Photo by PoPville flickr user Mr.TinDC
“Dear PoPville,
The A/C in my large downtown D.C. apartment building has been out for nearly a week–and it could still be several days before it’s fixed.
While our building is working hard to restore it, this is not the first time we’ve dealt with A/C maintenance issues this summer, and there seems to be little accountability amid rising rents. It may be time to form a tenants’ association. (more…)
Photo by PoPville flickr user Erin
“Dear PoPville,
I’m curious if any of your readers have knowledge when it comes to tenants’ rights and AC. My apartment building was unable to provide air conditioning for the entire month of May, couldn’t/wouldn’t provide status updates, and inside temperatures reached the high 80s on numerous occasions. During the outage, they said they would provide tenants with information on rent abatement, then recently notified us that they discussed it and would not be providing any rent abatement with no explanation provided. (more…)
Photo by PoPville flickr user Eric P.
“Dear PoPville,
I saw a recent post from a landlord asking for help from the community so I thought I would follow up and ask the community about withheld security deposit from the renter.
Currently in a dispute with my landlord over $300. He is withholding $250 for the basement carpet that he says is damaged and needs a steam clean and sections need to be replaced. Even though I lived in the house for three years and steam cleaned it once a year. So does DC define how often carpet needs to be replaced? I also know the carpet has not been replaced in at least 5 years as a friend lived in the house before me. (more…)
Photo by PoPville flickr user Erinn Shirley
“Dear PoPville,
Tenants recently moved out of my house in DC. I inspected the property two days after they moved out, and everything seemed in order. Because they had just bought a house, I wanted to be nice to them and return their deposit asap, which I did right after the inspection. Three days later, I moved back into the house and discovered the washing machine gasket was covered in mold and hair. I know to expect some mold in the gasket, but this went beyond normal wear and tear. Three days of trying everything (Concorbium, bleach, baking soda paste, etc…) has done nothing to remove the smell or the mold stains. (more…)
Photo by PoPville flickr user VTnardo
“Dear Popville,
I am currently dealing with a gas leak in my apartment building on Scott Circle. Since last Sunday, we have been without the ability to cook (gas oven and stove), no A/C, and no ability to dry clothes. I am a renter, not an owner, so I am not privy to email updates from the building, and have had to find out all this information through third parties. I have already asked my landlord to update me in a timely manner. My question is, is there anything else I can do? It is costing me a lot of money to eat out, travel to do laundry, and is general pain to have no A/C as the District starts to rapidly warm up. Thank for you input!”
“Dear PoPville,
I’m wondering if readers might have advice regarding a housing situation I find myself in. Late last year, I toured a brand new building in Columbia Heights and applied to rent a place. I was approved for a February 1 move-in date. In December, I found out my move-in date was moved to March 1. I know this was a red flag, but I figured a new building would come with some hiccups and I was month-to-month at my previous place.
So, from December until last Tuesday (February 26) I operated under the assumption I would move in March 1 – I signed the lease, arranged for movers, reserved my new apartment’s loading dock, gave my 30-days notice to my old place, etc., and was in regular contact with my new management company. At this point, it’s important to mention that the new lease includes a clause absolving the management company of all responsibility for move-in delays due to construction of the building (this section made me skeptical, but I went against my better judgment and signed away, which was a big mistake on my part). Then on Tuesday, February 26, I found out my move-in date had been changed to March 5 – 8 because the building doesn’t have its certificate of occupancy. (more…)
“Dear PoPville,
My building received this email from management last night. Two thoughts:
Why is breed discrimination still allowed? Aren’t irresponsible owners the real problem?
How does the management company even know this dog is a pit bull? Who is paying for the genetic testing? Or is this a “pit bull until proven innocent” situation?
Also, who narcs on their neighbor’s puppy….”
Photo by PoPville flick user andy ward
Photo by PoPville flickr user Tim Brown
“Dear PoPville,
Was hoping somebody in the community could help out here. I am in the middle of moving out of my apartment building (older small building with no onsite building management) and noticed the items in my storage unit are gone. Each apartment gets a space and there is no fee for it and its basically a large wooden shelf with chicken wire so you can lock your stuff up. The kicker here is that I may have used the wrong specific space (because I wasn’t sure which was mine at the time I moved in) – but seeing as there was one available I assumed. At one point the building sent out an email asking if anyone may be using a space that was not theirs and I replied that it was likely me. I never heard back and assumed that meant everything was ok.
Fast forward – I go down for the first time in several months to complete my move out and notice my items are no longer there and have been replaced by someone elses stuff. (more…)
“Dear PoPville,
I live in an building above a bar/ restaurant. I Have talked to my leasing office, ABRA, the cops and the bar itself, all more than once, about the amount of noise that comes through my floor (mostly on weekends but occasionally weekdays). There has been no solution it seems because that problem still persists and it is so loud I can’t sleep at all. (more…)
From a press release:
“Attorney General Karl A. Racine today announced a lawsuit against Evolve, LLC and Evolve Property Management, LLC, local real estate companies, for violating consumer protection law through illegal housing discrimination. The Office of the Attorney General (OAG) alleges in its complaint that consumers were harmed when the companies refused to show or rent available properties to prospective tenants who receive housing assistance from the federal government. In its lawsuit, OAG is seeking an injunction against the companies to stop their illegal and discriminatory business practices, as well as restitution and penalties for violating District law.
“Many District of Columbia residents receive subsidies, including housing vouchers, to assist them in meeting the high cost of living in our city,” said AG Racine. “It is illegal to deny housing opportunities to District residents who use subsidies or vouchers to pay for their rent. Today’s lawsuit is a warning to entities that denying housing on the basis of source of income is discriminatory, illegal, and will not be tolerated.”
Evolve, LLC and Evolve Property Management, LLC (Evolve) are real estate and property management companies that own and manage residential properties in the District. The companies are headquartered in the H Street Corridor and offer multiple apartments for rent in the District, including several units on Capitol Hill. Evolve advertises apartments online at www.evolvedc.com and on Craigslist, and requires prospective tenants interested in scheduling a showing online to disclose whether they plan to pay the rent with housing vouchers. (more…)