I hope your email gets results, and soon, Allyson.

God, Allyson. I'm filled with rage on your behalf. They should have paid for heavy metal dude to stay in a hotel so he could shower without damaging the structure, and they should have paid for you to stay in a hotel while it was fixed. And that should have happened a week ago. Please, please promise that even if they are there at 9AM tomorrow with repairmen and flowers and candy and a marching band, you'll still complain to whoever one complains to. The whole thing is absolutely unacceptable, and you should not let them get away with it. Because otherwise they'll do it again.

If my cat gets sick, I'm going to fucking own this building. I'm done writing, and I will put the energy of a thousand fundraisers, fandom events, and bookwriting into hurting them financially.

Drop the first clause. There is no circumstance where you shouldn't own their asses. Please. I tend toward inertia myself, but jesus. Especially when there are other tenants with complaints. Find every consumer group in the phone book and call them tomorrow.

I don't really know where to start, Strega, but yeah, I'll be calling around tomorrow. It smells like it's rotting. The water is getting close to the light fixtures, and it's just unsanitary.

LA Housing Dept.

LAHD Code Enforcement Division for tenants.

CA Dept of Consumer Affairs on having repairs made. The part about withholding rent seems particularly relevant.

Bookmarked. Man, I gotta sleep, despite the wet plaster stank.

Go to bed. Here's a couple more for tomorrow.

LA Dept of Consumer Repairs (includes some phone #s)

Oo, the Housing Rights Center looks like a good place to start with. Phone # is 1-800-477-5977.

HRC provides telephone and in-person counseling to both tenants and landlords regarding their respective rights and responsibilities under California law and local city ordinances. In addition to answering basic housing questions, Counselors commonly cite specific civil codes that pertain to the client’s matter and/or provide sample letters that discuss a particular issue.

When a client’s matter is outside the scope of HRC's services, we provide appropriate referral information. These referrals include, but are not limited to local housing authorities, health and building & safety departments, legal assistance agencies, and other social service providers.

This makes the fact that I napped on the couch last night because I saw a centipede run across the wall above my bed seem a little pathetic, I admit. Well, okay, I knew it was pathetic from the start.

They have no idea what they're in for. And that fills my heart with sadistic glee.

Ditto. What a crappy situtation, Allyson.

About the light fixture thing -- I have watched water pour out of the light fixture in my bathroom, and it was fine. I mean, the water issue was not fine, but there was no crazy electrical situation added to it. If that helps any.

I didn't read the links, but Allyson, I hope you can start putting your rent check into an escrow fund until the repairs are made. I think this is a pretty standard way of dealing with landlord disputes.

That way, he doesn't get his rent until he makes the repairs.

Timelies all!

Allyson, I'm sorry your landlord's being a slacker jackhole about the plumbing problems. Shred 'em.

This is the response I got:

Allyson, I contacted a plumber this morning and I need to call him the afternoon. His name is Ed (number removed) and he’ll try to make it to your apartment today. You can try him if you want right before lunch and tell him that you spoke to me, Robert, this morning and make an appointment for him to come to your apartment today or ASAP. Feel free to contact me if you have any questions or comments.