money or escrow account. The escrowed money cannot be comingled with your money. It must be in a separate account.


IMPORTANT NOTICE: The Answer(s) provided above are for general information only. The attorney providing the answer was not serving as the attorney for the person submitting the question or in any attorney-client relationship with such person. Laws may vary from state to state, and sometimes change. Tiny variations in the facts, or a fact not set forth in a question, often can change a legal outcome or an attorney's conclusion. Although AttorneyPages.com has verified the attorney was admitted to practice law in at least one jurisdiction, he or she may not be authorized to practice law in the jurisdiction referred to in the question, nor is he or she necessarily experienced in the area of the law involved. Unlike the information in the Answer(s) above, upon which you should NOT rely, for personal advice you can rely upon we suggest you retain an attorney to represent you.

Get Legal Help Today

Find the right lawyer for your legal issue.

secured lock Secured with SHA-256 Encryption