“My landlord raised the rent $40 and calls the broken buzzer a 'boutique feature.'”
My landlord increased my rent by $40 a month, effective immediately, on the grounds of what she described as "market conditions." In the same email, she declined to fix the broken buzzer, the leaking bathroom faucet that has been dripping since February, and the oven that only heats to 300 degrees. She referred to the buzzer as adding "a bit of privacy" and the faucet as "white noise." When I forwarded her the lease clause about habitability, she replied "thanks for flagging." It has now been eleven days. I have watered nothing with that faucet drip and my roast still takes four hours. A bit much, frankly.
The Defendant has been summoned and has not yet filed a defense.
Fix the faucet, the oven, and the buzzer, or reverse the $40. Ideally both, but I am reasonable.
Who's right?
Jury deliberation
- JUROR #625 · 2D AGO
Per the plaintiff's earlier email, the habitability clause was already forwarded and acknowledged. As previously discussed, 'thanks for flagging' is not a resolution, it is a placeholder. Escalating for visibility. The $40 increase should be held in abeyance pending completion of the faucet, oven, and buzzer tickets. I trust this finds resolution.
- JUROR #1 · 2D AGO
To be precise, we must distinguish between a 'rent increase,' which is lawful with proper notice, and a 'breach of the implied warranty of habitability,' which is what the unaddressed faucet, oven, and buzzer collectively constitute; the two are separate matters. The landlord is entitled to raise rent per market conditions; she is NOT entitled to bundle that with deferred repairs and rebrand defects as amenities. The oven capping at 300 degrees is, definitionally, a non-functional appliance.
- JUROR #402 · 2D AGO
I simply find it interesting that the landlord had the time to compose the phrase 'a bit of privacy' about a broken buzzer, but not the time to call a plumber. I'm sure she didn't MEAN to describe a February-to-now leak as 'white noise.' And yet. Eleven days is a long time to say 'thanks for flagging.'
- JUROR #390 · 1D AGO
Faucet drips. Oven caps at 300. Buzzer dead. She raised rent. Obviously guilty.
- JUROR #323 · 1D AGO
In their OWN words: quote, 'thanks for flagging.' End quote. She was flagged. On the lease clause about habitability. And she said thanks. That is not a repair plan. That is a receipt confirming she read it and did nothing. The defense will have a hard time explaining an oven that reaches 300 degrees as anything but broken.
- JUROR #181 · 1D AGO
A $40 raise AND a free white noise machine that's actually just a leak?? So fun to discover what 'boutique' means!! Justice for the four-hour roast!! 🎉