How to get help with landlord-tenant issues

Landlord/tenant issues top the list of all consumer complaints received by our Call 4 Action office.

LANDLORD TENANT ISSUES TOP THELIST OF ALL CONSUMERCOMPLAINTS THAT OUR TMJ4 NEWS"CALL 4 ACTION" OFFICE GETSEACH YEAR.

IF YOU ARE HAVING AHARD TIME GETTING THINGSREPAIRED OR AFFORDING YOURRENT, THERE ARE THINGS YOUSHOULD DO NOW TO HELP.

KARENSTILES OF CALL FOR ACTIONOFFICETHERE ARE A NUMBER OF THINGSTHAT CAN GO WRONG WHEN YOU AREA RENTER - EVERYTHING FROMREPAIRS NOT BEING MADE TOBEING UNABLE TO AFFORD THERENT.

BUT, BEFORE THINGS GETOUT OF HAND, HERE ARE A FEWTHINGS THAT YOU CAN DO TO GETHELP:MOST IMPORTANT, WHEN APROBLEM ARISES, DO NOT WAIT TOTAKE ACTION.

LET YOUR LANDLORDKNOW BOTH VERBALLY AND INWRITING, AND FOLLOW THROUGH TOWORK OUT A PLAN.

IF IT IS AREPAIR, RODENT OR INFESTATIONISSUE, TRY TO BE AS DETAILEDAS POSSIBLE DESCRIBING THEPROBLEM, WHEN IT STARTED, WHATMEASURES YOU MAY HAVE TAKEN,AND WHAT YOU WOULD LIKE THELANDLORD TO DO.

IF THE ISSUEINVOLVES A CONCERN ABOUTPAYING RENT, TALK TO YOURLANDLORD ABOUT YOUR SITUATION,EXPLAIN WHAT YOU ARE DOING TORESOLVE THE ISSUE, AND ASK FORTHEIR HELP IN NEGOTIATING ARESOLUTION.

DEPENDING ON YOURCIRCUMSTANCES, THE LANDLORDMAY FOREGO A RENT INCREASE, BEWILLING TO ALLOW A PARTIALPAYMENT OR WORK WITH YOU ON APLAN TO CATCH UP ON PAST DUERENT.MANY LANDLORDS ARE GOODABOUT MAKING REPAIRS IN ATIMELY MANNER, AND WORKINGWITH TENANTS WHO AREEXPERIENCING FINANCIAL ISSUES.BUT, IF YOU CANNOT GET YOURLANDLORD TO WORK WITH YOU,THERE ARE RESOURCES TO HELP.THE TENANT RESOURCE CENTER ANDCOMMUNITY ADVOCATES HAVE A LOTOF INFORMATION ON THEIRWEBSITES ABOUT HOW TO DEALWITH LANDLORD TENANT ISSUES,AS WELL AS REFERRALS ANDMEDIATION.

COMMUNITY ADVOCATESALSO HAS SOME PROGRAMS TO HELPTHOSE WHO ARE EXPERIENCINGTEMPORARY PROBLEMS WITHGETTING HOUSING OR PAYING RENT.WE HAVE LINKS FOR THESERESOURCES IN THE CALL FORSECTION OF TMJ4.COM.FOR TMJ4NEWS CALL 4 ACTION, I'M KAREN