Tenant is filing a complaint with HUD - Landlord Forum thread 208035

Tenant is filing a complaint with HUD by Anonymous (Wisconsin) on September 5, 2010 @14:54

Our Section 8 tenant has threatened to file a complaint with HUD against us. The basement flooded Thursday night. We have promised to come out on Tuesday night to remove the standing water. She insists that it is a health hazard, we say it is not. Does she have grounds to file a complaint. Also, she states that she does not like our coming after 5 to do work on the unit. I feel she is being unreasonable, am I wrong?

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Re: Tenant is filing a complaint with HUD by Jake on September 5, 2010 @17:11	[ Reply ]

What you need to do is to call the Health Dept and HUD and tell them that sometimes you have a basement that floods. Ask if a flooded basement is a health hazard if it stands for less than a week. Then call HUD and ask if after 5:00pm maintenance is acceptable. Make a log of who you talk to. Whatever you find out, do not tell the tenant. If you are denied entrance and HUD finds after 5:00pm maintenance OK, you report the tenant to HUD.

Re: Tenant is filing a complaint with HUD

Re: Tenant is filing a complaint with HUD by CH (NY) on September 5, 2010 @17:48	[ Reply ]

Sounds like an empty threat to me. Tuesday is right around the corner. Give 24 hour notice and proceed with the repairs. Remember this when it's time to renew the lease.

Re: Tenant is filing a complaint with HUD by ERIC on September 5, 2010 @21:57

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Welcome to the entitlement mentality of Section 8. I used to do Section 8, still have one. But I am done with them.

The basement flooded is indeed a health hazard. You have bacteria, electrictity, etc. in the basement. You will not get paid if they come and inspect, as it will be condemed with standing water.

If it's just a little, you may be OK. If it's over an inch, good luck.

Re: Tenant is filing a complaint with HUD by Anonymous on September 6, 2010 @13:06

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Check your local laws. Links to the right ---->

In MA, LLS have 5 working days to cure a health and safety issue. So, in this case, in MA, you'd be in the clear.

Why can't she remove the water herself? Doesn't the basement have a drain?

Re: Tenant is filing a complaint with HUD by A tenant (TX) on September 8, 2010 @02:43	[ Reply ]

Don't fear HUD, they can inspect the place and determine weather or not it's a hazard she has to make an appointment for that. You all mentioned you were coming out to fix the problem for the woman. Tenants can file complaints, suits and sometimes abate, and refuse pest control but it doesn't reflect badly on a place landlord, management, maintenance or tenant. If tenants don't let maintenance fix the place then there is possibly a reason for eviction because if you can't fix it, it's your property and problem and they won't let you, isn't that destruction of property or vandalism? Contact a rental attorney.

Re: Tenant is filing a complaint with HUD by Teena (Il) on September 8, 2010 @11:27

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Check your local statutes,I think you have 5 days to cure/fix the problem. You know you need to fix this and am sure you will.You have time to do it.

ANd yes,if that's when you have the time to fix the problem she IS being unreasonable.Hope she's not trying to pull something that will be her excuse to not pay her rent.
Some Sec 8 tenants are very experienced.

Give her the legal notice(24 hrs in Il) that you will be there to fix it.Whether she is in or not.It IS your property,not hers.Don't allow her to use Hud to manipulate you.Just do it 'by the book' and there is nothing she can do.
Best of LL Luck!

This is one reason I would never have sec 8 tenants.They love to threaten a LL with HUD for just about everything(except themselves and what they do,of course).

Re: Tenant is filing a complaint with HUD