Some of you know me or know of me. I used to post here a lot in the past. I have been a landlord for almost 32 years but this is going to be a post that is the opposite of what a landlord would post as I am trying to help a friend who is a tenant.

However it could also be a learning post for new landlords NOT to do.

My friend's landlords are doing so many illegal things that I am shocked by it all, as it is common sense things.

Now., being a landlord for decades, I know that many of you will think that she is just a complaining tenant as we have all had our share of those, but I ask that you put your mindset as if she is a friend, daughter, granddaughter, sister, etc so you can see things from my prospective.

I recently found out, just after she signed a new lease, that she has not had heat for about 3 years. I am really concerned that she has been without heat for all that time and just deals with it, so as to not ruffle feathers. It gets very cold in Wisconsin, sometimes 40 below or worse and landlords are required that their heating systems can maintain at least 67 degrees during the winter.

She has asked her landlord to fix her baseboard heater multiple times but was told she just doesn't know how to work electric baseboard heaters. She does as she has had electric baseboard heat before.

I just found out that she has no heat. My friend has been abused by an ex in the past, so she has always put up with things rather than face retaliation. She bought a little space heater and runs it during the day but is afraid to run it at night, so she uses an electric blanket to try to stay warm at night. She said she has been so cold.

Her landlords have never changed the code to the main entry door to the building and some of her neighbor tenants are not what anyone would want as a neighbor. She is pretty sure that one tenant on her floor, is a drug dealer. To top that off, they never changed her locks, after she found a note inside her apartment from someone she did not know, that they mistakenly left for another tenant. Landlords said they must have slipped it under her door but it was on her end table so that was not the case. They still refused to change her locks. Said it is too expensive to change locks so apparently they never change locks for anyone.

The dryer in the basement does not vent outside and fills the room with moisture when it runs. Another tenant showed her mold under the air condition in her apt.

The landlords showed up at her apartment, with a new renewal paper recently, that had a big rent increase but did not give her any notice whatsoever of a rent increase. Unfortunately she signed it as to not anger them. I guess they are not pleasant people. She is afraid of them. She knows nothing about landlord/tenant law.

I have convinced her that she needs to get out of there but didn't know about this until after she renewed her lease. At the very least, she should have heat and new locks to her apartment. The rent is REALLY high for this area and the landlords make over $10k month on that 16 unit building plus tenants pay utilities. They can certainly afford to change locks and fix the electric baseboard heater but they refuse to.

Lastly, she only makes about 10K yr so she is getting Section 8 which I know most of you do not approve of. I also take Section 8 and have some wonderful tenants from it. She is afraid her portion will go up but some apartments have heat included and sometimes utilities for less rent. She said she was just glad she found a place after her divorce so she just puts up with everything. She said she pays her rent 2 weeks early and I believe her. Still I know not to get too involved as we really never know but I want to help her get out of there. .

You are probably all wondering why I don't rent to her. I will, if I have a unit available when she needs one. I know that sometimes it is not good to have a friend as a tenant. I just have to figure out a way to get her out of there. Her landlords require a 90 day notice which I have never heard of. I am going to suggest to her that she speak to the Section 8 office. They have not inspected her unit at all and yet the landlords are getting government money and not even furnishing heat. That can't be legal.

I am hoping that they will inspect the place and force the landlord to fix her heat and change her locks at least, before they get any more money. They are getting quite a chunk of rent from them.

I guess that several of the tenants are moving out now. She said they are all afraid of retaliation but at least they all have heat except her. She said that someone she knows in the same building, got a new baseboard heater recently as well but she never got hers replaced or repaired.

I ask that you please don't trash her or my attempt to help her. She has been through a lot, almost dying a couple times. If anyone takes section 8 tenants, do you know if they will stop paying the landlord until they fix the heat and change her locks. I am thinking the landlords will need to fix things within 30 days or so and maybe before that if no heat

Thanks in advance for your help. I don't want to go to a tenant site and pretend I am a tenant. I would not feel comfortable doing that.

Section 8,in a situation like this will usually give 30 days to fix and then will reinspect.

She had an electrician friend check it out for her and he said it was shot. She even let her landlord know that it was checked by an electrician. They never called anyone to fix it.

She also had baseboard heat in another place she lived in, before that, so she had used baseboard heat before. I have never had electric baseboard heat anywhere but know it is expensive.

I've been a landlord since buying my first rental at age 18. I'm now just over 60. I am also a contractor that worked for may other landlords as their handyman/contractor. There is a difference between a landlord and an investor. Most landlords are into deferred maintenance and keeping tenants happy. A investor only looks at returns, why do anything that won't increase income. A sad way to do business.

Then when I was around 40, I found a few of my client landlords short changing their tenants. Taking advantage of their deposits and not refunding them. And screwing their contractors too.

One story, I got a phone call for a landlord of many units that the gas company turned off the house gas which provided fuel for the buildings central water heater. No one had hot water. This was going to be a 3 day holiday weekend and the gas company would not restore service until Tuesday, because of a late payment. Since besides being a general contractor I'm also a licensed plumbing contractor with credentials to work on Gas Company Equipment. I can restore service if necessary. I was asked to turn back on the gas and everything would be okay by Tuesday. The owner said that her first check bounced but she delivered to the gas company a replacement check on Thursday and the gas company was supposed to restore service, but didn't. I believed her.

While restoring service a Gas Company worker passed by and saw me. I didn't care I had nothing to hide. A few minute later the Gas Company Employee came back with the police. They asked me what I thought I was doing. I explained:

The owner's check bounced and the service was turned off. Then the owner dropped off a replacement check and the Gas Company failed to turn back on the service. I am a licensed plumbing contractor with credentials from the Gas company to work on their equipment. I showed them my credentials. The police confirmed with the Gas Company that the second check from the owner also bounced and they told her they would not restore service until they had cash in hands on Tuesday.

I then said, there is a new born baby living in apartment 2 and without hot water this is a Health and Safety Issue. I believe them that this owner bounced a second check, but I wasn't trying to steal a utility since it's marked with the turn-off reading. The owner will have to paid for the gas used. The gas company and police wanted to site me, fine me or arrest me even though I was made a fool by the owner.

Just then the tenant from unit 2 came out and everyone reconsider him. He was the star of a Stargate Series. He said that he would personally take responsibility that if the gas bill wasn't paid in full by Tuesday, he would transfer the gas into his name. He saved me from a fine and disciplinary action. The owner was a real piece of work.

I've had around a dozen landlords over a 40 year contracting career not maintain sanitary conditions for tenants and/or want to put me in a dangerous working condition. Like a building being treated with chemicals and having me do work the next day -- remodeling.

For this reason I have sensors, monitors, Meters, microscopes to determine if a rental is save for me or my tenants.

But then again I've had a tenants in a clients building use the wrong kind of carpet shampoo machine flood the carpet and padding with water, reactivating the hardwood flooring releasing Formaldehyde and causing a major health risk. The tenant saying the landlord refused to shampoo the carpet so the tenant hired a local company, when in fact the carpet was new and an illegal pet peed on the carpet and it needed to shampooed, but by an expert not a fly by night company.

6x6..Right now we are trying to figure out if there is a way for her to get out of her lease and if there is, we need to see what is out there and how much her portion would be. She hasn't had a heat bill to pay for 3 years so she is concerned that if it is fixed, it may be so expensive, she won't know how she can pay it. I told her that some places around here do included utilities although her portion would probably go up but she needs heat and her locks changed too. I told her to start putting money away for a security deposit elsewhere. I have a feeling that her landlords will probably try to keep her security, thinking she won't question it. I am thinking they probably convinced her that they couldn't afford to fix the heat or didn't need to or something. She has no clue what landlords are required to do.

Allym..I have not seen the paperwork for HUD but she would not be able to afford the apartment, if she was not getting Section 8. The rent is about what her total monthly income is.

She sent me a screen shot via Facebook messenger, showing the portion of the prior lease where she had to give 90 day notice to move. I have never heard of a landlord requiring a 90 day notice.

Cat, I remember you as once being a frequent poster.

She should have a talk with her caseworker at the PHA that handles her S8. They can come do an inspection & make a list of things that need to be repaired. Then #22 said the PHA will give the LL time to fix them. I imagine that during the winter in a cold state like Wisconsin, the LL would only be given hours not days or weeks to fix the heat.

Cat, I remember those times when we had the on-line chat feature with Irish and some other regulars who may still be lurking, I can not remember your partners name but a few comical stories like when the pizza was put upside down in the oven - some memories...

I stopped reading after "she has not had heat in 3 years"

This is not a land lord or tenant problem. This is a "this person has no backbone" problem.

NO ONE sits still with no heat for 3 years. No one. "Doesn't want to ruffle feathers" is a B.S. excuse. Ruffling feathers is when the cabinet door is falling off the hinges and you call for the 3rd time. This is quite literally life and death. If this person cannot stand up for herself, she needs a guardian appointed to handle her affairs.

Yes, it really is that bad.

P.S. I went back and skimmed the rest of the post. I saw this phrase jump out "she has almost died a few times"

I stand by what I said above. This isn't "trashing" anyone. This is saying someone needs to get off their a** and resolve this situation before she does die. I have no problem hurt someone's feeling when life and death is on the line. Get a guardian appointed...YESTERDAY.

Cat,

Just to clarify on the Section 8 inspection, I have section 8 on some of my tenants.

A few years ago, the long time Section 8 program was cut here and there was only 1 person in the office full time and only a helper for her occasionally. She covered the entire county. It got so bad that they had to have landlords start furnished them stamps to send out their payments and try to cut down on their other office expenses as well. The hours were cut to around 6 hours per weekday and the office was closed on Fridays.

The original person in the office had been in there for decades. She was easy to work with and if I said I would fix an issue, she knew I would and I could just tell her it was fixed. Before she retired, she was so swamped doing everything that is was harder and harder for her to get out to do inspections.

Then this new person came in. She was not friendly and I remember her doing one inspection that year on a property for renewal. After that, with Covid, she has not inspected any of my units, even at renewal in probably the past 2 years or more. If she isn't inspecting any of mine, I doubt she is inspecting anyone else's.

As stated, my friend has a space heater that she bought herself and another friend gave her electric blankets. She only leaves the electric blankets turned on at night when it is extremely cold as she is afraid of fire.

She is not a person who confronts anyone. She has asked to have things fixed and the landlord ignores her. She is terrified of being kicked out on such a limited income and not have a place to go. I told her to start saving up for a security deposit and I know she will do the best she can. She has always been extremely sweet and kind and has not had an easy life, through no fault of her own. If she gets evicted which would be retalitory and illegal over complaining to Section 8 about no heat, I will give her the deposit for a new place if needed or get her into one of my units if available.

Thank you all for the responses.

Cat, not trying to be overly mean, but anyone, tenant, landlord, etc. that would allow themselves to live without heat for three years in Wisconsin is mentally ill. I stopped reading your post after the first sentence of your fifth paragraph. The rest is just blah blah blah.

yes Cat, I remember you.

As soon as I started reading my very first thought was that she stays there because it is really cheap. You don't get a great place to live for really cheap. There is a trade-off involved. And there it is, at the end, Section 8 is paying her rent for her. She is paying very little for her place to live.

Even today, a brand new baseboard heater is about $100. She has a friend who is an electrician who checked that heater for her. That electrician friend could volunteer to change out the heater for her and she would have a brand new baseboard heater for about $100. her own money, for sure, but she would have heat.

But wait! She doesn't really want he heat fixed because she doesn't want to pay for heat.

Any time there is lots of drama, the drama is caused by the people involved not figuring out what the base problem is and fixing that. Instead they stall and whine and blame anyone or anything that doesn't really have anything to do with fixing the problem.

I have tried to explain that she is terrified of not having a place to live and a roof over her head and I guess that is not being received here as the reason she is putting up with a lot.

It is difficult for me to hear my friend being criticized so I am asking if anyone knows how I can get my post deleted.

I have not posted here for a long time so I haven't needed to have a post deleted. I do not remember how to get it deleted, if someone would be so kind as to let me know how.

For those who tried to help and not blame my friend. Thank you.

If she is using a small plug in heater and an electric blanket she is still consuming electricity, and not too safely. I agree that getting a single baseboard electric heater fixed or replaced would save her money in the long run.

Maybe while you are waiting for the Section 8 inspection to happen buy her the heater. Have the electrician install it. Keep the bills for both.

Cat, you are not helping your friend. People here are not attacking her. As nearly everyone has said, there is more to this situation than meets the eye. Your friend is mentally ill. It is not the bad landlord’s fault that she is mentally ill.

Removing this thread will not fix your friend’s mental illness. Please call adult protective services in your area today and let them know about the situation.

You can probably email the editor and ask for it to be deleted.

We could all still learn if it remains though.

Cat, this is not a criticism of you or your friend. It is a fact. You said so yourself she has almost died several times. This is a woman who is incapable of taking care of herself and needs help. At this time, I'm not aware of anyone other than you who is in a position to help. You don't have to rent to her, but adult services in your area needs to be notified immediately.

Delete the post and consider me the worst human alive, but please...call adult protective services or someone in authority to get her help. She probably needs more help than you can give her, but you can start the process rolling. Will you step up?

Was she in an abusive relationship? Then that would explain her inability to stand up for herself.

A call to the newspaper of a landlord providing inadequate heating with no section 8 inspections would get it fixed quick. That would be a draconian measure.

Cat ,We miss you on here.

Something is terribly wrong with the Section office. My office in Alabama routinely inspects all properties and insists on good service with repairs confirmed.Local office would withhold payments for all Section 8 tenants to the same owner until this one unit was 100%.

I can't believe the background info as it compares to my experience. Thanks for helping her.

Keep us posted.

Cat, I totally remember you! Thank you for helping me years ago, and thank you also very much for helping your friend now.

Indeed, she needs to get out of her place immediately. As noted, a guardian or an attorney from a local pro-bono tenant-friendly organization like Project Sentinel should step in immediately to release her from her lease. You might work in tandem with the group/lawyer to facilitate communication with your friend as she probably might not be capable to work without you.

As you mentioned, you can first find her a new place before she leaves her current place. I pray that you both find her a good Section 8 place.

I actually have a friend who was in a eerily similar situation. Her tenant neighbor said that he had been without heat for years. Luckily, the landlord did replace her 1970s HVAC unit that disintegrated at the touch when a pretty-sounding admin called him to facilitate the job. As in Robert J's amazing story, sometimes a human element could sway a seemingly sure bleak decision. You never know.

Best of luck and hope that you are well otherwise.

Why is your friend there?

I understand the fear factor - I also understand baseboard heat can crap out. But it shouldn't take three years to get it fixed.

If her electrician friend said the baseboard heater was shot, why not replace it for her? His time to check it was probably worth more than his time to replace it! Baseboard heaters are CHEAP to install (expensive to run, but cheap to install.)

And they work, cleanly and greenly (rolling eyes here.) You can get a place roaring hot with a baseboard heater.

I am another one who says your friend has SERIOUS problems. The result is her living conditions but the root is different. Has she applied for subsidized housing? You don't mention her age. Where does her money come from? Employment, social security, welfare? If social security or welfare, a representativde payee should be appointed and they will speak on her behalf and assist.