Let's start this article in 2004.
I was in the business of remodeling old homes.
A man that I bowled with had just purchased an old house from his family and was interested in getting it fixed up.
So far, so good, but then I got stupid.
The house I was currently living in had been sold and I was looking for a new place to live.
I suggested that I move into the house that I was to remodel and do the work in place of rent.
We reached an agreement, but like I said, I got stupid.
No contract was written and right away he requested rent money because he was short.
Now this house could not be rented in the normal manner because it didn't meet code regulations on many levels.
The biggest violation is the electrical system.
There is no main breaker and the whole house runs off one 15 amp breaker.
There are no GFI breakers in the bathroom or the kitchen.
The only outlet in the kitchen comes out of the light in the ceiling.
This house has plaster and lathe.
In many places the plaster is falling off the wall creating large holes.
Much of the paint upstairs is lead based.
The outside of the house is in bad shape allowing squirrels to get into the upstairs ceilings.
The basement is unusable do to ground water coming in.
Despite all these problems, we moved in anyway.
I can't blame my stupidity on anyone else.
What I can blame on someone else is this landlords denial of anything being wrong and not fixing anything.
fter my health got bad in 2004, I found myself unable to afford to move and no financial assistance available.
My second big mistake was I always paid in cash and never got a receipt.
I think he wasn't listing the rent on his taxes so he couldn't give a receipt.
When a problem would arise, his favorite excuse is always the same, " It wasn't like that when Aunt Millie lived there.
" I guess nothing is ever supposed to wear out in this house or need replacement.
Even though he has remodeled his kitchen, painted his house, and bought 2 new cars while I lived here.
The big maple tree in the front lawn that hangs over the electric lines coming to the house has 2 large dead limbs.
He is aware of this, but he feels that it's the power companies problem, not his.
It must be nice to go through life thinking that you are always right and everyone else is wrong.
Now even though I was stupid to enter into an agreement without a written contract, there are some things I can do to prevent him from doing this to anyone else.
Here in New York State there are steps I can take.
The State Attorney General frowns on slumlords.
The local codes officer would just love to see the condition of this house, and so won't the County Attorney General.
I will make sure that this house never gets rented again in it's present condition.
Had I ever thought that he wouldn't hold up to his agreement, I never would have moved here.
The most important thing to learn from this is, if someone doesn't want to put an agreement in writing, don't trust them.
An agreement is designed to protect both parties from each other.
A slumlord doesn't worry about getting caught because even if he knows he's wrong, he's sure that he's right.
Most often a slumlord is certain that any fines will be less than the cost of the repair.
A slumlord is aware of what the codes are and just doesn't care.
A slumlord isn't worried about a contract because most tenants won't press charges due to fear of what he might say about them.
I don't know about other states, but here in NEW YORK, you can contact the State Attorneys office and get a pamphlet on renters rights and the responsibilities of both, landlord and tenant.
It's not a nice world that we live in.
The only God most people have is GREED.
I was in the business of remodeling old homes.
A man that I bowled with had just purchased an old house from his family and was interested in getting it fixed up.
So far, so good, but then I got stupid.
The house I was currently living in had been sold and I was looking for a new place to live.
I suggested that I move into the house that I was to remodel and do the work in place of rent.
We reached an agreement, but like I said, I got stupid.
No contract was written and right away he requested rent money because he was short.
Now this house could not be rented in the normal manner because it didn't meet code regulations on many levels.
The biggest violation is the electrical system.
There is no main breaker and the whole house runs off one 15 amp breaker.
There are no GFI breakers in the bathroom or the kitchen.
The only outlet in the kitchen comes out of the light in the ceiling.
This house has plaster and lathe.
In many places the plaster is falling off the wall creating large holes.
Much of the paint upstairs is lead based.
The outside of the house is in bad shape allowing squirrels to get into the upstairs ceilings.
The basement is unusable do to ground water coming in.
Despite all these problems, we moved in anyway.
I can't blame my stupidity on anyone else.
What I can blame on someone else is this landlords denial of anything being wrong and not fixing anything.
fter my health got bad in 2004, I found myself unable to afford to move and no financial assistance available.
My second big mistake was I always paid in cash and never got a receipt.
I think he wasn't listing the rent on his taxes so he couldn't give a receipt.
When a problem would arise, his favorite excuse is always the same, " It wasn't like that when Aunt Millie lived there.
" I guess nothing is ever supposed to wear out in this house or need replacement.
Even though he has remodeled his kitchen, painted his house, and bought 2 new cars while I lived here.
The big maple tree in the front lawn that hangs over the electric lines coming to the house has 2 large dead limbs.
He is aware of this, but he feels that it's the power companies problem, not his.
It must be nice to go through life thinking that you are always right and everyone else is wrong.
Now even though I was stupid to enter into an agreement without a written contract, there are some things I can do to prevent him from doing this to anyone else.
Here in New York State there are steps I can take.
The State Attorney General frowns on slumlords.
The local codes officer would just love to see the condition of this house, and so won't the County Attorney General.
I will make sure that this house never gets rented again in it's present condition.
Had I ever thought that he wouldn't hold up to his agreement, I never would have moved here.
The most important thing to learn from this is, if someone doesn't want to put an agreement in writing, don't trust them.
An agreement is designed to protect both parties from each other.
A slumlord doesn't worry about getting caught because even if he knows he's wrong, he's sure that he's right.
Most often a slumlord is certain that any fines will be less than the cost of the repair.
A slumlord is aware of what the codes are and just doesn't care.
A slumlord isn't worried about a contract because most tenants won't press charges due to fear of what he might say about them.
I don't know about other states, but here in NEW YORK, you can contact the State Attorneys office and get a pamphlet on renters rights and the responsibilities of both, landlord and tenant.
It's not a nice world that we live in.
The only God most people have is GREED.
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