Complaint Review: Tom Kennedy / landlord - St. Louis Missouri

I was a victim of a slumlord too. They tried to intimidate me & ripp me off on my moving day. Then the landlord dropped in & sexually harassed me. If this happens to anyone, just get out. Report them & move on. I stayed in that hole for 6 mos. On my moving day & said to myself this is temporary. My neighbor who rented from my slumlords brother just sat there for years while animals crawled in her house & the ceilings were coming down. No one should take this kind of stuff unless they are a crack lord. Happy home looking!

Obviously, I stand up for the underdog. You stand up for the corrupt ones. What you do is so admirable. Sometimes, people really are victimized but I doubt you can get that in that thick head of yours. I'm so sorry that my wordy dialogue confused that pointy head of yours. Shall I talk like a five year old so you can understand me? I guess you hate big words too! I believe we lost you from the beginning, since you are so clueless as to consumer advocacy. Obviously you are not a sharp person, more like the dullest knife in the drawer. We are advocates, why are you here? Before buying my home I had my share of slumlords too and I, unlike you, know the laws in the state of Missouri, where by the way, English is the first language. Sounds like you should be working for the BBB instead. What, you have experience? Where, the welfare office with your eight illegitimate kids? Miami jail, as an inmate? Hmm, maybe you are a frusterated handyman, or maybe you rent out these slummy apartments to unassuming people. I have lots of preconceptions about people in Florida too, mainly, they consist of lots of non-working, free-loading people living in warm, sunny climate and subsisting on my tax dollars. But then, I'd be just as ignorant as you. Don't go there. Obviously you can't read either, since I sad nothing about you waging Jihad. Moron. I said that you think that everything can be worked out with a landlord, obviously you don't exist in the real world or you'd know that's not true. Duh. You're one of those people who thinks everybody abides by the rules cause that's the right thing to do, but wake up! Just not true because some people feel they are above the law, actually, that's probably the same people that come from your gene pool! What a coincidence! (That means, Oh, I am so surprised. A striking similiarity, etc). Yeah, I watch CNN; I know you are probably just holding your breath to watch "Am I Hot?" or "Married by America" or one of those insepid 1/2 hour comedy shows because you are easily entertained. If you weren't, would you really be here getting your kicks picking on consumers instead of taking care of your own miserable exhistance? Gutter snipe? You're just as guilty. Go away, nobody wants you here and I am definitely not going to waste my time arguing with a slumlord crony like you. Now, shoo! You're stinking up the place with your negativity.

Boy, one thing I really hate about this site are the idiots who troll it and decide to make assumptions about what kind of people other people are based on a post. I have experience in the field, and I was speaking from my experience. You may choose to agree or disagree, but please don't be a gutter snipe and post 15 paragraphs about my apparent foilables. My posting is not an invitation for you or anyone else to decide that I am plotting a Jihad or whatever the hell you said. My God, did you fall asleep in front of CNN? So many current references, so little sense. Misfiring brain synapases. Look it up. Please stay in Missouri. You are reinforcing all my stereotypes I have of people from that state.

Meanwhile, on Planet Anon, where the tooth fairy actually exists and people ride unicorns to work at the dream factory: This is not planet Anon. This is Missouri, where we actually have rights. People like you would probably see it as acceptable to house people in tents or boxes the same way they do in Calcutta, and charge them $50.00 a day to live there. (I always wanted my toilet to be right outside my front door (I mean flap).) Just because someone can't afford one of those fancy high rise apartments doesn't mean they have to live in filth and fear for their safety. Now, Anon, having been to Miami, having relatives in Miami, and having seen the generally crappy housing that is available to lower income people I now know you must be used to such filth and neglect on a landlord's part. Hell, you're probably one of those bingo playing, fifty-ring wearing, silver haired, hot pants wearing golden girls fleecing the people there. I mean, who needs a safe home with decent sanitation, adequate clean water, and air conditioning (in a climate where it's 90 or so in early March)? So you're probably used to unsanitary and unsafe conditions. I know Miami generally has corrupt people in corrupt businesses or doing very corrupt things to honest, hard-working, well-meaning people. It may be acceptable in the third world country known as Miami to expect to be paid for a service that you don't provide. It's probably the norm for the corrupt judges and corrupt legal system to side with the corrupt landlords! Well, wake up sister. That's not here. This is not Florida. Wrong state. This is the Midwest where your word is law! You say it; you do it, thus making us the "Show me State." The only previous poster in this complaint besides Brenda and me is you. So, you are the one I said is blaming the victim. Don't forget this website is an advocacy site for the victims. I know also you must not be able to read very well because I said, "The tenant is not completely innocent but they are not the bad guys here." You're implying I think the complainant is innocent. Well, she is definitely less in the wrong than the landlord. When you are spending more money to live somewhere than you would at another place of the same price, it is pretty ridiculous. You imply with your flimsy arguments that the landlord is a "logical" person. You imply that the landlord (slumlord) is a reasonable person. You're one of those people who'd try to have terrorists on a show like Oprah and try to get them to open up on how hard it is to be a terrorist and how draining it is to wage Jihad on another country. You'd try to get them to talk about how misunderstood terrorists are and that they really do have a soft side. You would probably try to get them to talk about their "not so fresh days," which actually is most of the time, and ask them how do they get their skin so clean (camel urine). Wake-up. Sometimes, Anon, people are not reasonable no matter what. There are some people you just can't reason with. A slumlord that actually rents out property (that is fit to be condemned) and takes advantage of a person down on their luck is a slimy person anyway. I'm not sure Brenda could reason with that landlord. Brenda may be an adult or she may be a young person who either way, didn't have anybody educate her on what's acceptable and what's not, and she was relying on the landlord (as you should in a business relationship) to provide a safe, warm, clean (not the Ritz or anything) place to live. I know that most of these folks are out to make a buck and will take advantage of any elderly, handicapped, mentally ill, or single women that they can just to make a buck. They will take advantage of that person's lack of education and judicial know-how to get over on them. Well, unlike Miami we have tenant advocates. In your contract that you sign with the landlord, you are required to pay rent and keep up the property the way you found it. Unfortunately, slumlord probably did not have a checklist to give Brenda (because problems aren't always evident in the first few days) and Brenda didn't know she should've had this item in the first place. I always tell people, any agreement should be in writing, and you should always have extra copies. When the slumlord doesn't keep up his/her end to make timely repairs, completing any promised tasks (like putting in new carpet, tile,etc), or enforcing property rules (no loud music, parties, no drugs, etc.) the contract becomes null and void and will hold up in court with favor toward the tenant.

This is directed to Melissa, who indicates a previous poster with a "blame the victim" attitude. Having worked in the industry, I have seen this situation before. Times get hard, and tenants find excuses to not pay rent. Some complaints are legitimate, some are not. Based on my experience, I do know that generally speaking, courts will rule in favor of the landlord if rent is in arrears and all the tenant has to say is "well, I got mice". If a tenant is withholding rent, that rent money should be deposited in a separate account and documented. Withholding rent for a legitimate complaint and not paying because you don't have the money are two entirely different things. It is in everyone's best interest--including the landlords-- to get an unhappy tenant on their way if things aren't working out. Most reasonable landlords don't want to go to court if they don't have to. It is costly and time-consuming for everyone. It can ruin a tenants credit, and that tenant can ruin the landlords property--everyone is at risk in those situations. My advice--if you can't pay your rent, discuss it with your landlord as soon as possible. Be honest. Don't make up a lot of hogwash about how uninhabitable the dwelling is--the tenant had some clue when they looked at the apartment. Some landlords are slumlords, some tenants are deadbeats. If only they could find each other, and make each others lives miserable and leave the decent tenants and the decent landlords out of it.

Actually, in the state of Missouri and in many places around America where English is the first language, you, as a tenet, do have rights. One is to withhold rent if your landlord doesn't supply you with adequate housing and repairs. That is how it is here in the state of Missouri. Tenets actually have rights. The landlord is not always right. In fact, there are lots of slumlords here. But they are being called out for it and are being publicly embarrassed for their crappy properties and shady ways. In Missouri, we can withhold rent when the landlord doesn't make his end of the agreement. And the best part is, if they don't meet their end, then the lease is no longer a legally binding document since the landlord violated it. My best pal happens to run some apartments in St. Louis. She was appalled at what happened to this complainant and said legally, as long as the complainant takes pictures, documents what's gong on, and contacts the authorities I mentioned, the tenant is not the one in trouble. The complainant should vacate that property as soon as possible thought because the landlord doesn't seem like the type to make good and play nice. The damages or problems in this house was not caused by the tenet. Because of the landlords slipshod operation, the tenant has to pay more on gas and wow, there is now a health issue with the house being too cold and mice (disease carriers) eating her food (more money spent also). What if the tenet had to go to a hotel? More money she or he doesn't have to spend. And because the landlord is a cheap opportunist, he sees it as okay to secure a door with nails, which fails to meet building codes and is a fire hazard. Now it's been burglarized and now the tenet has to pay upwards of $50 a month for an alarm system. Come on now. Stop blaming the victim. The tenant is not completely innnocent but they are not the bad guys here.

I think the above rebuttal was very generous with helpful hints. Unfortunately, I don't have too much sympathy with the original poster. You cannot expect a landlord to be "mommie" and "understand" when you are owing rent. Defenses such as the heater not working, faulty wiring, mice, etc. don't hold water when you go to court. It isn't for you to decide whether or not your landlord "deserves" the back rent. You have a legal binding agreement if you signed a lease. Plain and simple. He is well within his legal rights to sue you for the back rent, evict you and recover any damages caused to the unit by your neglect. I have worked in this industry, and while I wasn't a landlord, I was in a position to see the damage a tenant can do. Landlords are often small time operators and they have mortgages to pay. You cannot expect them to carry you for free or be "understanding" if you can't pay your rent. If you are in a situation where you can't pay rent, notify your landlord as soon as possible and discuss the options of a partial payment, payment plan, voluntary lease abandonment, tenant finding a suitable replacement tenant, etc. The important thing is for you to mitigate damages and work with your landlord toward a solution that gets you off the hook. You cannot dig in your heels, refuse to pay and then complain about mice--the judge will not rule in your favor at the eviction proceeding. You do not want an eviction on your record. It shows up as a judgement, it also can show up on your credit report. It will be very difficult for you to rent or get new credit in the future with a judgement/eviction on your record. Lastly, most landlords, believe it or not, don't want to go to court. It is expensive, time consuming, and meanwhile they probably have a deadbeat in their apartment who is not paying and possibly causing damage. Usually a reasonable landlord will more than meet a tenant halfway if they fall on hard times and have to move. It doesn't always happen, but it is worth trying to try and reach a positive solution for all concerned. It is unrealistic for you to not pay rent and b***h and moan about your living conditions. You aren't PAYING! Wake up! It isn't an excuse.

This may help. I live in the 63125 area code, thanks for the warning. There is something you can do for yourself here. Look up St. Louis local city government site. Find out who you local alderman is. A good site is: http://stlouis.missouri.org/citygov /electionbd/official_lookup.html To find out what ward you are in. Then, you send a letter or call your alderman to report the slum lord. You also need to contact your city government and media in as many ways as possible. Note, you will not be credible if you don't use correct english or spelling. If you are typing a letter, use Microsoft Word on your computer and if you are using email, don't forget to use spellcheck. And even if he is a &*%^%&*, don't say it in your letter, phone call or email. These people are supposed to work with landlords on housing issues: Adequate Housing For Missourians 7935 Page Blvd. St. Louis, MO 63133 (314) 863-0015 Fax: (314) 863-1252 [email protected] Also email the following, they may have information for you about the slumlord and how to help you out: Housing Comes First A Missouri citizens' coalition working to preserve housing and neighborhoods for people with low and moderate incomes. Address: 5300 Delmar St Louis, MO 63112-3199 Phone: (816) 822-9172 Fax: (816) 822-9460 URL: http://stlouis.missouri.org/501c/hcf/ Email: [email protected] Metropolitan St. Louis Equal Housing Opportunity Council A private, not-for-profit fair housing enforcement agency working to end illegal housing discrimination. Serves anyone in the Missouri counties of St. Louis, St. Charles, Franklin, Jefferson, as well as the City of St. Louis; and in the Illinois counties of St. Clair, Madison and Monroe. Address: 1027 S Vandeventer Ave, Fourth Floor St Louis, MO 63110-3805 Phone: (314) 534-5800 (800) 555-3951 TTY: (800) 735-2966 Fax: (314) 534-2551 URL: http://stlouis.missouri.org/501c/ehoc/ Email: [email protected]