What to Do if the Landlord Won’t Listen

If your landlord is ignoring your calls, there are plenty of options available to you. Here are some solutions.

Renting can always be a bit of a hassle, especially when your landlord is the type who would rather ignore you than address your concerns. Many people feel like they have few options when their landlord ignores their calls for help or repairs, but renters actually have quite a few viable solutions. In New York, there are many protections in place that prevent landlords from acting out if you take your concerns above their head.

Of course, your landlord is not obligated to address every one of your concerns. They are legally obligated to address certain ones and, for some that aren’t legally mandated, it is in their best interest to address things in a timely manner. So, when you are trying to contact your landlord, be sure to figure out where your concern lies. If your oven is broken, for example, then your landlord has to repair it within 30 days. But if you have noisy neighbors, your landlord may not want to get involved and you will have to deal with the situation through other channels.

Even if the issue isn’t strictly in your landlord’s legal obligations, it pays to know what you can do when they aren’t responding to your messages. Here are a few of your options.

Let Your Landlord Know You are Serious

Oftentimes, landlord disputes can be handled when you let them know you are serious. Since many complaints they get are outside their control or go away on their own if they ignore them, having someone tell them that things need to change can be the motivation that they need. If they have repeatedly ignored your requests, let them know that you will be taking other steps, such as contacting the city or their superior (in the case of a supervisor). This is often enough, but it’s important to follow through if they still ignore you.

These instances are better if you have a paper trail, so make sure your correspondences are on your phone (text) or email just in case you need to go to court.

Head to the Housing Court

Let’s assume that your concern is one that requires a response and a deadline to fix. In these instances, you can actually take your claim above their heads to housing courts and authorities if the problem is not addressed in time. This may cause a strain on your relationship with your landlord, but they are also not allowed to retaliate in the form of eviction or cutting of services and amenities. Bear in mind, however, that housing court is not only extremely busy, but it can often take a lot of time, money, and effort to go through the proceedings. This tactic is recommended only in the most extreme circumstances precisely because of the time and finanical commitment.

Call 311

If you live in New York City, you can call 311 for help in some matters related to your rental, such as bed bugs. When you call the number, you can be connected you to the Department of Housing Preservation and Development, who can send an inspector to your property to give your landlord some extra motivation.

Landlords are generally not fans of the City coming by their buildings, especially since their neglect can come with fines. Having a housing inspector show up will often be enough to completely change their tune and, in some instances, it may result in things getting fixed all over the building.

Take to Technology

Modern tech and apps are making it easier to keep track of problems in your building, and to offer solutions. A few apps are popular for keeping track of issues in buildings, which can also be helpful when you are looking for your next place. Check out message boards, building reviews, and apps that log issues so that you can figure out which landlords are going to be problematic before you start living in their buildings.

Renting can be a challenge, but it’s so much worse when your landlord is ignoring your calls. While they are not legally obligated to take care of all of your complaints, there are plenty of things they cannot ignore. Try talking with them directly as much as possible, but don’t hesitate to contact the City or the authorities if your landlord is violating the terms of your lease or the law.