Apartment basically unliveable

[Anriana]

The apartment above me has a fire alarm that chirps every three minutes. It is incredibly annoying and makes it quite difficult to sleep. I reported it Thursday. I reported it again on Saturday. It is STILL not fixed. What can I do?

[tollbaby]

Buy them a battery and send the receipt to the landlord?

[LionMan]

it means one of two things:

1. battery dying. Get a new battery and that will fix it.
2. smoke detector dying. Get a new smoke detector.

[AdminAssistant]

It's more than just annoying, it's a fire hazard. Start bugging the landlord every day until it's fixed.

[digilight]

start calling the landlord every three minutes until they getthe fucker fixed.

[blas]

Does someone live there? If so, how do they put up with it? Ye gads...I can barely sleep when the apartment is settling (in spring and fall) and I keep hearing those crack and bump noises. Heck, I can barely tolerate a lawn mower outside.

[Dreamstalker]

Is the smoke detector in a common building area (ceiling of the front hall, etc) or is the apartment above you vacant? You shouldn't have to fix anything. Get the landlord to do it.

[Anriana]

Yes, I know that it's caused because the batteries are out of date. The apartment is vacant, the maintenance people just haven't bothered to getting around to changing out the batteries. I didn't expect it to be done immediately, but it's almost a week since I reported it - so I should just start bothering them Every. Single. Day?

[Kiwi]

Every. Single. Day?

yes because its bothering you Every.Single.Day

a landlord is legally responsible for making sure you have "quiet enjoyment" of the property you are renting

ring and say that if it isnt changed TODAY

you will be ringing the tenancy board (whatever its called for your local area) and asking what your legal rights are, they are breaking their contract

[crazylegs]

I'd be phoning them every half hour and encouriging my fellow rentors to do the same, but that's just me...

[TTAZ]

Two words of advice from an apartment worker:

Fire Marshall

Landlords hate those words because the fire marshall will fine the crap out of the property for any little thing that goes against fire codes, including not supplying batteries for a smoke detector in a vacant unit. You can do one of 2 things-

1. Call your landlord and tell them if the battery isn't changed TODAY then you will be calling the fire marshall tomorrow

2. Call the fire marshall directly since you've already been waiting long enough

Once your landlord sees or hears from the fire marshall, not only will the batteries all be changed in the smoke detectors, any broken glass over extinguishers will be replaced, the extinguishers will be recharged if needed, any dead foliage at risk for fire will be removed, any obstructions in hallways or breezeways will be removed, you name it.

The only other words landlords hate more than Fire Marshall is Health Department.

Enjoy!