Landlord making us buy a new sliding door

[Drewdownkali]

Jurisdiction

Washington

We moved into a new place earlier this month. The sliding glass door didn't work well before we moved in (slides poorly and locks when you close it). We failed to note this on the inspection but landlord told us it would lock on us sometimes and said she made it slide better but still didn't slide good at all. My fiance went outside with the dogs and got locked out in freezing weather. She had to break in and destroyed the latch. She had used a neighbor's phone while locked out to call the landlord but by the time the landlord responded she had already broke in and left for work. Landlord expected us to replace the whole door. We just replaced the latch and it works better than before we moved in. Still slides crappy of course. Landlord said she is planning on getting the place appraised and expects us to have the door replaced. 1200 dollars to have a new door put in.
Landlord also told us she would change the electric over to our name for us but never did and then got mad when she got the bill. She charged us (no problem there, we owe it) for a good portion of the bill. Basically divided it in half even though she used most of the electricity repairing the place and putting in new floors prior to us moving in. This is completely outrageous.
Now she is trying to claim that we did work without her approval (putting in a new latch) that didn't require any drilling or anything. Just bolted it up in place of the old latch.
Are we sol because we didn't make note of the door on the inspection?

 

[army judge]

Are we sol because we didn't make note of the door on the inspection?

Probably ............

 

[mightymoose]

If its an older property I think it would likely fall into the category of normal wear and tear. You have been there a month and could not reasonably wear out the door in that time.
The latch replacement is not a significant issue unless there is still damage to the door caused by breaking in.
Personally, as you describe it, I wouldn't pay it. I would start looking for a new place to live and expect a fight to recover any deposit.

 

[Drewdownkali]

Wow this is just crazy. We already put a deposit on the new door and it has been ordered. Then today we received a letter from a lawyer stating the door worked fine when we moved in and when we inspected the place and that the landlord is willing to pay for half of the door if we agree to re-sign the lease to end at the end of March so she can sell the place in April.

 

[Drewdownkali]

I want to upload a pic of it but it says it's too large. I will try and scan it in a min and upload it.

 

[Drewdownkali]

here are the scans

 

[Gail_in_Georgia]

You've already gone ahead and ordered the new door (not sure why you did this but..???). So ignore this letter unless you are sick of the landlord.

Frankly, this landlord wants an empty unit when she puts it on the market. You have a lease (I'm assuming). Legally you have her by the "short hairs" (so to speak) here. You can require the landlord to continue to abide by the dates on the lease.

One of your options could be to offer to move out at the end of March IF the landlords pays the ENTIRE cost of the door.

Gail

 

[Drewdownkali]

You've already gone ahead and ordered the new door (not sure why you did this but..???). So ignore this letter unless you are sick of the landlord.
Frankly, this landlord wants an empty unit when she puts it on the market. You have a lease (I'm assuming). Legally you have her by the "short hairs" (so to speak) here. You can require the landlord to continue to abide by the dates on the lease.

One of your options could be to offer to move out at the end of March IF the landlords pays the ENTIRE cost of the door.

Gail

We just found out after talking to some people and a friend that knows a lawyer that she screwed us. Title of lease says one year lease but later in it it says month to month. We're screwed. We don't have much of an option other than to accept her off and get the hell out of dodge. She is a dirty and sick person. Live and learn from our stupid mistakes I guess.

 

[Drewdownkali]

Probably report her to BBB after we are out. Think that's about it. Oh and maybe see if we can get our deposit or some of it back from the glass company.

 

[army judge]

We just found out after talking to some people and a friend that knows a lawyer that she screwed us. Title of lease says one year lease but later in it it says month to month. We're screwed. We don't have much of an option other than to accept her off and get the hell out of dodge. She is a dirty and sick person. Live and learn from our stupid mistakes I guess.

You might not be screwed, yet, mate.
She may have screwed herself, unless you agreed to her outrageous, ridiculous offer.
It might be worth your time to visit a couple lawyers and obtain a complete legal evaluation of where you stand.

Most lawyers won't charge you for the initial meeting.

Something about this, especially in WA state tells me you're not as bad off legally as you might imagine.

 

[Drewdownkali]

We did talk to a lawyer of a friend. He said run for the hills. He will send landlord a letter for us for free accepting her offer.

 

[army judge]

We did talk to a lawyer of a friend. He said run for the hills. He will send landlord a letter for us for free accepting her offer.

No worries, good luck.

 

[mightymoose]

Too bad. If she was willing to pay for the door to have you out early she likely would have paid more for the inconvenience.
I think you rushed right by an opportunity with this.

 

[Drewdownkali]

Too bad. If she was willing to pay for the door to have you out early she likely would have paid more for the inconvenience.
I think you rushed right by an opportunity with this.

yep. My finance was scared by the threats. Not even our responsibility by law to fix the door according to tenant union and lawyer.

 

[mightymoose]

It seems you did not have to pay for the door, and you also could have demanded more money in exchange for modifying the lease and moving out early.
If you have accepted the terms of the agreement you've missed your chance. However, if you have not yet signed the new lease it may not be too late to change your mind. At a minimum I'd ask for a generous amount up front as well as a written promise to return all deposits before I agree. Otherwise I'm taking my time about moving out on my own schedule.

 

[Drewdownkali]

It seems you did not have to pay for the door, and you also could have demanded more money in exchange for modifying the lease and moving out early.
If you have accepted the terms of the agreement you've missed your chance. However, if you have not yet signed the new lease it may not be too late to change your mind. At a minimum I'd ask for a generous amount up front as well as a written promise to return all deposits before I agree. Otherwise I'm taking my time about moving out on my own schedule.

We haven't accepted the term of this new agreement yet but it's in our best interest to. Fiance already put 600 deposit on the door which we will see tomorrow if we can get that back. Otherwise all landlord has to give us is 20 days notice to leave due to month to month. This way she can just keep our 1k deposit and pet deposit 500 as our last for March.

 

[army judge]

Your lease has value, especially if someone is trying to terminate it early.

You have a property right to occupy the existing lease until the very last day at close of business stated on the lease.

If the LL wants you out early, your right must be sold, not for any price, but the price you demand.

If the LL is unwilling to pay $5,000 (for example) you have the right to continue to enjoy your property right for as long as you pay the rent in a timely manner.

You don't have to leave early, you don't even have to entertain leaving early, just as the LL need not entertain it if you say can I pay half of my rent this month, and catch up next month.

 

[Drewdownkali]

Your lease has value, especially if someone is trying to terminate it early.

You have a property right to occupy the existing lease until the very last day at close of business stated on the lease.

If the LL wants you out early, your right must be sold, not for any price, but the price you demand.

If the LL is unwilling to pay $5,000 (for example) you have the right to continue to enjoy your property right for as long as you pay the rent in a timely manner.

You don't have to leave early, you don't even have to entertain leaving early, just as the LL need not entertain it if you say can I pay half of my rent this month, and catch up next month.

But it's a month to month lease made to look like a year lease. There are no moveout dates noted on the lease. Badly written lease. For us.

 

[army judge]

WA, except for Seattle, does allow 20 day notices to vacate without cause by the LL.

I see you're in Tacoma, too bad.

Are you active duty military?

 

[Drewdownkali]

lease. its bad