Monday, June 15, 2009

Tenants vs. Landlords - Bad Economy Has Both Suffering

The economy has taken a pounding on just about everyone, and that includes landlords.

And when landlords get squeezed, they tend to cut back on upkeep on their rentals. Even when they're not supposed to.

The number of complaints about property owners who refuse to repair and maintain apartments, condominiums and mobile homes are rising, said Maria Sanchez, manager for the Orange County Bar Association's Citizen Dispute Settlement and Family Law Mediation.

Residents say their landlords no longer want to exterminate bugs, repair plumbing and patch leaky roofs. Housing advocates worry that as the economy worsens, so will living conditions in Central Florida.

The Citizen Dispute Settlement and Family Law Mediation estimates that 30 to 35 people a day call with complaints about their landlord. Of those, 30 residents a week actually bring in their landlords for mediation.

Many landlords are putting the pressure on their tenants to fix problems, Sanchez said. She said residents from throughout the region have come to her for free assistance after their landlord threatened to evict them for not painting the exterior of the house or reporting issues to county code-enforcement officials.

"The landlord takes advantage," Sanchez said. "It's getting worse, and I expect it to continue."

Not all landlords who refuse to fix things are "slumlords" ready to swindle their residents, said attorney Frank Pohl of Pohl & Short law firm.

"Everybody is going through an economic pounding - that's what is driving this. It's not because they're evil," said Pohl, who has represented landlords and tenants in small-claims court for 30 years. He said some tenants can expect too much of landlords and demand they take care of every little thing, especially now in this renters' market. He cautions tenants to read their leases before signing and figure out what maintenance they're responsible for. More.....