Anyone here ever break a lease? (please read before commenting)

[politicat]

63. That is fishy.

Your municipal water provider should tell you how much water costs per thousand gallons, and most states require the bill to be itemized, even if you are in multi unit housing. Multi-unit housing providers in most places are not allowed to make a profit on municipal services like water. In my two person household, in the Rocky Mountain foothills, with a washer and a dishwasher, we use about 2000 gallons a month, which costs $14.00 (rounded) a month. Water is expensive here because everything downhill from us has a prior claim, and practically everything is downhill. (Sewer is also about 14, and trash/recycling is 15, so combined, $43, but they're still itemized.) A $75 water bill would be appropriate for a 10 person household or a swimming pool or massive leaks (which would actually explain your squishy floors and ceilings.) You should be able to call your city water provider or check their website for your rates. You may be charged by the thousand gallon, or by hundred cubic feet, which is 748 gallons, but the rate should be consistent. (As an aside, at that rate, it's almost cheaper to let them turn off your water, buy a gym membership for showering, use paper plates and bottled water -- not saying to do so because that's a bad idea which will harm your credit and references.)

Does your house have a water meter? It should, if they're charging separately for it. It will be outside, above the skirting, fixed to the side of the house, and will look like an odometer. Find it, note the number, then go inside and turn off every water inlet -- under the sinks, behind the toilet. (You probably can't get to the tub, that's okay, just make sure it's not dripping.) Then go to work or away for several hours. Check the meter when you return. If it has changed, there is a leak, probably under the house. (Older mobiles are notorious for this.) Call the landlord's emergency number immediately, mention flood, water under the house. DO NOT go under the house yourself. You can look -- if your flashlight beam reflects off puddles, you have standing water from a leak. if it smells of dsewage, it is a health hazard. If you get no response, call your local fire department -- there's a good chance of an electrical short in progress.

Are the property management and the trailer owner the same entity? If so, they are responsible for maintenance. If not, this gets more complicated.

Under no circumstances should you ever let them have access to direct debit -- either continue the money order route or use your bank to do bill-pay. Your bank takes its orders from you; nobody else can access your account.

Log the calls you've made -- if you used a cellphone, then you have the records of when you called on your bills, and you should be able to access 18-24 months of bills from your provider's website. (I believe even pre-paid cells keep a call log). Try to call when you'll get a person (business hours, M-F) rather than after hours or weekends. The magic words with our property management company are "standing sewage", "electric line down" and "gushing" (don't ask me how I know...) Send a paper letter with notations of when you called and your known issues. Add photos -- Walgreens can print photos from your camera or phone, usually for about $0.25 a print. Send the letter by registered mail so you have delivery confirmation. In the letter, request a meeting to discuss the situation 5 days from date on letter to discuss an action plan. (Ask your contractor friend to either attend or give you a document of his/her observations. Don't go in alone, and be polite, but firm -- you want firm dates for repairs, etc. )

Speaking of, how is your electric? Does anything spark? Do the breakers kick off easily? Do all of the switches and outlets work? Older mobiles have notoriously bad wiring which can kill you quick and ugly if you've also got water problems. If you've got electric problems too, please call your fire department for an inspection. Your life is worth more than the hassle of a month or two of couch surfing or finding a roommate situation.

Pack up as much of your stuff as you can, and be prepared to abandon anything soft that can't be washed in hot water -- mattresses, upholstered furniture, toys, books. If you have mold, you don't want to move it because that's just a good way to spread the toxin to your new place and continue to make you sick. Yes, this means replacing furniture, but that can be done slowly, on a budget. (Or not, if you find downsizing and voluntary simplicity at all attractive.) Having done this twice, I can say it sucks, but it's more Flat Tire in the Rain suckage rather than Giant Fire Breathing Lizard suckage. (If you absolutely can't part with your soft stuff, find a metal storage unit that gets lots of direct sun. All stuff goes inside, you set off a bug bomb and a mold bomb, close it up and let everything bake for at least a week. You live out of a suitcase for a week. A week in a Red Cross Super 8, eating cold-cuts and PB&Js and fruit isn't glorious, but it's clean and secure.)

Do you have a place you could go if it's condemned? If not, check with your local Red Cross -- they have housing assistance for disasters (not just mass disasters -- anything that renders housing unlivable -- usually fire & flood, sometimes condemnations.) If you are condemned, your lease is automatically broken, your landlord is required to refund your deposit and a pro-rate of your rent. And it is not a black mark on either your credit or your reference if your house is condemned. (Just don't try to rent from that property management company again...they've proven they don't care.) (again, you don't want to know how I know this.)

You can ask your church-member lawyers to refer you to a colleague in a nearby town. Explain the potential conflict of interest and most will happily do so. That's not asking them for a free service, that's using your social network. Would you ask a church member where she got her hair cut or if she liked her dentist? Same concept. It's perfectly reasonable. Most professionals find it flattering to be asked to comment on their colleagues (since it implies that the person being asked is a mover & shaker, influential, in the know and powerful within their community.) and if one says, "Let me help, Sister Xmas," you are not imposing. S/he has chosen to volunteer. (In my community, we had a lawyer who took on a small class action against a management company as a learning experience; she wanted to do a bigger class action, but needed to figure out how much work one would be. It worked out well for everyone except the management company. Recall, there are quite a lot of under-employed lawyers right now...)

One other thing with your church : my mom had to get herself and three daughters out of a bad situation (house was fine, the other family member was not). The minister helped coordinate a rental from one parishoner for my mother to share with another single mom, her daughter and her adult brother (combat amputee) as a co-safe house, (plus temporary furniture) and community welfare checks (and random casseroles and grocery boxes) for the first couple months (until the abusive partners were out of circulation.) We were UU, so the church defaulted to always generous. It was a brilliant match, as it happened -- mom and other mom stuck together until last kid went to college, and now live next door to each other in a 55+ community of park-models (tiny trailers) and I still consider other single mom, her daughter and brother to be my family. If you think your church might be sympathetic and proactive this way, talk to your minister. Ask for practical guidance.

The tl;dr: 1) document everything in writing, with pictures if possible. Be vigilant, polite, detailed and firm. Ask simple, closed answer questions (what date will X be fixed? Rather than what happens now?)
2) be prepared to leave soon.
3) I'm assuming you don't, because most people don't, but if you have renter's insurance, call your agent.
4) inspection to condemnation is common enough and may be appropriate; just be aware that it's a fast track process and should not be triggered until you're prepped to GTFO or your symptoms are escalating.
5) if you have standing water, the odor of sewage, "delicate" electricals or pipes, these are indicators of non-habitable very bad. Give management no more than 24 hours to respond, then call county health and report.