I have been renting the same home for 3 years now. The owners never told us that they were in default on the house. I got the Notice of Trustee Sale back in December of 2008. Every month I go and see what is happening at the auction site. Everytime it keeps getting postponed and now it is being postponed because they filed bankruptcy on it. We still pay the rent because we were told until it is sold then it still belongs to them. I am angry because they are still late on their payments and have not paid their taxes on the house since 12/2008. Before we moved in the dishwasher need to be replaced. When we did the walk through the owner did mention that it would be replaced before moving in. Well 3 years later and it has still yet not been replaced. I have offered to pay for a replacement and then take it off of next months rent, but when I tell them that,they give me the run around. They also said that they would replace the microwave which burnt out a few months after moving in, and again we still don't see any replacements. I am at my witts end with these people. Why should I keep giving them rent for a house that I was told by the lender, will be sold off as soon as the bankruptcy is discharged. I need a new dishwasher and microwave and the air conditioning needs to be cleaned and the walls still have not been painted and were supposed to be by the time we moved in and have given them a fair 3 years to do so. I will not rent another house again just because I am afraid of this happening again. What are my rights? Should I still keep paying rent? Can I just buy the appliances and do the work myself and then just deduct it from rent? I was told by a lawyer that I have to get them to agree to me doing so before I can replace them. But the owners said it would be replaced before moving in.
