Readers, you’ve told me you come back to this column each week for one core reason: It makes you feel good.
In the age of the pandemic, political turmoil and a seemingly never-ending war, bad news abounds. Sometimes, reading about a clambake, a kayaking trip or a stroll through a tiny village transports you to somewhere new.
In many ways, this column could be filed, appropriately, under “lifestyle” or “things to do.”
This week, in the face of rising rents and a housing market that resembles the Wild West, I want to tell you about another thing to do: Know your rights.
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Now, I imagine a large chunk — if not the majority — of my column readers may be of retirement age and are presumably homeowners rather than renters like me. You may not be renting, but in some way, you share our burden, dealing with the same rise in property tax payments that will almost certainly boost our already backbreaking rents.
For us apartment dwellers, that means tighter budgets, fewer options of places to go, and, sometimes, settling for not-so-great conditions.
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The drip-drop of doom, and other unwelcome surprises
I first encountered this shortly after moving into my one-bedroom apartment, where I was awakened one night by a persistent drip drop, drip drop — the much-dreaded ceiling leak.
I located a bucket — or in this case, a Tupperware container — and positioned it under the light in my kitchen around which water was seeping, creating a large puddle on the floor.
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It took about two months of complaints to management, and a threat to call code enforcement, before the leak was fixed properly by patching up the roof. Other quick fixes, which inevitably failed, were employed in the meantime.
It was only about a week ago that the drip drop noise resurfaced in a stress dream, only now the leak had migrated to my bedroom and was engulfing my bed in a pool of rainwater.
Last month, around midnight, having fallen asleep with my dog, Buddy, in the midst of an attempted Netflix binge, I was roused by the screech of a fire alarm.
Having lived in New York City, I’ve been through more fire alarm situations than I can count — none of which were ever serious, possibly triggered by burned food or some other common cause — so I slipped on my sneakers, fastened Buddy’s harness and exited my third-floor apartment. Instantly, I smelled smoke, and just one floor below me, the building was filled with clouds of it.
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Out on the street, at least five fire trucks had gathered. Once firefighters broke down nearly every door in the building, splintering wood and busting through bolts, they found that the likely culprit was equipment in the basement laundry room. The only problem was that the smoke detectors in that room were wrapped in plastic, secured by zip ties. Had flames followed the smoky haze, a firefighter told me, by the time smoke triggered alarms on the upper floors, it would have been too late to safely evacuate.
Weeks later, in a third episode, our water was abruptly shut off after management neglected to pay a more than $1,000 bill. A notice taped to our door lingered for weeks without action until the moment I was rinsing my hands in a cloudy bowl of dishwater, and calculating how many toilet flushes I had left. A few angry calls later, punctuated by the occasional expletive, the water returned.
Who can help with tenant complaints?
But as the old and fairly useless saying goes, it could be worse. My situation is by no means unlivable, and I actually do love my apartment for its location and its homey feeling. Conversely, in my experience reporting on tenant issues across the city, I’ve encountered renters who complained of dangerous levels of mold, mushroom growth, chilly temperatures, rotting wood and persistent leaks.
Some with whom I spoke didn’t know where to turn or what they could do.
Jennifer Wood, executive director of the Rhode Island Center for Justice, who has at times been an expert source in these stories, said it’s common for people to feel lost.
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“We find that a high percentage, a very high percentage of people who call don’t really know very much about what housing code provides, who they would reach out to if they were to have substandard conditions or real health and safety concerns about their unit,” Wood said.
Even those who are more aware of their rights, “many of them say, ‘Oh, but I wouldn’t do that, because I don’t want to get in trouble, I don’t want to be retaliated against,’” Wood explained.
The Tenant Network, an organization of average tenants helping other tenants exercise their power, encounters the same concerns. In fact, a member who has provided insights for The Providence Journal’s work prefers not to use their name over concerns of retaliation. The Network told The Journal that while renters have rights, “We would probably tell someone ‘Yeah, you have these rights, but that doesn’t mean that (landlords are) not going to break the law.’ So your best bet is to document everything, to definitely talk to a lawyer.”
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Some of my strongest reporting on local tenant issues has been thanks to the foresight of renters who saved months’ worth, sometimes years’ worth, of documentation, from emails to photos and logs of maintenance requests.
Important reading for renters
If you’re wondering about your rights, whether you’re in a luxury condo or an aging walk-up, now is a great time to learn. First, take a look at the Rhode Island Landlord-Tenant Handbook, available online, which details everything a landlord needs to provide, from heat to hot water and other essential services. If they aren’t, tenants are entitled to pay for them and subtract the cost from their rent — a right I could have exercised in the case of my water shutoff.
That’s only a small piece of what the handbook covers. You’ll also learn, in plain language, about how to cover self-help for minor repairs, what to do in the event of a fire, and how to get back your security deposit.
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Those looking to dig deeper can study up on the Housing Maintenance and Occupancy Code, or the state’s Residential Landlord and Tenant Act, both searchable online.
Alternatively, if you have an issue and need someone to help you find a way to fix it, phone the Center for Justice at (401) 491-1101 or Rhode Island Legal Services at (401) 274-2652.
It may cost to rent, but it doesn’t cost to know your rights.
Providence Journal staff writer Amy Russo, a transplanted New Yorker, is looking for new ways to experience her adopted state. If you have suggestions for this column, email her at [email protected].