A Floor Question! Please Help! (Full Version)

All Forums >> [Casual Banter] >> Off the Grid



Message

fourpeas -> A Floor Question! Please Help! (8/1/2005 3:39:19 PM)

hi all,

I live in an apartment with an EVIL EVIL EVIL landlord! (Surprising right? ha ha )

So there is a bunch of water damage to my floor and the hardwood floor hasn't come up (buckled up or gotten removed),but it has gotten discolored in certain places. I want to get my security deposit back, as much as possible.

Is there some kind of paint that I could get to make the floor look normal? or should I just call and see if I can find someone who wants to fix the floor as it's really only a few tiles that are damaged( it is the cheap hardwood floor that your landlord puts in when they don't give a shit about you)

Any advice would be welcome!!! and needed!! I am a handywoman and if I could find a way to fix it myself I will. Just need some advice.

Thanks!



EmeraldSlave2 -> RE: A Floor Question! Please Help! (8/1/2005 3:43:14 PM)

I can't give too much help except to clearly review your lease policy, mail a copy of it to the landlord, certified, after highlighting the relevent passages when it comes to the damage, with a letter of issues that need to be identified within a certain time frame, keep copies of the mail sent AND pictures of the damage before you do anything. Make sure your ass is covered and that you can nail him later if you need to.



mistoferin -> RE: A Floor Question! Please Help! (8/1/2005 3:45:22 PM)

Now I am no expert but just an idea.....Thompson's makes really good products for cleaning, refinishing and sealing wood decks. Not sure from your post if the discoloration is light colored water marking or dark indicating the growth of mold. If it is dark, a product to kill the mold might be necessary. Lighter colored areas may be helped by a closely matched wood stain. Maybe if you used one of their cleaning products and then refinished the area?



mnottertail -> RE: A Floor Question! Please Help! (8/1/2005 3:46:13 PM)

If its a laminate and you have darkening, try a light solution of bleach. Test it easy, use stronger and stronger if you have to. If you go overlight, find the stain (prolly honey oak). otherwise they are tongue and groove and prolly glued together so you can rip one side with an exacto/carpet type knife and replace. Drill holes and fasten with small finish nails and use a putty on em......that will get you past the deposit and on to the next place before it lifts, I think.

Ron
edit:
Damn, fourpeas if it is wood then scrubbrush with hilex and light stain and little wax and all done.



Lordandmaster -> RE: A Floor Question! Please Help! (8/1/2005 4:08:40 PM)

How is she going to "nail him" if SHE did the damage?

quote:

ORIGINAL: EmeraldSlave2

I can't give too much help except to clearly review your lease policy, mail a copy of it to the landlord, certified, after highlighting the relevent passages when it comes to the damage, with a letter of issues that need to be identified within a certain time frame, keep copies of the mail sent AND pictures of the damage before you do anything. Make sure your ass is covered and that you can nail him later if you need to.




fourpeas -> RE: A Floor Question! Please Help! (8/1/2005 4:32:25 PM)

Well, I didn't *do* the damage.

The damage was caused by the radiator and several other hot water pipes leaking during the winter.

The issue is that I can't tell them about it because they are shitty landlords and don't care at all about anything that goes on in this apartment! lol!!!

I would rather just spend some of my own money to fix it myself, because it's not huge damage.. but if I tell them about it they will charge me much more than the damage is actually worth... because everyone's just in it to make a buck.



Lordandmaster -> RE: A Floor Question! Please Help! (8/1/2005 5:04:54 PM)

OK, that makes the situation a lot more complicated. If leaking pipes caused the damage, the landlord is responsible. Of course, you were obliged to inform the landlord promptly--so if it happened over the winter, he's going to have to ask why you never told him about it. But I'm sure you know all this.



RosaB -> RE: A Floor Question! Please Help! (8/1/2005 5:04:58 PM)

If you didn't cause the damage, they can't hold you responsible for damages caused by landlord neglect. That's assuming you did at some point make the landlord aware of the plumbing problems. Regardless, from the way you describe the mentality of the landloard, it sounds like you might have a fight on your hands no matter what. I would contact my local tenant landlord association and ask them what your options are. Some landlords even allow tenants to live out their last month on the security deposit.

Rosa



stormsfate -> RE: A Floor Question! Please Help! (8/1/2005 5:51:25 PM)

If you have a Home Depot or Lowes anywhere around, their sales people are generally pretty good about being able to answer these types of questions. I would pop in and start asking questions and see if they can give you some good ideas. Good luck on getting your deposit back!


best regards,
fate



kisshou -> RE: A Floor Question! Please Help! (8/2/2005 5:00:04 AM)

quote:

ORIGINAL: fourpeas

( it is the cheap hardwood floor that your landlord puts in when they don't give a shit about you)

Any advice would be welcome!!! and needed!! I am a handywoman and if I could find a way to fix it myself I will. Just need some advice.

Thanks!



Sounds like linoleum and not real hardwood, the composition of the floor makes a huge difference in how you would repair it. Also if you have a digital camera , take pictures.
I hope your repairs go well :)



imtempting -> RE: A Floor Question! Please Help! (8/2/2005 5:05:00 AM)

call a proper floor fixer and ask them.



MrThorns -> RE: A Floor Question! Please Help! (8/2/2005 6:58:14 AM)


quote:

ORIGINAL: fourpeas

Well, I didn't *do* the damage.

The damage was caused by the radiator and several other hot water pipes leaking during the winter.

The issue is that I can't tell them about it because they are shitty landlords and don't care at all about anything that goes on in this apartment! lol!!!



Hmmm...

Did the landlord send someone to fix the radiator?
Did you pay for the repair yourself?
Do you have any receipts from the repair of the radiator?
Witnesses that can confirm that the radiator caused the damage?

If you didn't inform your landlord, you may get stuck with having to pay for the floor....unfortunately.

~Thorns





pinkpleasures -> RE: A Floor Question! Please Help! (8/2/2005 5:03:52 PM)

fourpeas; i am reasonbably sure that you have a landlord-tenant court in New Jersey. Contact the Clerk of this court, in the early morning, and explain your situation. You are poor and you ANTICIPATE your landlord will unfairly keep your security deposit over water damage done by leaking radiators. Ask whether you can file a Petition for Declaratory Judgment, finding that you're entitled to be awarded your entire security deposit when you leave (provided there is no other damage between now and then). The answer is probably no. In all likelihood You need to wait for the Landlord to ACTUALLY withhold the deposit before you sue him.

i would not repair the floor, but i'd get two or three estimates on doing so, as evidence in court, in case the judge finds you responsible for the damages. That way if the landlord claims some huge amount, you'll have evidence to refute it.

pinkpleasures



Page: [1]

Valid CSS!




Collarchat.com © 2025
Terms of Service Privacy Policy Spam Policy
0.03125