Legal Question in Real Estate Law in Colorado

A Questionable Practice

We have a door in our townhouse that has been broken for at least 6 months. It neither opens, nor shuts all the way, and has been in a state of disrepair since we occupied the residence (September, 98). Our requests to have the door repaired has been met with "fillabustering" or a general lack of concern by our landlady. Since this door is always open (about 2 inches or so), our heating/air conditioning costs have gone up by about a third. Here's the gist: We received a letter requesting payment for repairs on a garbage disposal, which we are doubtful was broken purposely by anything we did. Do we have a right to demand repayment of some of the public service bill? We have written proof of our requests for repairs on the door, and only her word that we "are responsible to pay for the disposal as it was jammed by something that fell into it". I am not able to contact the handyman who repaired the disposal, in order to hear exactly what he did.


Asked on 7/07/00, 4:45 pm

1 Answer from Attorneys
Charles Aspinwall Charles S. Aspinwall, J.D., LLC

Re: A Questionable Practice

Arrange to have the door repaired yourself. Submit the bill with your next rent check, deducting the amount of repairs from the rent. Be sure the cost is reasonable.

Write the landlady a note stating that you dispute the disposal repair bill and will not pay it.

Read more
Answered on 9/08/00, 2:10 pm


Related Questions & Answers

More Real Estate and Real Property questions and answers in Colorado