Turf Wars: Author/Landlord Offers a Few Words of Advice for Tenants
Dan The Roommate Man
Richard Rusdorf, author of "The Landlords Handbook: A Complete Guide to Managing Small Residential Properties," managed a 400-plus-unit apartment building in Chicago 20 years ago. The past president of the Chicago chapter of the Institute of Real Estate Management, he has served as a real estate broker, consultant, writer, architectural photographer, and certified property manager. With such a diverse background in real estate, Rusdorf has plenty of perspective on what peeves both landlords and tenants. Tenants number-one point of contention, he says, is "responsiveness to complaints -- even if theres nothing that can be done about the problem." Residential rental properties are a literal obstacle course of sticky situations. These fairly tight quarters are home to many people with specific concerns that they expect their landlord to address and pay for yesterday. Landlords, whether at fault or not when tenant complaints arise, find themselves between a rock and a hard place on such issues as security, water quality, the neighborhood, neighbors, their guests, and noise.
The majority of residential rental properties around the country arent brand new. They were built with a number of parking spaces deemed adequate at the time. Todays renters, however, often own two or more cars. Add that congestion to guests vehicles, and youve got a problem. Residents must park in fire lines and often face fines and/or towing fees.
Although most of us think of multifamily complexes with 100 or more units when we think of rental properties, Rusdorf says most of the nations renters actually live in smaller buildings owned by an individual and consisting of less than six units, even in larger cities. As a result, landlords responsibilities and tenants concerns are easier to grapple and address -- or at least, thats the theory.
Whats a renters recourse if, in his opinion, his requests are being ignored, or a landlords promises arent delivered It goes without saying, but your best bet is to get it in writing. If that doesnt help your case, "every city should have a tenant hotline," Rusdorf says. "Call the city, and file a complaint. Dont call a lawyer first."
Do renters really have a leg to stand on if they didnt get what they want in writing first Not necessarily, Rusdorf says. "There are several implied covenants of landlords," he says. Among them: Landlords must make themselves available by phone and should hand that number out to all tenants. They must also maintain the premises in "habitable" condition, meaning adequate weather protection, working plumbing, water supply and sewage, running hot and cold water, heat, air conditioning if the property is advertised as having that feature, electricity, working appliances, clean and safe grounds, garbage facilities, structural integrity of the buildings, and if present, functioning elevators. While all of these implied agreements seem like givens, some landlords can and do ignore them.
Security is, of course, a Pandoras box full of legal issues and ethical responsibilities. In more than 500 cities around the United States, multifamily apartment complexes and other smaller rental properties are participating in the Crime-Free Multihousing Program, which requires prospective tenants to sign a crime-free leasing addendum. The tenant promises not to bring any criminal activity onto the premises, and if he does, his lease is terminated immediately.
Are landlords required to disclose to prospective and current tenants any recent criminal activity, or an entire criminal history of the premises, if requested No, says Rusdorf. "Landlords should, but its still ambiguous," he says, adding that when he managed the large Chicago apartment building mentioned above, a crime took place across the street. When one of his tenants suggested that Rusdorf put up a sign in the lobby warning residents about the crime, Rusdorf said no. However, he adds, he would have felt compelled to do so had the crime taken place within his own building. While its a moral issue, its a financial issue, as well. Does a landlord reduce his chances for more tenants by reporting in the lobby of his building every crime that takes place up and down the block Would any prospective renter sign on the dotted line after seeing such a sign Any landlord that neglects to warn his residents about a crime in their own building, however, could be slapped with a lawsuit if the perpetrator strikes again, and the victim can prove that the landlord knew about the first crime and never said anything to his tenants. Some complexes do have their crime histories available upon request. The moral of the story: Speak up, do your homework, and whenever possible, get it in writing.
About The Author
Since 1989 Dan The Roommate Man has helped 1000s of people find roommates. Need help Contact him at 800-487-8050 or www.roommateexpress.com
info@roommateexpress.com
Health and Medical Advice on the Internet: Use it Wisely to Overcome Illness and Find More Happiness in Your Life
M6.net
I’ve got a bit of a problem with depression and anxiety. I’ve been tackling these problems for several years without the use of modern medicine. Tai Chi, meditation, martial arts exercise, and positive interaction with other people seem to keep a lid on my illnesses most of the time. I don’t like the idea of medication’s side effects, and I don’t believe the answers in life are often found in the easy path E.G. taking a pill, but rather on the hard path of effort and determination. This is not to say that I don’t feel medicine is not effective, not at all, I just feel all the options should be looked at before making big decisions to do with one’s health.
Health of body and mind has always been one of the most important issues in life for us humans. Seeing a doctor is usually the best option when one comes down with an illness or ailment, but people have always tried alternative routes to recovery: E. G. the ‘home doctor’ books of old. Maybe you don’t like sitting in a room waiting with a bunch of other sick people-you might catch something there! You could be housebound, or maybe you feel like hearing several opinions as you’ve found past experiences with some doctors have been tainted by poor judgments. Well, the Internet is here with a multitude of options to help you get better.
Medical advice and data abounds on this household tool in the form of self-help sites, searchable medical encyclopedias, support groups, live chats with doctors, and you can even have professional consultations on-line for a fee. My advice is to just be wary of the type of language that the site is expressing. Many sites will have extensive lists telling you of all the symptoms in the Universe: everybody on Earth could be construed as being ill in some way! This can cause people with a propensity for hypochondria to start diagnosing themselves with all sorts of diseases. In my case, reading about all the symptoms of depression actually made me feel more depressed as it made me focus on my weaknesses without too many optimistic perspectives or treatments expressed on some sites.
Look for sites that look at things in a positive light. Maybe search out some alternative therapies as well so you can get all the possible different approaches that can be taken to tackle your illness. Some websites can be very helpful with interactive features like ‘Ask the doctor”, on-line questionnaires, and question and answer archives that give you an idea of what others have asked and the solutions they were presented with. There is heaps of information on both prescription and over-the counter medicines so you can make your choices in an informed manner. You can often find information specific to groups, like children, the elderly, men and women.
Just remember your body is your temple and you must be wary of many variables not often foretold in literature. Beware of medicines from other countries as they may be different or have different names. Keep in mind only you know your personal history, all people are different, and always get several opinions. Watch out for sites with grandiose claims as miracles come from higher powers and not from companies who might just want to get rich quick!
I do acknowledge the fitness and diet sites as being very useful as well. You can devise your own fitness plan derived from lifestyle information, and forums and newsgroups give you many opinions on which road to take. You can have your diet analyzed by on-line trainers, some of which send free newsletters and even send you emails of encouragement to help you towards your goal.
So, there’s a whole new world of on-line health advice and information for humanity to access right from home. Get all your options and remember your attitude is often the first real step to overcoming physical, mental, and spiritual adversity!
About The Author
Jesse S. Somer - M6.Net - http://www.m6.net
Jesse S. Somer is a simple human hoping to show others like him about the positive vibe the Internet is creating in people all over the world.
priyankaa@m6.net
Teen Advice On-line
Angela Butera Dickson
There is no doubt about it. We are an electronic society. From our cable television sets to our satellite radios, our cell phones to our beepers, our global positioning devices to our palm pilots, and of course the world wide web