How To Make Your Landlord Do His Job

By Denise Zocchi

Although the holiday spirit is upon us and positive thinking allows you to believe that your landlord is going to be more attentive, it’s time to be proactive and help things along. If you are at the end of your rope and are willing to put in some effort, there are a few effective ways of going about it.

The first thing to remember is that if your landlord is being neglectful of your needs, chances are he is neglecting other tenants as well. That creates a network of frustrated people that will be supportive of your cause. There is power in numbers and starting with a simple petition for a common necessity in the building could be all it takes to get what you need. For instance, a friend of mine constantly complains that the stairwells in his building are rarely swept and the lighting needs improvement. His landlord is unresponsive to him when he enters a complaint. A well-written and organized petition with support from the 40-50 tenants in the building has the potential of creating a more effective outcome.

There are landlords that believe their only responsibility with tenants is to collect the rent and nothing else. Having lived in a building which consisted mostly of graduate students and young professionals, I’ve dealt with a landlord who took this attitude. Luckily amongst us was a proactive law-student who refused to settle. He organized a tenants association which met twice a month and required the landlord to be present at both meetings. These meetings gave everyone involved an opportunity to voice the issues that weren’t being fixed. The association was effective in two ways. Firstly, it forced the landlord to take our needs seriously. Secondly, it changed the attitude of everyone involved. We became a community and the landlord became the glue that held us together. It was a very positive experience.

For those who have the sources available, seeking legal aid is always a way to handle landlord neglect. They do have a contractual obligation to meet your housing needs and maintain the necessary standards. However, keep in mind that this will only temporarily solve your issues and can create a bad relationship between the two parties involved. I would advise to take the friendlier approaches first. You never know, you may end up changing your landlord’s attitude for the better and may even end up as his new year’s resolution!