- My name is Gina Chiala.
I'm an attorney with the Heartland Center
for Jobs and Freedom.
And today we're gonna talk about
five things you can do to protect your rights as a tennant.
Tip number one, get it in writing.
If you go look at a place to rent,
and the landlord tells you,
"Don't worry; this is gonna be all fixed up
by the time you move in,"
just make sure you get that in writing.
Just grab a piece of paper, write down all of the things
that the landlord should fix,
have the landlord sign it, you sign it,
also, include the date that the repairs should be done by,
and keep a copy for yourself.
If the landlord is reluctant to sign that piece of paper,
proceed with caution.
If it were me, I wouldn't sign the lease,
and I wouldn't move in.
Tip number two, once move in to your home,
make sure that you make requests for repairs in writing,
and keep a copy.
You have a right to safe and livable housing.
So, in the winter there should be heat,
and in the summer there should be ventilation.
The plumbing should work, the electrical should work,
and there shouldn't be infestations of rodents or bugs.
So, if you're home doesn't pass the test,
make a request for repairs in writing.
You can send it by email,
and keep a copy of your sent email,
or send a letter by certified letter
return receipt requested.
And if the landlord fails to make those repairs
in a reasonable amount of time,
get legal help before the situation escalates.
Tip number three, know what a landlord can do
and can't do under the law.
A landlord can't force you out of your house
without a judgment from the court.
So, that means before a landlord can force you out,
the landlord has to go to court,
serve you with a lawsuit, win the case,
and get a judgment from the court.
And even then, only the sheriff
can physically remove you and your belongings from the home,
and that doesn't happen until ten days or more,
after your landlord wins the case.
So, that means, a landlord can't change the locks
without a court order,
the landlord can't disconnect your utilities
without a court order,
and your landlord can't take your belongings
and throw them out, without permission from the court.
If this is happening to you, seek legal assistance.
Tip number four, don't ignore eviction lawsuits.
If you come home,
and you find an evictioin lawsuit on your door,
or someone comes and hands a lawsuit
to someone in your household, don't ignore it.
You may be able to prevent a judgement from happening
by negotiating with your landlord,
catching up with the rent, or asserting a legal defense.
But if you ignore the lawsuit,
then you will lose the suit,
and a judgment for eviction will be issued against you,
and having that on your record is not good.
It may make it impossible for you to rent again,
in the future.
So, if you get sued, get legal assistance right away.
Tip number five, get your deposit back.
In Missouri, a landlord has 30 days to return your deposit
to your last known address.
So, you wanna make sure that the landlord knows
where to send that deposit,
or you can have your mail forwarded to a new address.
A landlord in Missouri, has to follow two procedures
before he or she can withhold your deposit.
First of all, a landlord has to
give you notice of walkthrough.
Second of all, a landlord has to give you
an accurate accounting explaining why
all or part of your deposit was withheld.
If a landlord fails to do either of these things,
you may be entitled to double the amount
that was wrongfully withheld back.
So, get legal assistance if you're having trouble
getting your deposit back.
The Heartland Center for Jobs and Freedom
provides free legal help to low age workers
in the areas of landlord/tenant law,
consumer law, and employment law.
If you need help
call (816) 278- 1344.
And if you have a housing issue,
and you're permanently unemployed or disabled,
contact legal aid at (816) 474-6750.