My question involves landlord-tenant law in the State of: North Carolina
I have been living at my current home for a year and a half. My confusion starts with my landlord not providing me a receipt or any proof that my security deposit (1.5 month rent) has been put into a separate account. I'm really concerned that he's planning on not giving back the deposit. He hasn't made any statements saying so, but always talks about hurting for money, wants only cash (it's written in lease "cash only") and recently raised my rent by $100 upon renewal without any warning. I don't think he legally had to, I just thought it wasn't very fair and oh well. He makes little comments saying things like "If you drive your car a bit over the wood in the driveway, I can take that out of your deposit. Be careful!" So it makes me feel as though he is looking for any little thing to keep the deposit, or excuse himself if he has already spent it.
We have been maintaining the property's lawn care by having a company come and mow the grass. It is a large, lakeside property. Recently, we have been unable to afford to pay for the landscaping due to our daughter becoming sick. We discussed this with the landlord and he refused to either loan his lawn mower (he is our next door neighbor) or provide a shed for us to be able to purchase a lawn mower and store it. There is not a single line in our lease about who takes care of the lawn maintenance. We have been taking care of it ourselves without question because we want a nice lawn and other requests by us to the landlord have gone ignored. (example, our mailbox was stolen twice and LL kept forgetting to get a new mailbox and we ended up replacing it ourselves later, both times. Also, the washing machine that came with the home broke as it was 20 years old and he would not replace it, so we bought a new one out of pocket. We have not asked to be reimbursed. He is a friend of family and I wanted to do him a kindness) I know he does not legally need to loan us a mower or anything at all, but I was hoping that would be a fair and reasonable alternative to buying a shed to place on the property.
Now he shows up to our home twice a month. Once to drive down the street, park in our driveway and yell "GRASS!" out of his car and drive away, and a second time 1-2 days before the 1st of the month to "remind" us that rent is due and to be paid in cash. We have never been late and have even paid early when we have known that we would be busy or out of town on the 1st. So I don't understand the monthly reminders. We are his first tenants and this is the first time he has ever rented a property.
I want to know if it is fair for me to put in writing and request that he work with us on the lawn care and either provide a shed to shelter a mower bought by us, the tenants or to allow the use of his lawn mower. I can't find any information on what to do if no party is named in the responsibility of lawn care. And also, can't find anywhere that suggests what to do in the case of a landlord who will not show proof of putting away the security deposit. And can I do anything about him showing up on the property without warning?
Thank you and sorry for all of the questions! Our lease is up in April and we are planning on moving out and finding a new place to live with a more experienced, professional landlord.
I have been living at my current home for a year and a half. My confusion starts with my landlord not providing me a receipt or any proof that my security deposit (1.5 month rent) has been put into a separate account. I'm really concerned that he's planning on not giving back the deposit. He hasn't made any statements saying so, but always talks about hurting for money, wants only cash (it's written in lease "cash only") and recently raised my rent by $100 upon renewal without any warning. I don't think he legally had to, I just thought it wasn't very fair and oh well. He makes little comments saying things like "If you drive your car a bit over the wood in the driveway, I can take that out of your deposit. Be careful!" So it makes me feel as though he is looking for any little thing to keep the deposit, or excuse himself if he has already spent it.
We have been maintaining the property's lawn care by having a company come and mow the grass. It is a large, lakeside property. Recently, we have been unable to afford to pay for the landscaping due to our daughter becoming sick. We discussed this with the landlord and he refused to either loan his lawn mower (he is our next door neighbor) or provide a shed for us to be able to purchase a lawn mower and store it. There is not a single line in our lease about who takes care of the lawn maintenance. We have been taking care of it ourselves without question because we want a nice lawn and other requests by us to the landlord have gone ignored. (example, our mailbox was stolen twice and LL kept forgetting to get a new mailbox and we ended up replacing it ourselves later, both times. Also, the washing machine that came with the home broke as it was 20 years old and he would not replace it, so we bought a new one out of pocket. We have not asked to be reimbursed. He is a friend of family and I wanted to do him a kindness) I know he does not legally need to loan us a mower or anything at all, but I was hoping that would be a fair and reasonable alternative to buying a shed to place on the property.
Now he shows up to our home twice a month. Once to drive down the street, park in our driveway and yell "GRASS!" out of his car and drive away, and a second time 1-2 days before the 1st of the month to "remind" us that rent is due and to be paid in cash. We have never been late and have even paid early when we have known that we would be busy or out of town on the 1st. So I don't understand the monthly reminders. We are his first tenants and this is the first time he has ever rented a property.
I want to know if it is fair for me to put in writing and request that he work with us on the lawn care and either provide a shed to shelter a mower bought by us, the tenants or to allow the use of his lawn mower. I can't find any information on what to do if no party is named in the responsibility of lawn care. And also, can't find anywhere that suggests what to do in the case of a landlord who will not show proof of putting away the security deposit. And can I do anything about him showing up on the property without warning?
Thank you and sorry for all of the questions! Our lease is up in April and we are planning on moving out and finding a new place to live with a more experienced, professional landlord.
Repair and Maintenance: Lawn Care and Security Deposit
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