Landlord/Tenant Mediation, A Success Story (2007)
Mon, 12/17/2007 - 17:21 — Steven Gilroy
- By Veronica Hyde, Fair Housing/Mediation Coordinator
-
- On October1st 2007, a participant came into the Landlord/Tenant
Mediation Office at Lima Allen Council on Community Affairs (LACCA)
office seeking to mediate a dispute between her landlord and
herself. The participant explained that she received an eviction
notice after requesting the replacement of her fuse box. The
participant explained that she usually paid her rent on the date
that her SSI check was received. The woman said the check happened
to come in on a Monday after the 1st, which fell on a day
that the owner’s office was closed. The participant said the owner
always accepted her rent on the date that her check came in. She
felt as if the owner was retaliating against her for the repair
work. The participant said her landlord ended up replacing the fuse
box and re-running some of the wiring in the house. The participant
explained that the old fuse box could not hold the wattage needed to
run she and her roommate’s oxygen tanks. The participant explained
that she and her roommate have been renting the house for one year.
Both women have been diagnosed with terminal diseases. The
participant said it was both of their dying wishes to live the
remainder of their lives in this home, and die together as friends.
The staff at LACCA explained the Fair Housing Law to the
participant, and informed her that she could file a complaint under
the protected class of handicap. The woman said she was not strong
enough to go through the process of filing a complaint and following
through with the investigation. The woman preferred to mediate the
dispute. LACCA staff contacted the woman’s Landlord and explained
her concerns. Staff informed the landlord about the Fair Housing
Law. The Landlord said he thought the power kept shutting off due to
a tanning bed in the house. The owner was not aware of the oxygen
tank needs. The owner agreed to settle the dispute by the signing of
a Conciliation Agreement.. The owner agreed to terminate the
eviction without penalty, and accept the tenant’s rent. Both
parties were satisfied with the results. Since this dispute
settlement, the owner has called our office two times to request
dispute resolutions with other tenant’s.