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Landlord/Tenant Issues - need help

Last activity 29 December 2009 by kibou

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noelie

Hi everyone,

My first post and I apologize in advance that it's a negative one.

I rented an apartment that I found through a certain website. I rented directly from the owner.

Me and my partner pay 750 euro per month for a large basement apt in El Raval (Calle Sant Climent). When we first viewed we were happy with the apartment because it was bright and big but that was in September when the sun was beaming directly down on the back yard (painted white). I noticed that most of the furniture and fittings were missing from the photos shown on the website but we were desperate so we took it for 6 months.

The landlady demanded 2 month's rent in advance and 2 month's rent as a deposit because neither one of us could give her job contracts (I do some tutoring but it's not fixed and he does 'alternative' work) but I'm independently able to pay all six months' costs.

Anyhow, once we moved in we quickly realized that we had been shafted. The noise from the street is unbearable (I've lived in Birmingham, San Diego, San Francisco, Dublin and Munich so I knew there would be some noise but this is excessive and he's from Santa Cruz (Bolivia) and has lived in BCN three years and he agrees that the noise is exceptionally bad).

The problem is, the landlady stripped all the curtains, carpets and most of the furniture from the apartment. She gave us nothing - no cutlery, crockery, pots & pans, kitchen utensils, no fittings for curtains, no shower fittings - nothing. She left a broken bed and a filthy sofa for us to use along with a dirty fridge and cooker, a smelly dishwasher and a very old washing machine. We didn't see the 'real' apartment until after we moved in.

Now we have cockroaches, a rodent problem (they're eating through the walls), the apartment is basically a large echo chamber that doubles as a walk-in refrigerator.

Needless to say, I'm not happy - at 750 per month I expect more.

So we asked her to provide some curtains to divide the apartment (it's basically open-plan) and to provide some noise and heat insulation. She agreed at first but is now demanding that we contribute. I told her I wanted the rodent problem dealt with using traps not poison (I didn't want dead rodents inside my walls) and she gave us poison (while I was away I might add because she knows my partner is easier to manipulate).

I've written her two emails today to tell her I'm not happy but she has escalated the situation by using terms like 'supposed rat problem' (we have video evidence) and is now demanding our job contracts after making us pay double deposit and double rent in advance.

So what are our rights (if any)?

I've researched about the Ley de Arrendamientos Urbanos but that seems to only apply to rentals for one year or more.

Anyone? Any help would be appreciated.

Gracias,

Noel.

oreneta

I wish I could help.  The laws are heavily slanted towards the landlords, and tenants are expected to pay many of the costs for work on the apartments.  I know people that installed heating in the apartment, permanent heating, paid for it on installments for three years and never saw a penny of it back...but they wanted heat.  I will ask around if I get a chance....you could try going into the Ajuntament public assistance section, they may be able to help you...a gestor may know something, and you could try a lawyer.....

Wish I could help more, it sounds terrible.

noelie

Muchas gracias oreneta.

I spoke to my partner about this situation this morning and he's reluctant to move as he feels adapted (to the apartment) so he will talk to her (in Spanish) and be a bit more assertive this time and we'll see what happens. He showed the apartment to another friend from BCN who also agreed that we're paying too much for what we have.

:(

kibou

HI, I'm Canadian married to a Spanish mujere here in Gallicia(North-West) of Spain. We also had problems with (pisos) and it's not easy. What you have described  is awful I know...but let me tell you...the only alternative is to get the ***out of there and don't ask for money back. Get out...don't leave your name anywhere...no traces...stop paying RIGHT NOW...and find another place.This is Spain...no special law on pisos...it's a jungle I know...and my helped my Spanish wife not to get caught in those Spanish Piso contracts and the rest...

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