Landlord not bringing house to code, now evicting me
Hello. I need some help, quickly if possible (thanks a lot in advance!)
I moved into this property in central Kansas before thanksgiving on a verbal 30 day agreement. Since then, the landlord has neglected to repair anything. I was told this house was completely rewired up to code 3 years ago, but it is not. Also, I dug around and found the city code, this house is in violation of the city code in no less then five ways. I also read through kansas landlord-tennnant act found on HUD.gov and as far as I can tell she has been violating many terms on that too.
The city code requires houses to be insulated, this one is not. It also has slow drains that sometimes fail to work at all, and no locks on some of the windows. there is more wrong with this place too, I have told the landlord of all these problems many months ago, but she has totally neglected to have them fixed. I have repeatedly told them about what needs fixed, and was repeatedly ignored. This house is 22x20 feet total, and the gas bill has been $100 and electric $150 every month, I use both to heat because of the lack of insulation. That alone has been an issue of contingency between me and her. the utilities are both in my name.
For failure to repair the house and bring it up to code I stopped payment on rent until this was resolved, and since then she has gone "ape". I now have a 3 day eviction notice in my hand for nonpayment of rent. I had told her that I asked the city inspector not to reinspect the house until I had a chance to talk to her, and told her that. I have bent and bent, and I just keep getting the shaft, basically. And now I am being evicted as a retalitory action. I was also told to pay her some gas bill that has been transferred into my name including the balance, she was there when I called the gas company and moved the gas bill into my name including all the back-bill, but she is still trying to collect the money that WAS but is NO LONGER owed for the gas bill. That was on the eviction notice, as I must pay it to her too.
I have been lied to in many ways about this house, I was told it had good insulation, it was up to code, and specifically that it was completely rewired 3 years ago and brought up to current electric code, which it was not. They have changed their story umpteen times now.
I was also told several months AFTER the rental agreement was made that I was responsible for lawn maintainence, even though (to my understanding) rental properties must be maintained by the landlord. There are two houses on this single lot of property rented out and owned by them.
Please, someone help? I am on disability!