Looking for some legal advice regarding landlord not fixing or attempting to fix

stuff that's wrong with the mobile home me and my parents rent.

There's electrical issues like the circuit breaker out a the pole outside will pop off if you have the oven going and decide to have the washer or dryer going at the same time because the mobile home isn't wired properly. He keeps saying it's not his responsibility to fix since he doesn't own the property the mobile homes sit on.

Won't really fix leaks in the roof, he's known about them for 2 years yet he never sends out the maintenance guy to fix it permanently.

My brother fixed it temporarily with flex tape but that's not going to last.

Problem is, we don't have an actual lease. It's more or less a handshake type of deal so we don't know what our legal options are.

I don't think we can put the rent into escrow, (I think I spelled that right) because we don't have an actual lease but what we do have is rent receipts.

He's definitely a slumlord because I've seen his other properties, he does the bare minimum to make them livable.

We'd move but right now we can't afford it and it's winter out, my parents are getting up there in age and it's not a good idea to move right now.

ask reddit instead

If the laws are anything like here, the fact it's a "handshake deal" not only won't prevent you taking a case, but that in and of itself can get the landlord in more trouble.

Trumble posted...

If the laws are anything like here, the fact it's a "handshake deal" not only won't prevent you taking a case, but that in and of itself can get the landlord in more trouble.

Thanks for the info.

Mr_Karate_II posted...

Thanks for the info.

Check your local laws, but here, if nothing else was wrong when you take a case but there's no written agreement, that's a fine of about $250 for the landlord.

If there's no lease you are pretty much boned.

Kai_Laguna posted...

If there's no lease you are pretty much boned.

According to a few sources, for Ohio a verbal lease is the same thing as a written lease agreement.