Alright guys, got a little issue on my hands I was hoping I can get opinions on. I realize this isn't the forum for legal advice but some opinions or maybe personal experience would help. Ive been renting a mobile home off this guy since 2010, no lease, just cash on the cheap. Well it is an old place thats had numerous problems and my land lord has been extremely accommodating as have I. Theres been issues where I just fixed something and he deducted it from rent, junk faucet, heating element in the water heater, etc. Well anyway in late January a pipe or several Ive never been given a number froze under the trailer. I went to bed and woke up in the morning to rushing water sound in the kitchen. I turned off the water and called my land lord and filled him in. He later called me back said hes not going to fix it and that I need to look into moving out. So a few days later I call him and tell him a date I plan on being out by, 2 weeks after our initial conversation about the frozen pipes is my "move out" date. He said ok. He accused me that day of burning kerosene or some other alternative in my home and thats why my pipes froze. I invited him to come out and take a look. I burn propane. If anybody has lived in a trailer they know a space heater wont heat up a trailer. He never took me up on that offer. I gathered my sh*t up and moved out within the time frame I told him I would be out. I called him on the day I was finally moved out and told him that I was gone, board it up or whatever, he said he was never gonna rent it again. That was the first or second week of February. I get a call from him today asking me to come by and get my final bill. I show up at the trailer with an uneasy feeling like he wanted to "show" me something. He did. The window in the bedroom had somehow broken, I have pictures of when I moved out, it was not broken. Propane had also ran out AFTER MY MOVE OUT DATE as well resulting in further damages. He handed me a bill for the repair of the pipes. He told me he will take me to court if I dont give him the money for the pipes and repair the window. Am I responsible for this? I feel bad but the trailer was missing half its skirting, there was no insulation, typically they use hay bails. It cost a fortune to heat that sucker in the winter but it was offset by cheap monthly rent. So what do I do here? I told him to do what he thought he had to but that I am not paying for the cost of the pipes to be repaired. His estimate was $2700. No thanks.
Tenant/Land Lord dispute *long*
- Thread starter CHRIS.O
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Any written or recorded documentation of your end of this?
Being an old trailer, probably the plumbing is not to (current) code and a licensed plumber will have to bring it to code to make the repairs, thus the high cost.
My best advice is to contact an attorney. They usually have a no cost initial (short) consultation, and he will be be miles ahead of anybody's advice on this or any forum.
Being an old trailer, probably the plumbing is not to (current) code and a licensed plumber will have to bring it to code to make the repairs, thus the high cost.
My best advice is to contact an attorney. They usually have a no cost initial (short) consultation, and he will be be miles ahead of anybody's advice on this or any forum.
No lease = no problem.
I assume there was also no deposit. It'll cost him more to sue you than it's worth so I think it's an empty threat. He should have done a walk-thru on the day you were out. Since you have the pics, the burden of proof was on him. If he says he won't ever rent it again, why does he need money to repair the plumbing and windows? He's just looking for some quick cash. I wouldn't worry about seeing an attorney just yet.
I assume there was also no deposit. It'll cost him more to sue you than it's worth so I think it's an empty threat. He should have done a walk-thru on the day you were out. Since you have the pics, the burden of proof was on him. If he says he won't ever rent it again, why does he need money to repair the plumbing and windows? He's just looking for some quick cash. I wouldn't worry about seeing an attorney just yet.
Yea there was no deposit or anything like that. Rent was paid with a mix of money orders and cash over the years. As far as the trailer being up to code, ya it is for sure not. There are a lot of issues with it and of course for what I was paying I really did not care I was out in the country with decent neighbors on about an acre.
I will get ahold of a lawyer I think. Just to see where I stand I guess. I do not know rental type laws in Michigan. He told me in all the years he rented that place he never had frozen pipes. Well its been one of the coldest winters in what, 10-15 years? Missing skirting, no heat tape, no hay bails, etc, wtf did he think would eventually happen? The worst part about this is that he honestly believes I was living there without propane because it ran out sometime after I left. I had invited him to come check it out before I finally left. He declined. Ive got receipts for having my tank filled in November. I dunno, this is gonna be a hassle Im sure. Thanks for the advice, guess I better just talk to a lawyer for some peace of mind or preparation.
I will get ahold of a lawyer I think. Just to see where I stand I guess. I do not know rental type laws in Michigan. He told me in all the years he rented that place he never had frozen pipes. Well its been one of the coldest winters in what, 10-15 years? Missing skirting, no heat tape, no hay bails, etc, wtf did he think would eventually happen? The worst part about this is that he honestly believes I was living there without propane because it ran out sometime after I left. I had invited him to come check it out before I finally left. He declined. Ive got receipts for having my tank filled in November. I dunno, this is gonna be a hassle Im sure. Thanks for the advice, guess I better just talk to a lawyer for some peace of mind or preparation.
Tell him to Pound Sand, Don't look back! He's being a Prick & he's knows he's not going to Sue you. I wouldn't waste my time contacting an Attorney unless I was being sued.
The last time I rented (about 15 years ago), I was in a place for about 8 Years. I re-finished the Wood Floors (I didn't ask him for a Dime), kept the place up nice, sold him my Washing Machine when his went out, kept an eye on his House next door that he Rented out to 7 People in 8 years, played Golf with him, etc. When I moved out, he kept my Deposit. Never gave me a reason, didn't inform me by registered mail (which was Law). I just wrote it off as him being a Dick!
The last time I rented (about 15 years ago), I was in a place for about 8 Years. I re-finished the Wood Floors (I didn't ask him for a Dime), kept the place up nice, sold him my Washing Machine when his went out, kept an eye on his House next door that he Rented out to 7 People in 8 years, played Golf with him, etc. When I moved out, he kept my Deposit. Never gave me a reason, didn't inform me by registered mail (which was Law). I just wrote it off as him being a Dick!
If the bill is $2700 just for plumbing then he's out of his mind. It's a trailer that's not on a foundation and the plumbing is crap to start with and does not get better with age. You would at most be responsible for actual repairs, updates for code are on his end not yours. And really, proper skirting and insulation would have prevented this. Unless it happened above floor level then he could make the case that it was due to lack of heat and would be hard to prove otherwise. pictures of the floor or cabinet bottom where the pipes come through would be helpful for you if there are gaps.
It is most likely an empty threat. I personally wouldn't spend money on a lawyer until I was served notice of a suit. What I would do is right down all pertinent info you can remember, dates, conversations etc. so you are prepared if you need it.
It is most likely an empty threat. I personally wouldn't spend money on a lawyer until I was served notice of a suit. What I would do is right down all pertinent info you can remember, dates, conversations etc. so you are prepared if you need it.
SAVE YOUR MONEY... dont waste any funds just to talk to a lawyer... sh*t happens... pipes burst... not your fault... if you had busted a cabinet door off or something in the home, then you would be liable... anything major, such as heat, a/c, electrical, you are not responsible for... UNLESS, its something like your dog piss n sh*t in the air conditioning vents and they have to be replaced... IF ITS NOT DIRECTLY CONNECTED WITH SOMETHING YOU YOURSELF DID TO CAUSE AN ISSUE, THEN HE HAS NO CASE... worse case scenerio, you lose a day of work to go to small claims court for a judge to laugh this guys case right out of the court room... BUT, i would go back and take a few more pics, showing no insulation, missing skirting, etc... then anyone can clearly see that the land lord is trying to make a fast buck... keep us updated... but honestly, i doubt he will ever even try to sue...
There is no lease or rental agreement, no legal documents at all, he has no leg to stand on. Tell him no and then cease all communication with him. Let him talk to you through the courts if he really feels you owe him this money.
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