University Daily Kansan / Wednesday, October 28, 1987
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Campus/Area
Local offices help tenants suffering landlord neglect
By REBECCA J. CISEK Special to the Kansan
A few months ago water was backing up in the basement, reaching the bottom of the furnace. But nothing was being done to remedy the situation. And Shannon Clark was losing patience.
"It was slightly amusing, up to a point," she said of the maintenance problems she has experienced in the house she rents.
Clark, 21, works as a secretary for the housing department at the University of Kansas and rents from a local agency. She moved into her present home in March, and some problems have remained unsolved. Her basement leaks were fixed, but other unsatisfactory conditions still exist.
Some of the screens on her windows have been torn since March. A broken storm window has lain in her yard for about a month. Clark said her cat escaped through the torn screens and was killed by a car.
Clark also has a refrigerator that leaks on her kitchen tile and faulty electrical wiring that leaves some switches and outlets useless.
Clark called the rental agency questioning why the work hadn't
been done. She said the agency told her the person who was supposed to do it hadn't done it yet.
Clark said she planned to put her grievances in writing and send a copy to the rental agency. She said she would use the Office of Consumer Affairs and the City Code Compliance Office if the agency still took no action.
But recently the rental agency made some minor repairs on Clark's house. Clark said that because the repairs showed good faith on the part of the agency, she was willing to be patient for a little longer.
"I don't really want to file a complaint. I don't want trouble. It's not a dangerous situation, but it's really irritating." Clark said.
When a landlord is lax about repairs, tenants may find themselves in a helpless situation, said Candy Reeve, a founding member of the Lawrence Tenants Association. The association residents and 48 percent of KU students rented. Maintenance is one of their biggest problems, she said.
"A lot of tenants feel intimidated and, unfortunately, there are some landlords in this town who enjoy intimidating tenants," she said.
The rental agency that manages Clark's house said that it had a maintenance crew of four, though the number sometime varied. When tenants complain about a maintenance problem, the crew visits the tenant's home to decide whether repairs should be made. Usually repairs are made within 24 hours, the owner of the agency said.
Reeve said tenants should inspect their apartments with their landlords to check for problems within four months they move in. They should keep a list of problems they find to help them get their security deposit back.
"A lot of people are not aware of what to do to exercise their rights as tenants," she said.
Law requires landlords to fix broken plumbing, windows and electrical wiring, said Margene Swarts, city housing and environmental inspector.
Tenants can call her office to set up an appointment for an inspection. The inspector and tenant then make a written evaluation of the apartment. If the inspector finds violations, the landlord gets 14 days to comply with the housing code. If he doesn't, tenants can legally break their lease and move.
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