Landlord wants to do major construction while I'm home, now what?

JoeS21 · Jul 11, 2016 at 10:16 AM

I have a disability that keeps me indoors pretty much all day long. Sometimes, I cannot go outside for weeks at a time due to medical circumstances. My landlord wants to do a lot of major construction on my apartment, regardless of whether or not I'm home or whether or not I like it. He's not being cooperative.

I figure I'm not the first to have this problem. What can I do?

nonightowl · Jul 11, 2016 at 01:00 PM

Since I'm not familiar with the laws where you live, I don't have specifics, but as someone with a disability, you have rights like anyone else, maybe more so.

You try local tenant-landlord mediators, if you have them there, along with contacting whatever agency oversees rights of tenants in apartments. I say "whatever" since they would have different names in different parts of the country for the most part. I mean government agencies, but also non-profits for the disabled/tenants can help, hopefully.

Landlords always try to get away with stuff because they think people don't know their rights or won't look into them. To them, it's just property and not someone's HOME.

Maybe a letter from your doctor will help about how you can't just go live somewhere else while they do their remodeling.

They should also just work "normal" business hours, not all night long. Is there any neighbor you could hang out with during the day when they are working?

Or a place not too far that you can go to, as an example---a library?

If there's ride services in your area for the disabled to places, maybe you can use them to go somewhere while they are working?

Organizations that assist the disabled should be able to help or point you in the right direction. They are your advocate.

I can't think of much else at this point.

Hairball · Jul 11, 2016 at 01:12 PM

If I were u I would google tenant /landlord laws in your particular state. Plus, sometimes u can find the rules and regulations in the lease that u sign when u move in.

I know the laws are diff everywhere also and that it really depends on what is being done, as far as the remodelling goes and how long it will take.

Good Luck

JoeS21 · Jul 11, 2016 at 02:30 PM

They want to combine my apartment with another one, knock down over half my walls to expand my area (using the crawl spaces), etc. MAJOR work. I have searched high and low, online, etc. and not finding answers. I don't qualify for free legal services because my SSDI check is out of their range despite the fact that rent and non-federal student loan bills exceed my SSDI pay every month.

hvert · Jul 11, 2016 at 03:45 PM

Do you have a lease? The work you are describing sounds extensive, like work that would require you to move out or which would result in a large rent increase. I would call the Greater Boston Legal Services if that's your location, even if you think you don't qualify in terms of income.

JoeS21 · Jul 12, 2016 at 08:17 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by hvert

Do you have a lease? The work you are describing sounds extensive, like work that would require you to move out or which would result in a large rent increase. I would call the Greater Boston Legal Services if that's your location, even if you think you don't qualify in terms of income.

No, I'm a tenant at will, month to month. I will try contacting Greater Boston Legal Services. I will tell them that I am disabled and on disability and hopefully that will make a difference. I wish they took rent and non-federal student loan payments into consideration, not only income.

nonightowl · Jul 13, 2016 at 12:03 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JoeS21

They want to combine my apartment with another one, knock down over half my walls to expand my area (using the crawl spaces), etc. MAJOR work. I have searched high and low, online, etc. and not finding answers. I don't qualify for free legal services because my SSDI check is out of their range despite the fact that rent and non-federal student loan bills exceed my SSDI pay every month.

I didn't know it was such major work......

$#%&*! Landlords, just out to make money.

Yeah, you couldn't still be there since it would make it really unhabitable with that kind of work going on. I'm sure they'd have to disrupt things like water and electricity at times for that kind of work.

There's got to be some kind of compensation for that, along with adequate notice of when they are going to do the work. A mere 24 hours notice won't fly in this case.

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Hairball Member Member Since May 2015 Location: Packerland, USA Posts: 341 9 301 hugs given	Jul 11, 2016 at 01:12 PM #3 If I were u I would google tenant /landlord laws in your particular state. Plus, sometimes u can find the rules and regulations in the lease that u sign when u move in. I know the laws are diff everywhere also and that it really depends on what is being done, as far as the remodelling goes and how long it will take. Good Luck
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hvert Grand Magnate Member Since Jan 2014 Location: US Posts: 4,887 10 3,788 hugs given	Jul 11, 2016 at 03:45 PM #5 Do you have a lease? The work you are describing sounds extensive, like work that would require you to move out or which would result in a large rent increase. I would call the Greater Boston Legal Services if that's your location, even if you think you don't qualify in terms of income.
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