Prop. Mgr reveals roach problem after holding deposit

[ckeck1067]

Jurisdiction

California

I am homeless and waiting to move into an apartment to which a holding deposit was placed. I'll be receiving rental assistance and at the moment, currently in a motel provided by a homeless outreach program. That outreach program provided the holding deposit and the motel vouchers. The rental assistance is coming from a different program. It's been a month that I've been in motels and that's how long the property manager took to reveal a roach infestation that they've been working on since the beginning of the month, notifying us the apartment is not ready yet.

The details of the infestation was told directly to me through a phone call and not including my case workers, yet there's been open communications between all of us. I did inform those case workers and then the property manager mentioned "pest control" in a following email. She told me the infestation is "bad" and taking longer than she thought.

Had she said something before the holding deposit, I likely would have refused the apartment. I wish she had said something prior to all the money invested keeping me sheltered waiting for this apartment. What legal options are there?

I am meeting with a case worker today to discuss the issue.

 

[army judge]

What legal options are there?

Very few, perhaps none.

Why?

The manger communicated to you the reason for the delay, a raging cockroach infestation.

She's having it addressed, but its far worse than she suspected, hence the delay.

Frankly, I see nothing the complex management has done illegally.

 

[ckeck1067]

Very few, perhaps none.

Why?

The manger communicated to you the reason for the delay, a raging cockroach infestation.

She's having it addressed, but its far worse than she suspected, hence the delay.

Frankly, I see nothing the complex management has done illegally.

The legal obligations, if any, would not be with me. The property manager withheld the information until a month after a holding deposit was placed and motel costs paid from the outreach. The management did mention the unit was damaged and repairs being made...that they were up front about from the beginning. They kept silent on the roach problem, which would have been a 'game changer' and all this money spent would have been spent at another time.

We are looking into other options like maybe another unit in a different complex. The unit in question still needs to be inspected per HUD guidelines. Perhaps we could ask for a clause in the lease to allow me to leave without obligation to the lease if the infestation recurs? Is this possible? I may opt out altogether if other options fail.

I appreciate your input.

 

[adjusterjack]

What legal options are there?

Probably none. Cockroaches have inhabited the Earth long before humans and will still be around when humans are extinct.