Rent Problems Are Frustrating; but you're not alone: Thousands of tenants rely on RPA to solve problems
Violation Of Peaceful Enjoyment/ Retaliation | Case#**-*005
Beaumont,
Texas -
77708
I have been dealing with landlord going into my unit for reasons not listed on my lease several times. Also while my 15 year old daughter was home alone Jennifer Doucet has went in and stole my daughters cellphone. In which I had to demand her to bring it back.
Another occasion is when my 15 year old daughter was home alone Tracy Doucet had no reason to enter the property. He entered the home without knocking while I was a work. Knocked on my daughters bedroom door asking to use her phone. During that time she was undressed. Several times I have to speak with Jennifer Doucet about entering my home digging through my things. Because of the ongoing violation of privacy and excessive entrance into the home I sent a certified letter to cease entering the home because landlord was in breach of lease and violating me peacefully being able to enjoy my unit. After receiving the letter the landlord still entered the unit. Also since trying to exercise my tenant rights a letter was sent to me via text and put on my door for a removal of a pet that was given to me by the landlord.
water shut off with no warnings, crazy tenants, constant plumbing problems | Case#**-*989
Sherman Oak,
California -
91403
No warning for water shut off, I can hold you all responsible for damages it has caused. Tired of crazy neighbor that yells "Nigger" at the top of his lungs. Constant plumbing problems. Ask for repairs, only get patch work and guy comes back again and again and still no fix. Big moldy grass patch out front, always wet and stinky.
Covered parking would be nice.
Deposit Problems | Case#**-*515
Salem,
Oregon -
97301
I was refused our deposit back as well as being charged an extra $275.00 for unaccountable charges, by my ex landlord. I will be adding supportive documents to prove my case is valid.
Failure To Provide Habitable Conditions. | Case#**-*833
Atlanta,
Georgia -
30331
I leased the property beginning Jan 1, 2016, but didn\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\'t get the utilities turned on until Feb 5, so I didn\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\'t stay there consistently before then. Soon after, I started noticing and notifying the landlord of property. Informed her of roach infestation in January. She had the exterminator come out in Feb. Reported being bitten by something while I slept. Huge bites on my arm and face. The exterminator came out two times. The second time, he exterminated thoroughly with a substance that was supposed to kill most bugs. Two days later, roaches return and I\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\'m being bitten again. He told me to tie my clothes up tight in a bag (so they wouldn\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\'t infest my car) and take them to the laundromat. Instead, I washed them in my apartment. Moved into the next room. No bites for two days. Sat on bed, and got bite on my hip which swole a lot.
Premises were Uninhabitable
Apt hadn\\\\\\\\\\\'t been cleaned before move in. Upon the tenant\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\'s request, the landlord had a cleaning lady clean the apt. A lot of dead roaches behind stove. Cleaning lady identified the stove as food source for the roaches. Said she could not remove all of the built up and cooked on grease that was serving as a source of food. I asked the landlord to remove if not replace the stove, because the exterminator also identified it as a food source for the roaches. She said she\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\'d have it cleaned again.
The landlord had contractors come to address tenant issues, as requested, for the most part. Tenant found out from neighbor that the roach problem has been ongoing and persistent over the past couple of years. This suggests the need to exterminate the entire building. No such arrangements were made. Tenant asks for return of money, citing the pest control issues of roach infestation and something that is biting the tenant while she sleeps. Landlord agrees to return tenant\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\'s money, in exchange for keys. Tenant says she needs 30 days to find a place to live. They agree to exchange keys and money when tenant finds a new place to live. Tenant says she\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\'ll stay if the landlord eliminates the pest control issues.
Landlord refuses to pay for lost or damages possessions due to infestation, but says she will pay for tenant\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\'s clothes to be dry cleaned when she is ready to move. Feb 25, tenant is awaken twice in the night by itching and biting. Tenant is bitten in the face leaving a huge knot on her forehead. Tenant finds bug and bed bug expert says \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\"it\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\'s definitel
Ongoing Failure To Repair | Case#**-*245
CHICAGO,
IL -
60707 2952
Water is leaking into 2nd floor bedroom and has been for 6 months, water leaking into 1st floor dining room-fixed twice but celing open. Continuous bug problem from moisture. No air returning in second floor so it is 10 to 15 degrees colder than 1st floor and hotter in summer. Hvac is malfunctioning. Landlord knows air ducts need to be added and won\'t because he has to open celing. Admitted problem and said we can live with or move out.
My rent check balance no written notice | Case#**-*760
TEXARKANA,
AR -
71854 5830
My mom got a call on her business line, that my rent checked balance on 8/23 it was sent back from the bank. they told my mom that i have until Monday 8/26 before noon to pay the rent or they will start taking legal action against me, plus fraud since i wrote a bad check. My mom explained she just started to service once again do not get paid until 9/8 but they do not care and and I can make it up with my check on the 3rd of septmeber/ they said they do not care. It has to be in their office on monday. No written noticed or anything and now i am being charged. I am scared and my mom can't handle me since i am very stress out and with my disabilities it is affecting me lot more. they never provided me any payment plan for my balance check and rent. They told my mom if the rent is not in the office they will start legal action and have me proscuted for fraud and writing a hot check. When I moved into my apartment never got a copy of the agreement/
I went ot the office lot of time to asked for the keys for the laundry mat but they did not have it or the gym keys. There were dead bugs when i moved into the apatment. Plus the built and microwave is not working either/
Harassment from False Complaints | Case#**-*431
ORLANDO,
FL -
32825 5914
Downstairs neighbor has complained several times over the last two months about noise allegedly coming from our apartment. I took the time to go to the office and explain that the noise was not coming from our apartment. The management told me they would let the complainant(s) know and we should stop receiving complaints. However, we have received a visit from the office employee regarding additional complaints as well as a visit from the onsite security guard who is an off-duty highway patrolman. This visit came at 7:45 pm on a Friday night when only one resident was inside of the apartment, sitting down using the computer (and this explanation clearly shows no noise was being made to warrant a complaint of banging and loud noises being made). I must now file this complaint with the rental protection agency in order to protect my husband and myself from harassment because our neighbor(s) choose to complain about normal noise levels, which is causing an additional and unjust burden on us. We are feeling stress from these complaints because they are impeding our own quiet and rights to enjoy our apartment space.
bed bugs | Case#**-*800
CONCORD,
CA -
94520 4110
I was moving into the apt complex and the landlord was talking to the orchid guy and they were talking about bed bugs in a unit right next door. they said it was okay for me to move in so i did. a few days after getting settled in i started to see bugs on the walls of my living room. I reported it right away, they said they had treated my apt. i also bombed the apt on my own and i bought sprays to kill the bugs however every night they kept coming back. then a few days later i started to see bites all over my body. my friend had spent the night at the apt twice and she started to have the same bites all over her body. i reported it and they said they would have to treat the apt again. by then i was stressed and just wanted to move out. they said they would give my deposit back and the days i wasn't sleeping there. i was and still am in under lots of stress, i had to bring my stuff to storage and all my clothing and some furniture got ruined i had to throw most furniture out.
Refusal To Return Security Deposit Along With Interest As Required | Case#**-*205
MILTON,
West Virginia -
25541
Now Comes Ruby Rigney , former tenant, alleges and states as follows:
1. On or around November 11, 1998, Ruby Rigney and her sister as tenant [s] and Milton Housing Authority as landlord through Jack Hatfield, its authorized agent,
entered into a Lease Agreement for 1315 Smith Street, APT 208, hereby known as Milton Manor.
2. Milton Housing Authority and Milton Manor is regulated by FmHa and are required to follow and comply with their regulations for Apartment 208.
3. Ruby Rigney and her sister received FmHa rental assistance for Apartment 208
4. Ruby Rigney and her sister monthly rental payment for Apartment 208 on said date of November 11, 1998, was $ 245.00 dollars as set forth and
determined by Form FmHa 1944-8.and thereafter for the initial term of the lease agreement. at said address, at Milton Manor.
5. Ruby Rigney and her sister 's security deposit in the amount of $ 245.00 dollars for said apt 208, at Milton manor., was required to be placed in
a interest bearing account for them during their tenancy at Apt. 208., by Milton Housing Authority.
6. Ruby Rigney and or her sister resided at apt. 208, at Milton Manor from December 1, 1998 through January 4, 2013.
7. Ruby Rigney vacated apt. 208, at Milton Manor, on January 4, 2013, with two days still in full force and in effect. on her rental period.
8. Ruby Rigney returned apt 208, at Milton Manor in as good condition as when taken, except for reasonable use and wear as described under
West Virginia Law. A visual inspection was performed and conducted by the authorized manager , of Milton Housing Authority.with no DAMAGES
described and or noted on the signed and dated inspection log and or on the moving out check list he provided to her on January 9, 2013..
9. Ruby Rigney and her sister security deposit for apt 208, at Milton Manor cannot be used for any other purposes except for damages caused to it
under West Virginia State Law.
10. In Accordance with Federal Regulations, it states that if Tenant, Ruby Rigney received rental assistance during her tenancy at apartment 208, at
Milton Manor, Milton Housing Authority shall be REQUIRED to return her security deposit within thirty [30] days after she move out., and or serve
upon her a written notice explaining in detail why they are not returning her security deposit by first class mail.
11. Milton Housing Authority has refused to to PERFORM either .
AFTER BURGLAR, MINIMUM REPAIRED, BROKER DOESNT CALL FOR A WEEK. | Case#**-*850
RICHMOND,
California -
94804
The house that I rented in was break in by burglar on 9/8. Small repair was done in the front door, and alarm was installed and repaired the old door on 9/9.
Finally the old door removed to put the new door on 9/12-this was not done at the beginning since there was problem to find the right door size. The old door is trashed in front of the yard along with attached alarm. So I had the place without alarm for several days. Finally the new door installed(raw material, chipped here and there and with marked everywhere-dirty door) and I had to call for the alarm guy to find the sensor from the front yard where they trashed the old door. On 9/12 Darryl-the agent come just to make appointment with the door guy-and he was going on vacation. A handyman came over on 9/15, but did not fix the front door-the hinges and knobs front and back door are supposed to be taken care of per Darryl. The handyman did not do the work on the doors and left saying he is busy and will not be able to do the work in the future. I have texted Darryl on 9/15 and today 9/23-asking him to come over to inspect the door when he comes back. He has not responded back. I do not know the owner and only deal with darryl as the broker. He is always acting unprofessional and careless. I am staying in this apartment and felt unsafe after the break in. I like to get some help with this situation. Thank you.
Complaint Process in 3 Simple Steps:
File Apartment Complaint: Fill out complaint form with your proposed resolution. Instantly recieve your case number.
Check Status: See the current status, respond, upload files or images, accept fair solution or purpose alternative solutions.
Landlord Public Record: Positive or Negative record is attached to landlord based upon their responses. Your (tenant) information is not made public.
Complaints Tips:
Uploading pictures / files is helpful
Try to request fair solutions
Focus on major issue, not on many
Check your status every 3 days
Avoid accusations or hostile tones
Be willing to accept alternate solution
How Does the RPA Help Resolve Rental Problems?
Once you file a complaint, the RPA will contact your landlord or property manager to mediate a prompt resolution. The RPA online mediation system provides an effective complaint resolution process that helps solve problems quickly. Complaints filed through the RPA are documented and help protect tenants' rights by providing a program that protects against landlord retaliation and unfair practices. Agreements reached through the RPA Apartment Complaint Center are legally binding and enforceable. When required the complaint can be used as evidence in court.
The RPA requires a $35 one-time processing fee to cover the cost associated with contacting the landlord, online mediation, paperwork, and public record filing. Prior to 2006 the RPA complaint program had no fee. However, due to abuse by tenants that were filing bogus complaints; the RPA found it necessary to charge of fee to eliminate fake complaints and to cover costs associated with complaint handling. If you are looking to report the problem only and not seeking a resolution, you can use our free Report Landlord option. (The report landlord option will only document the problem and will not provide any assistance in resolving disputes.)
Tip: On your complaint form you can request that management reimburse you for RPA filing fees.
How long does the process take?
The RPA is able to resolve complaints fairly quickly, unlike court or other legal options. Cases are normally assigned in the order received; however, you can upgrade your case to be rushed if you need your case escalated. (option available immediately after filing)For fastest processing try to submit your complaint before the next processing deadline. (Count down shown next to "File Complaint" button.) Once the mediation process begins, your landlord will have 3 business days to respond to the mailed notice. If a landlord email address is provided the RPA will send out both a written notice and email notice which can provide an immediate resolution. Many times cases are resolved immediately after receiving the RPA® notice, however depending on the complaint, it can take longer if both parties are unable to reach an agreement quickly.
Tip: To speed up the process... On the complaint form request reasonable and fair solutions.
Does the RPA Guarantee to Resolve Every Complaint?
Each complaint is guaranteed to be worked by the RPA complaint system. The RPA mediation system will work to resolve every complaint regardless of how big or small the complaint. However, the RPA can't guarantee the end results of any complaint. While we work to solve each complaint, the guarantee is limited to our processing of your complaint. All fees associated with the complaint are non-refundable dispute the outcome of the complaint. Each complaint is Guaranteed to be worked by our complaint system and will be documented against the landlord should they fail to cooperate.
Tip: To get positive resolutions to your complaint; try providing resolutions that are fair.
What Happens After I file a Complaint?
Upon filing your landlord / property manager complaint you will instantly receive a case number. Your complaint case number can be used to immediately access your complaint status page. The RPA will process your complaint and contact your landlord for an immediate resolution. On your status page you can view case status, upload files or images, respond to the complaint, update/ change resolutions, accept or close complaint. The RPA complaint center updates your case status in real time and provides you with tracking to see exactly what is happening with your complaint. Once the case is closed, the complaint will be attached to your landlords public record which is quickly indexed by all major search engines. (Your information is never made public)
Tip: Check your case status at least every 3 days. (Respond / update your case as required)
Protection Against Landlord Retaliation
Its unlawful for your landlord to retaliate against you because you filed a complaint. Your landlord cannot evict, harass, limit access, raise rent, or treat you unfairly because you filed a complaint. As a tenant, you must still pay rent and comply with rent terms stated within your contract. Filing a complaint does not eliminate your responsibilities.
Tip: Check your case status at least every 3 days. (Respond / update your case as required)
Who Can File a Complaint with the RPA?
Any renter located in the United States of America has the right to file a complaint with the RPA. The RPA does not accept complaints outside of the USA. In general, the RPA will accept every complaint regardless of how big or small the problem may be.
Tip: When possible, try resolving your problem with your landlord before filing a complaint.
