I need some legal advise

[FlaChief58]

We've been renting our house for about a year and a half. About 6 months ago we started having septic problems due to a large tree close to the drainfield. On Thursday we started laundry before we left for dinner and when we came back, the master bath and the living room were flooded. We called the property manager to have the tank pumped again to get some temporary relief. She called me back and informed me that the slum lord told her that he's sick of our shit and won't fix the drain field and won't be renewing our lease.

My question is, do I have any chance of getting him to pay for our moving expenses since the house is unsafe to live in and we're in the middle of our lease? Thanks in advance

[BucEyedPea]

Originally Posted by Flachief58

I'm all ears

You must be funny looking then. But dont'cha mean eyes?

[Baby Lee]

Originally Posted by Flachief58

We have been documenting it all

Not gonna drop 3 k on new drainfields just to be forced to move in 5 months

Do you have a centralized low point in the drainage to your house, ie a drain in the floor at the low point in your basement?

If so, a clog buster might help you out.



You put it on the end of a hose hooked up to your water supply and put it into the drain. When you turn the water on, it forms a seal and froces water out the other end. This pressurizes your drainage system and forces water through your blockage. It won't take out the root system, but will flush all paper and solids trapped by the roots and buy you some time.

Be careful though, if your drainage is really and truly blocked, it can send water UP your drain pipes and either flood your sinks and tubs, or you turn it off and have to deal with all the water that comes back up that drain.

If that's the case, rent a power drain snake froim Home Depot. It will auger through your drain lines, scraping off everything in its path





The dildo buster is a $5-7 purchase. The snake is about a $50@day rental.

[prhom]

It would probably depend on what your lease says, but when I had tenants my lease requires that keep the premises in suitable living condition. That said, if I didn't do that then the tenants only remedy was to break the lease. They couldn't force me to make the repairs, but I wasn't on the hook to pay them anything to compensate them for relocation costs. That would be very unusual to have in a lease. Especially in a lease with a suspect slumlord. He's probably got a pretty landlord friendly lease and knows what he can and can't get away with under Florida laws.

I'd say move out, cut your losses and hope you get a better deal next time. It's probably not worth the legal costs to fight this.

[BucEyedPea]

Originally Posted by Flachief58

We've been renting our house for about a year and a half. About 6 months ago we started having septic problems due to a large tree close to the drainfield. On Thursday we started laundry before we left for dinner and when we came back, the master bath and the living room were flooded. We called the property manager to have the tank pumped again to get some temporary relief. She called me back and informed me that the slum lord told her that he's sick of our shit and won't fix the drain field and won't be renewing our lease.

My question is, do I have any chance of getting him to pay for our moving expenses since the house is unsafe to live in and we're in the middle of our lease? Thanks in advance

I don't know about moving expenses since you'd have those at some point but I would think you'd have a right to break the lease due to the place not fit to live in based on your set of facts. Don't pay the last months rent either and sue in small claims for your security deposit if the slum lord doesn't give it back. But take pictures of the place for evidence including any damage to your personal property.Keep a record of all other added expenses and loss due to having to move suddenly. ( not routine moving expenses ) Honestly, I don't see how a judge could go against you, unless there's something else I don't know. Otherwise, seems you're within your rights. You're in my state and I own 4 apartment units.

[SAUTO]

Baby wipes **** up sewers.

[SAUTO]

He's actually tired of your shit wipes

[BucEyedPea]

Originally Posted by prhom

It would probably depend on what your lease says, but when I had tenants my lease requires that keep the premises in suitable living condition. That said, if I didn't do that then the tenants only remedy was to break the lease. They couldn't force me to make the repairs, but I wasn't on the hook to pay them anything to compensate them for relocation costs. That would be very unusual to have in a lease. Especially in a lease with a suspect slumlord. He's probably got a pretty landlord friendly lease and knows what he can and can't get away with under Florida laws.

I'd say move out, cut your losses and hope you get a better deal next time. It's probably not worth the legal costs to fight this.

Small claims cost peanuts and this sounds well within small claims for Florida. Small claims rocks. I sued a landlord once as a college student.

[FlaChief58]

Originally Posted by Baby Lee

Do you have a centralized low point in the drainage to your house, ie a drain in the floor at the low point in your basement?

If so, a clog buster might help you out.



You put it on the end of a hose hooked up to your water supply and put it into the drain. When you turn the water on, it forms a seal and froces water out the other end. This pressurizes your drainage system and forces water through your blockage. It won't take out the root system, but will flush all paper and solids trapped by the roots and buy you some time.

Be careful though, if your drainage is really and truly blocked, it can send water UP your drain pipes and either flood your sinks and tubs, or you turn it off and have to deal with all the water that comes back up that drain.

If that's the case, rent a power drain snake froim Home Depot. It will auger through your drain lines, scraping off everything in its path





The dildo buster is a $5-7 purchase. The snake is about a $50@day rental.

If it were just a stoppage, I'd take care of it myself, It's what I do for a living. This issue is the drainfields are bad due to the roots from the 40' tree within 15' of them. Oh and houses in Florida don't have basements

[BucEyedPea]

Or fix it yourself and then withold rent for 5 months before moving until he spends money to evict you. Heh. Heh.

[FlaChief58]

Originally Posted by JASONSAUTO

Baby wipes **** up sewers.

Truth

[Baby Lee]

Originally Posted by Flachief58

If it were just a stoppage, I'd take care of it myself, It's what I do for a living. This issue is the drainfields are bad due to the roots from the 40' tree within 15' of them. Oh and houses in Florida don't have basements

Serves me right, giving advise as a basement owner on city sewers.

Ignore me.

[FlaChief58]

Originally Posted by BucEyedPea

I don't know about moving expenses since you'd have those at some point but I would think you'd have a right to break the lease due to the place not fit to live in based on your set of facts. Don't pay the last months rent either and sue in small claims for your security deposit if the slum lord doesn't give it back. But take pictures of the place for evidence including any damage to your personal property.Keep a record of all other added expenses and loss due to having to move suddenly. ( not routine moving expenses ) Honestly, I don't see how a judge could go against you, unless there's something else I don't know. Otherwise, seems you're within your rights. You're in my state and I own 4 apartment units.

Thanks, I'm going to talk to a lawer on monday to see where I stand

[TribalElder]

TELL THE LADIES IN YOUR HOUSE TO QUIT THROWING TAMPONS DOWN THE TOILET!



seriously that is a septic system KILLER

[FlaChief58]

Originally Posted by TribalElder

TELL THE LADIES IN YOUR HOUSE TO QUIT THROWING TAMPONS DOWN THE TOILET!



seriously that is a septic system KILLER

There's only 1 woman in the house and she knows better. She's been married to a Plumber for 17 years

[bevischief]

Burn it down blame on it the backed up sewer.