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are landlords responsible for smoke alarms in there rental units?

i live in minn.i recently asked my sister who pays 995 dollers a month for a dump that has mold growing every where...where her smoke detecters are..she says there ain't any i said what..got up and checked the whole place and sure enough not one...who can i contact about this..also the gas stove has a leak..can smell gas very strong at times..the landlords have been told but do nothing about thes problems

Public Comments

  1. I would call the local authorities and they should be able to direct you to the correct people. There are codes that buildings have to follow.
  2. YES Yes Yes!
  3. It depends on the city. Chicago has a city ordinance that requires smoke detectors in all apartment buildings. However, if the tenants take the batteries out, that's not the landlord's problem. Check with your town's housing department....
  4. Hi, I am from Australia, so cannot help you as much as I would like to as I am not sure who you would contact. In Australia it is the law that the landlord has to supply the smoke detectors and there is a government body who regulates the landlords and tenants. Try searching on the internet for rental authority or something similar and see if that helps. Good luck!
  5. Find another apartment and landlord before she blows up or catches on fire. Call the fire department and report them. They will evict everyone and close it down til it's fixed and safe. Unless you cost these people a loss in income revenue, they will put you off and ignore your requests. The laws are there, use them.
  6. the gas company will fix the leak so call them. I don't know about there for SD but she can buy some herself and put them in (take them when you leave) Also, call the landlord about the mold again this time explain you will contact soomeone about him being a slumlord, I'm sure there's laws against that there.
  7. If the landlord has been contacted and isn't doing anything about it. Report him to the city where you live. Each state has it's own statutes regarding tenancy. Research the laws for your state. Most states have this information on the internet. I live in North Carolina. It states very clearly what the tenant and the landlords rights are.....do not let these things go unattended. All of the problems that you list are hazardous issues that could be life threatening. If you tell me which state you live in, I will try to find the statutes for you.
  8. Contact the local health dept &/or fire dept. The landlord is responsible for the smoke detectors!!
  9. call the local fire department and tell them about it...see if they can give you a number to call and report this slum lord. and you can also report this person because of the mold also...its a health problem
  10. YOU NEED TO CONTACT YOU LOCAL "RENTER RIGHTS" IT A PROGRAM THAT HELPS RENTERS, IF THE LANDLORD IS NOT DOING WHAT HE IS SUPPOST TO, YOU CONTACT THEM, THEY WILL COLLECT YOUR RENT, AND HOLD IT UNTIL THE PROBLEM IS SOLVED, AND YOU CAN NOT BE EVICTIVE IF YOU ARE STILL PAYING RENT TO THE RENTERS RIGHTS, AND THEY WILL STAY ON THE LANDLORDS BUTT UNTIL THE ISSUES ARE SOLVED. GOOD LUCK-
  11. I LIVE IN NYC AND IT'S VERY IMPORTANT HERE USUALLY UR SUPPOSED TO HAVE SOME ONE LOOK AT UR ALARMS U NEED TO TALK TO SOMEONE ABOVE A LAND LORD BUT MOST LIKELY NO ONES GOING TO DO ANYTHING DO TO THE FACT THE LANDLORDS WERE TOLD NOT TO UNLESS IT'S A PUBLIC HOUSING UNIT THEN YES THEY HAVE TO EVEN IN SOME PRIVATE BUILDINGS.BUT IF UR RENTING A ROOM IN SOMEONES HOUSE U REALLY DON'T HAVE MUCH SAY IN THESE THINGS.BUT THEY STILL HAVE TO CLEAN UP THAT MOLD !!!!!!YOU'LL HAVE TO PUT A NEW ALARM. OR CHECK THE CITY ORDINANCE CODES!!!
  12. OK lets get a couple of points cleared up. I'm a "landlord" in Minnesota and your sister IS NOT dealing with a landlord. She is dealing with a "SLUMLORD"!! First get hold of the gas company, they will come out and fix the problem. If there's a bill have them send it to the Slumlord. The smoke detectors are required by CITY CODE and vary. Mold is a real bad problem. It can cause problems that I can't even spell. Have your sister take pictures of the mold, then move out to a better place. If the slumlord tries to do anything about her moving she has proof of the "health" risks she faced in that hell hole!
  13. Depends on where you live, but most landlords are responsible for those things, especially if they're unsafe. Have her write a letter stating her intention in 30 days to withhold rent (READ WITHOLD) until the items are fix/repaired including mold cleanup. She will have to pay every cent of the rent regardless, but can withhold it until repairs are made. There should be a landlord tennant hotline in that state, that can guide her through the process. it is illegal for the landlord to kick her out, assuming she gave a written certified letter to the landlord stating specifically her issues and stating that beginning in 30 days she will withhold rent until repairs are completed. The landlords hold all the cards so look up the local statutes and process for this. The link below should cover Minn...
  14. In almost every municipality, the answer is a definite yes. Leak in the gas line is a real problem and dangerous. First make sure the pilot lights are not out. If you still smell gas, open the windows and call the gas company emergency line.... or you can ask the landlord which hotel he intends to put you up at for the rest of your lease, after your apartment ( and his building) blows up.
  15. http://www.hud.gov/groups/tenants.cfm Contact HUD, they will know.