Dealing with a difficult l和lord
Review these tips for navigating your rights as a renter.
当你的租赁故事没有圆满结束时，你该怎么办? 下面列出了一些处理常见问题和获得重大问题帮助的方法.
Your apartment needs repairs
In almost every state, tenants are entitled by law to a safe 和 livable home. 这通常意味着房东需要提供安全的结构元素(如楼梯和屋顶)。, hot 和 cold water 和 operating electrical, 管道, heating 和 air-conditioning systems, among other things.
"If you're in a situation that threatens your health or safety, contact a lawyer who can tell you about your rights in the state, county or city you're in," says Olivia Stoker, a tenant counselor with 坚实的基础, a nonprofit community action agency in Seattle.1 Your options might include 搬出去.
You have less recourse for that drippy faucet. In some states, you can make repairs yourself 和 deduct the cost from your rent, within limits. 无论哪种方式，你的第一步都是以书面形式向房东报告问题. "If water is leaking for several days in my apartment, it could cause damage if I don't tell my l和lord immediately, so I want to document that I told my l和lord on a certain day," Stoker says.
Keep records of everything, she adds. 如果你的房子需要使用书面命令进行维修，在上交之前拍张照片. As an extra precaution, 把照片用电子邮件发给自己，这样你就有了一个额外的时间戳，可以在法庭上使用.
You have noisy 邻居
Make sure you underst和 what limits a lease places on you 和 邻居. 例如，可能有安静的时间，您可以记录违反这些指导方针的情况. 除了, 在向房东求助之前，别忘了礼貌地请求他们帮忙共用墙壁和地板:你的邻居可能没有意识到声音传播的程度, 例如.
You can't get your security deposit back
In dealing with l和lords, 当你搬出去的时候，做一个视频来证明你离开的空间是干净的，所有的锁和电器都是正常工作的，这是明智的. “你可能需要证据来帮助讲述你的故事，”斯托克说.
好消息是:你可能有比你想象的更多的时间来收回存款. "In Washington 状态, 例如, 如果你有书面合同，你可以去小额索赔法庭，在你搬出去六年之后，试着从房东那里拿回你的钱," Stoker says.
You need to keep proper documentation
保留一份已签署协议的副本以作记录是很重要的. 之前 朝着 or out of a rental, 走过一遍，这样你就可以拍下照片或视频，以防将来你遇到不公平的房东或考虑举报你的房东时需要核实. 最好通过正式的电子邮件联系你的房东，如果你需要使用沟通作为证据，如果一个问题需要升级. If you talk to your l和lord on the phone, make sure to follow up. This can be done by sending an email summarizing the conversation, including outlining any decisions you agreed on.
You need an open line of communication
房东和租客之间的问题可以通过保持沟通渠道的畅通来解决. 在签订租约之前，通过问正确的问题，尽早建立积极的关系. Make sure you underst和 what is contained within the lease agreement他是谁? responsible for the maintenance 和 what is included in the 租金价格. 讨论最好的方式来解决问题，利用最有效的沟通形式，对你们双方都有效. This can help avoid l和lord issues in the future.
Consider expert help
如果你正在处理一个难以对付的房东或有房东问题，有非营利机构, 倡导团体和法律组织在每个州提供免费的租户援助. 美国.S. 住房和城市发展部提供了已批准的房屋的链接, along with detailed information about tenant-l和lord laws 和 protections.
