In desperate times, my family, as well as my mother, moved into a "house" that was converted into two apartments. My family in one apt. and ...

Question

In desperate times, my family, as well as my mother, moved into a "house" that was converted into two apartments. My family in one apt. and her in the other. That was a year ago. When we saw the place there was mold running down the wall in one bedroom. As that would be my sons room, I told the landlord I would only rent if the wall was replaced, mold taken care of, and roof repaired. I was on site while the wall was torn down and I made sure the mold was taken care of. I thought all was well and it was for about 8/12 months. December came and the leak returned in the same spot, the mold came back, since it took the landlord over two weeks to come look at it, then to repair it put aluminum siding on the roof and the back wall. My son had to sleep in the living room all through Christmas and into the New year. His door couldn't even be opened without the smell of mold infecting the whole house. A month after that, we had massive electrical problems, for about 5 weeks, that the electric company wouldn't even touch. We had to move out for a week when I got scared of a fire starting but they still demanded the entire rent, which they received. The leak returned about 2 weeks later ten fold. Not only the original leak but two more happened which erupted directly over my sons bed. I was informed that there was a whole in the middle of the roof in his bedroom. We dealt with waterfalls in my sons room for two days, so he once again lost his bedroom. That was a while ago and I have video of the down pour we faced inside. A week later he came and put an industrial tarp over the room and taped it down, claiming it fixed now because it hasn't leaked again yet. He claims he's going to replace the roof, only to get rent, then says it's fixed and he's not "fixing something that isn't broken" I can't afford to move right now. What rights do I have right now?

Answer

I believe I would start calling the zoning and planning boards and have them come look at this situation. Call the health dept for the mold issue. Short of reporting him to every agency that will force him to 1. make the repairs or 2. condemn the house , you need to move.