Slumlords and the mentally ill

`Do u guys think that Slumlords really abuse and take advantage of tenants who are ill and unable to stand up for themselves and why does this happen?

ive read your blog, so i know what your refering to.
There will always be people who prey upon the weak, ill and lonely.
They do it for financial gain or to give themselves a feeling of satisfaction, of power.
They are nasty and best avoided.

Yes I am very traumatized but healing nicely in my new home where when I call maintenance, something I was scared to do but did it with support from Nikki, and I've needed maintenance 3 times since moving here and they have been wonderful, timely and respectful. For that reason< it feels like I am living in Paradise now.

When my husband was ill, we moved into a house that was supposed to be wheelchair accessible. The Landlord insisted that he'd get the stair lift working, the special bath, etc.

When we got there the house was damp, wires hanging out of the walls, the stairlift dangerously unstable, holes in the walls... it was a dump. It broke my heart that the last few months of my husband's life he lived in such a tip. My son developed asthma, and I actually think the stress of living in a heap contributed to my husband's illness (though he was terminal anyway.)

I don't want to talk about it too much, because it still makes me want to cry when I think how terrible that house was, but I can safely say that we were taken advantage of, and my mental health suffered as a result.

HUGS and I"M sorry it is hell to go through, I was so depressed and hopeless esp when the slumlords drilled it into my head that I would NEVER get out of there, I guess I proved them wrong not only by getting out but moving 2000 miles away to paradise I"m so sorry for ur loss and suffering. HUGS.

After spending 17 years in the property management business, I began renting a duplex...it is the first time I have come up against an owner who acts sometimes like a "slumlord". I had an issue that was brought to a head in March regarding some repairs. I was really upset after spending my working career fostering education and ethics in property management.

As things got resolved, I started coming to the conclusion that the owners just really don't know what they are doing (as opposed to targeting me). In my city, they are required to do certain things in order to maintain a rental certificate which allows them to legal rent the place. Well the things I wanted done were part of those requirements.

Glad you are in a good place now!

If anyone reading this has landlord/management issues, please PM me...I'd be happy to give suggestions.

Thanks KMB ... Things are much better for my son and I now. We live in a nice little cottage in a cute little village, with reasonable bus services. I have a support worker who's job it is to check my housing needs are being met... she helps me fill in forms to do with housing, helped me consolidate my debt and figure out ways to diminish it... and she's taken me to interviews for benefits etc.

The mentally ill can be taken advantage of, but occasionally a certain county or borough council, district etc will have all the services joined up, and actually make things better for us. The weight of stress that I laboured under has really decreased, and I'm even able to get out of the house again, and volunteer.

mgran your just beautiful, your stories of your husband warm my heart.

Awh, thank you RC. (((hug)))