The man felt as if he were in a difficult situation over which he had no control. The owner of the property will also receive notification of the abatement. Normally, the owner will call to schedule another inspection after repairs are made. If the repairs are not completed the man will have to leave his apartment. The man does not want to move because he likes the neighborhood and the apartment despite the need for repair of his mailbox. While the apartment is in abatement the man is responsible only for his portion of the rent which is based on his income. He is not responsible for the total rent on the apartment.
This landlord is conscientious and had the repair made. This time, the apartment passed the inspection, and the abatement was lifted. The man was most pleased that he did not have to move out of his apartment. He expressed his gratitude to the Ombudsman for intervening on his behalf.
The Ombudsman Column, a production of the Joint Office of Citizens’ Complaints, summarizes selected problems that citizens have had with government services, schools and nursing homes in the Dayton area. Contact the Ombudsman by writing to us at 11 W. Monument Ave., Suite 606, Dayton 45402, call 937-223- 4613, or by electronic mail at ombudsman@dayton-ombudsman.org.
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