Repairs/rent paid/Massachusetts

[scar4life1969]

My wife and I moved into a condo that is rented to us, we moved in at the end of March and the landlord did not want to do any painting or cleaning of the unit so I told him my wife and I would clean and paint if he would split the cost 50/50 which he did. He gave us credit of $150. for paint which he made out quite well on that deal.

Since March when we move in we have told the agency numerous times of repairs that need to be addresses and to this day of 7/30 the repairs still have not been completed after telling them a couple time via phone calls and have sent a couple of e-mails and also sent letters snail-mail

The agency told us at the begining of this weeks all of the repairs would be ALL DONE but no-one has come to do them and the landlord has no problems cashing our monthly rent checks which have been paid on time each month.

So my ? is can I make the repairs myself and deduct from our monthly rent or can we with hold rent until the repairs are complete

[grasmicc]

Originally Posted by scar4life1969

My wife and I moved into a condo that is rented to us, we moved in at the end of March and the landlord did not want to do any painting or cleaning of the unit so I told him my wife and I would clean and paint if he would split the cost 50/50 which he did. He gave us credit of $150. for paint which he made out quite well on that deal.

Since March when we move in we have told the agency numerous times of repairs that need to be addresses and to this day of 7/30 the repairs still have not been completed after telling them a couple time via phone calls and have sent a couple of e-mails and also sent letters snail-mail

The agency told us at the begining of this weeks all of the repairs would be ALL DONE but no-one has come to do them and the landlord has no problems cashing our monthly rent checks which have been paid on time each month.

So my ? is can I make the repairs myself and deduct from our monthly rent or can we with hold rent until the repairs are complete

It depends on what the repairs are for. What type of repairs?

BTW - from now on send everything to the landlord certified mail.

[elklaw]

You can do either of the things you propose, but if they are not allowed by your lease, you could put yourself in eviction status. If eviction proceedings occur, you would bring up the repairs that needed to be done, that you notified them of, and were never done as your defense for why you had to act and reasonably did so. The certified mail is a good idea so you have proof of notification to the landlord.