Legal issues with landlord and rental unit

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Mount Pleasant
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Legal issues with landlord and rental unit

Post by Mount Pleasant »

Please help me. I have two babies and I'm trying everything and don't seem to get anywhere. I feel so bad for my kids.
Our family never asks for help or we never borrow anything from anyone. But we are in DESPERATE need of some legal and other help. We are usually the ones helping others, but we are now homeless.
This letter might go all over the place but please bear with me.
My landlord has been taking advantage of us for years and now it finally came to an end. We told him weeks prior we had NO heat. We told him months ago we had NO hot water and a lot of other dangerous things that are wrong with the house. Well the pipes finally gave way and there were powerful waterfalls coming from out the lights, ceiling fans and electric sockets. It was pouring in every room very hard. There is NO heat, water or electric. We would have left years ago because of all the abuse we take from our landlord, but we stayed because our kids school is right down the street, our jobs are right down the street and we just got used to it. It’s very hard to find another place to live especially with the crazy high utility bills from living here that I will get into later.
My husband and 3 kids live here (18,6,4). I was 8 months pregnant with my now 6-year-old at the time we moved in. But now we are homeless. What we have been going thru is illegal. Please read... We moved into this place and rented from the landlord 6 years ago. We moved in the SAME day 2 older ladies moved out. They were here around 8-10 years. Remember that. When we moved in NOTHING was changed or replaced. The carpets were black, the house smelled like cat pee and the house was very dirty and outdated. We had to buy everything ourselves, When I say everything I mean everything. We paid for 4 doors, paint, carpet, ceiling fan, paying people to fix ALOT of things and replace things. I had no problem doing it at first until all the threats started coming. He threatens to kick us out every other week. Instead of going to court he tried to make it unlivable for me and my children by not fixing anything. Well it back fired because now everything is ruined but he got what he wanted because we can’t stay there anymore. We pay rent and still live there. He texted us and said he will start fixing things when the house is vacant???? Now listen to this....
On MLK day my 2 kids and I were bundled up in the Livingroom. We had no heat for a while now. We block all the doorways with blankets to try to stay warm. All other rooms you can see you breathe. My kids were sleeping. I walked out to start my truck and to take trash around front. That’s when all hell broke loose. Something I never seen before in my life. There were 3 powerful waterfalls coming out of everywhere. It was like fire hoses. I called my landlord. The water is past our shoes. The kids are terrified and crying. I tried to turn off the water from the house. It continued. MY LANDLORD CAME BY 2 TIMES WHEN THE WATER WAS COMING OUT OF EVERYWHERE THE HARDEST. GUESS WHAT HE DID. HE STAYED FOR 2 MINUTES BOTH TIMES. He didn’t try to help or turn it off. He did nothing. Just left. It wasn’t slowing down and now everything is floating in water. I go out to the street and took the manhole cover off and turned the water off from the street. The damage was done. Everything is ruined. Everything is destroyed. Water was coming out of the ceiling and walls. I have a lot of pictures of the aftermath.
He has been threatening to kick us out and to sell his house every week. I can’t put any more money into this house especially when he always threatens us. The house is so outdated even Ker Adel said so. Every time we tell the landlord something is wrong he ignores us or he says good he’s selling it anyway. He NEVER fixes the problem. Poor kids haven’t had a warm bath in YEARS. The past few years we have had NO hot water and told this to the legal aid place. We boil pots but by the time we are done the water is cold. We are always sick from this house. There was mold and everything before this disaster. This house isn’t livable. We lived in some rough neighborhoods and I can say this house was the worst by far. The condition and the landlord. The water that was pouring out was brown and nasty.
I go to the courthouse and to the school tomorrow to try to get some help, but I need a lawyer or some of that free legal advice. We've been staying in hotels for the past 3 weeks. We have been trying to keep it as normal as possible for the kids. I don’t want them to worry but they are. I take them to school from the hotel but now we are out of money. Hotels per night is too much. If it was just me I would be ok. I have 2 babies that I must take care of. They depend on me. THEY HAVE NOBODY BUT ME. SERIOUSLY. I am all they got. So, I am asking and begging for some help. I am behind on all my bills because of everything that happened. I’m sorry it’s so long but PLEASE continue to read.
My husband had a job for 8 years working for boar’s head. Someone ran a red light and broke his neck in 3 places. A year later his company moved west to Cali. So, he collects unemployment and works with amazon. Our landlord’s wife has Parkinson’s disease and needs someone to take care of her fully mon thru Friday 630-430. He said I could work for exchange for the rent. I agreed. Even though it balanced out to less than $5 an hour it helped us. But since he has bipolar and more he wasn’t seeing the rent. So, he started threatening us once again. This is where it gets weird. He went to court to file for eviction. A few days before court he came over and said he’s sorry. He said he don’t understand why he picks on us and can’t leave us alone. He said he isn’t going to court. He bought our kids bunkbeds and installed them. THE VERY NEXT DAY he FIRES me and raises the rent $200. So, I had to get a job. I gave him 90% of my paychecks for the past 2 months. That’s not good enough. For some strange reason he wants my husband to pay rent with his money. Why does it matter where the money comes from? He just wants problems. HE HAS ALREADY BEEN OVER AND TOOK SOME OF OUR BELONGINGS TO THE DUMP WITHOUT OUR PERMISSION. I asked him where it was. He texted back he took it to the dump. He can’t do that. He did it when we were at the hotel. ALL OF OUR TVS, KIDS CLOTHES, OUR CLOTHES, ALL FURNITURE, ALL BEDS ARE RUINED. Guess what hurts the most. OUR PICTURES that can’t be replaced. Thank god for Facebook. I do have some pics on there. But ALL THE PICS ARE RUINED, THE KIDS XMAS TOYS, ALL TOYS ARE RUINED WITH MILDEW, 3000 DVDS, AND EVERYTHING ELSE WE OWN IS NASTY AND DESTROYED. Every time we go on vacation our neighbors call us and say our landlord is in our house. Our 18-year-old son was home 1 day and caught him in the act. He got my car towed when we were on vacation. HE IS PURE EVIL. I PROMISE. He admitted he had a problem and still messes with us. We told him my daughter almost died plugging in a cell phone. a big spark, flame and pop came from the socket. The toilet runs 24/7, the kitchen sink doesn’t work. Bought drain twice. He ignores everything. He doesn’t care. He tried to force us out and he did. We NEVER received an eviction notice. He threw away my stuff. We have pics and texts.
I have bought oil 5 times in 2 months. For years everyone told him that the oil tank needs repaired. Even Keradel said we shouldn’t be going thru it that fast. I just paid $300 for oil and now can’t use it.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR READING THIS. I know it was A LOT and it was all over the place. I know I probably left out some things I needed to say but this is a start, and this is what we have been going thru. I don’t wish this on my worst enemy. AGAIN, THANK YOU VERY MUCH AND HAVE A BLESSED DAY. IF YOU CAN HELP OUT IN ANYWAY. ANYTHING WILL HELP AND TRUST ME WE REALLY APPRECIATE ANYONE WHO HELPS. WE ARE VERY GRATEFUL. KEEP US IN YOUR PRAYERS. THANK YOU.... PLEASE CHECK OUT OUR FACEBOOK TO SEE ALL THE PICTURES. THANKS AGAIN.... HE RECENTLY CHANGED THE LOCKS TO THE DOORS WITH OUR STUFF INSIDE. HE ALSO TOOK OUR BELONGINGS TO THE DUMP ALREADY WITHOUT OUR PERMISSION
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Re: Legal issues with landlord and rental unit

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A long email! in general, try free lawyer eviction defense programs for help. There are many volunteers, pro-bono law firms, and other options pout there for tenants with a low income. they help with both landlords and other matters, such as utility issues.
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Re: Legal issues with landlord and rental unit

Post by Patriots »

Good Afternoon,
I am a resident of Illinois living in Rockford. I have an issue with my landlord.
I have signed a lease extension contract for a year a month ago (as I believed my employer would keep his word and extend my employment contract). My current lease ends on 12/31/2019 and the extension begins on 1/1/2020.
I notified my landlord of the situation and that I have to move out and they said that I have to buy out a lease now which is 20% of the total amount of the yearly lease.
The amount they want me to pay is $1512. The money I do not have. (There is a note about the buyout, but it does not say 20%)
What can I do in this situation to get legal help fighting the landlord?
I explained the situation in more details to them and said I would be glad to pay a late notice fee of $395 if they release me of the contract without a buyout obligation, but have not received their response yet. (I am afraid they are just waiting for the next term of the lease to begin)
What should I do?
Thank you very much in advance for your assistance.
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