Currently live in a shitty apartment with my mom. I recently got hired and am gonna make enough money to move out. However, I don't want my mom living in the same shit apartment. Problem is, anything with higher rent is going to be an issue for her. So I have two options.
A. Find her a better place and help pay the rent
B. Renovate the shit out of our current apartment.
I like option B more considering she likes the neighborhood a lot, and I wouldn't have to help out with the rent as much. My only concern is that the building is old, and maintained by a super who doesn't want to to jack shit. He just comes around to do emergency patch work whenever it's needed, and even then, he does the bare minimum shit job. I don't know if its worth renovating the apartment if the building is pretty bad. Flooring is uneven and filled with gaps between floorboards. Gaps between floor and molding. Walls cracking. Shitty bathtub. Plumbing under sink is missing a chunk of a wall. Stove/fridge would need to be replaced. Bathroom tiling is awful. Gaps between heating pipes and ceilings/floors. Anyway, is it possible to renovate this piece of shit in a way that everything doesn't fall apart when it's finished, and how much would a job like this cost?
Have you tried getting a building inspector to look at the place? Maybe if some code violations are found you can pressure your slumlord into hiring a contractor to fix the place properly.
Illegal to renovate a rental
>>987764
By the looks of those pictures odds are a building inspector will have quite a list. It's a gamble as to how the landlord will respond though. Maybe more half-assed patch jobs, and putting you & your mom on his shit list for bringing an inspector into it.
You should probably scope out a new place as a fallback just in case.
>>987765
Thanks, I have a few questions though cause I don't know anything about this stuff.
Do I have to pay the building inspector? And do I have to threaten the landlord with the list of violations or does the inspector do that? And by threatening you mean threatening to sue right?
>>987750
its not illegal if you have the owners permission. i'd assume his slumlord wouldn't care but he should still ask first.
Watch out that after a sweet reno job, that the slumlord doesn't boot you out or later raise the rent "because it's a much better place." Had a friend who was legally evicted because now he lived in a nice place and the landlord covetted it. In British Columbia the landlord was protected by law. Friend got the boot by his paki landlord, who then moved his newly landed immigrant family into his former suite. Just do due diligence and cover your ass.
>>987737
>renovate apartment
>landlord sees what you did and raises the rent because apartment is now worth more money
never fix up a place you don't own
>>987748
this, why would you spend your own money on something they should be fixing in the first place
>>987868
That just asking for the tenant get so.e leaking pipes before he leaves.
>>987783
>Do I have to pay the building inspector?
Assuming you live in the US, just about every city should have a number to call to report rental concerns. It is a free service to you.
>And do I have to threaten the landlord with the list of violations or does the inspector do that?
The city inspector will do that.
>And by threatening you mean threatening to sue right?
No, the city inspector will tell your landlord what needs to be fixed, and how long he has to fix it. Once that time limit is up, he will come back and make sure it has been completed and will either sign off on it, notify him of more updates, or condemn the unit or building.
You should also look into paying your rent into escrow until the unit is repaired. You essentially set up an agreement with the courts that the landlord must fix these issues by such a time or you will be paying the rent to the courts instead of to him. Once he does the repairs, he gets the money. For the time being though, he gets jack shit.
>>988017
Ah I see. I've read the other posts on the thread and now I'm concerned that he'll raise the rent? I do live in the US btw. desu he can raise the rent and it still might be cheaper than renting somewhere else, but its a thin line. I'd rather not deal with the BS and find a different place all together.
>>987868
I hope he shat on the apartment before he left
>>988061
While in contract he can't raise the rent unless there are provisions that allow it, but let me say this: you generally don't want to start a beef with your landlord--there are plenty of ways they can make your life hell. There's almost definitely better options that can keep your mother near/in that neighborhood.
>>988106
Thanks, after looking into all this, I'd rather just find her another place. The renovation would probably be a shit patch up job anyway.
>>988111
Usually easier.
>>987737
It would be a lot of work for something you don't own the most I'd ever do to a house I'm renting is paint it.
>>987737
>Renovate the shit out of our current apartment.
and then the landlord kicks her out inorder to rent the apartment to someone else for a higher price.
