Heroin addicts in my apartment building!

gciddy

Hi Everyone,

I am looking for some help and advice here. I am a tenant in an apartment building in Galway City. We have had a series of unlawful breakins in the building where several people (could be as many as six at a time) get into the back stairway loiter, turn off smoke alarms, drink, urinate, break bottles, and use heroin (as told to me from another neighbor). Needless to say, myself and my partner no longer feel safe in our apartment whose front door is all but 3-5 feet away from the back stairway.

I have contacted the management company to try and let me get out of my fixed term lease, which they have refused. I have contacted Threshold whose advice was that I can't hold the landlord responsible for the illegal actions of a third party and they are making a 'reasonable' effort to fix the door which they are getting through (but still haven't fixed!) So, I am stuck in an unsafe building with criminal individuals breaking in who could be violent and have already accosted my partner when she was going to her car.

Can anyone give me any advice in how I might be able to legally break my lease?

Thanks!

matrim

Have you called the Garda on them?

Mr. Incognito

Just break your lease.

Is the deposit really worth the hassle? And if you give them your months notice and tell them to take it out of the deposit instead of paying your last months rent what are you losing anyway.

They're hardly going to take you to court of a few months rent. It's not a safe living environment

gciddy

Hi,

Yes. I called the Garda on them, but by the time they arrived .. they had vacated the building. I was told to call the Garda again if they show up, which I will do... you just don't know when it could be. I can't help but wonder if it will take my apartment getting broken into or myself/my partner getting attacked before anything is done.

Do you think I am being unreasonable for wanting to move considering the situation?

gciddy

They management company said they would hold my deposit and go after me if for rent payments if I break the lease. I just can't afford to take that hit. Considering the alternatives.. I probably have no choice, but I can't believe they are being so heartless about it.

Perhaps if I wrote a letter to the landlords directly...

Oracle

That's absolutely disgraceful! I think you'd be perfectly within your rights to break the lease, give the minimum required notice, and leave. I'm surprised at what Threshold have told you, although they may be covering themselves against any action from the landlord. I would write letters to the management company, the rental agent and the landlord, stating exactly what you've written here in your post. Say clearly you're leaving because you feel unsafe, have experienced violence within the development and feel threatened and intimidated. Keep copies of any correspondence. Good luck with your next move.

P.S. About the deposit, is the tenancy registered with the PRTB? http://www.prtb.ie/ they may be able to resolve the issue. Otherwise Small Claims Court, or simply don't pay your rent 1 month and live out your deposit.