Ask HN: Any legal implications making an apartment+landlord review site/app?

[virgilone]

Hi, so for the past 12 years, I've been moving every 1-2 years due to super frustrating landlords. My sister and I have been moving around the outskirts of boston (everett, arlington, dorchester,dedham). We've dealt with bee infestations, fly infestations, snail infestations, algea patches growing all around with tons of mold. I know the various processes to go about dealing with this and they are long and painful. In my current situation, we've gotten a major mouse problem. The landlord has nonchalantly been dealing with the issue but the mice pretty much began treating the apartment like their playground. I'll be watching a movie and a few will zip by my feet. My sister and I took matters into our own hands and got a cat and that did the job. Unfortunately due to getting the cat, this broke the terms of the lease (we were coming to near the end anyways). So after dealing with this crap for a while, I was speaking with a co-worker of mine whom was complaining about her landlord as well. Over the last 12 years, they've just been a MAJOR pain to deal with and I feel like I need to do something about it. As a developer it wouldn't take much for me to do this or if anyone already knows one that exists that I can use as I go about finding my next apartment.

[vastoi]

https://www.whoseyourlandlord.com/

I found a handful of sites that offer this service by searching Google for the phrase “Yelp for Landlords”. I have included an example above.

[virgilone]

wow, thank you so much!

[tucaz]

I’m wondering what the is the common denominator in all this problematic situations?

[virgilone]

I would really like for you to expand on this thought. As constructive criticism if you have it.

[tucaz]

Alright! Didn’t think you would take it in a positive way but I guess I was wrong. Gladly.

According to your post you have moved at least 6 times in the past 12 years and you had problems with the landlord every time.

Assuming that the houses and the landlord were not the same or somewhat related the only common denominator is you.

Having said that, I see a few possibilities:

1) You are somehow at fault for the problems you reported. Rats could come because of dirt. Mold can also develop if you have a place that is not cleaned or cared as it should.

2) You could be a bad judge of character. Somehow you managed to fail to perceive clues that could tell you that maybe the landlord or the property wouldn’t be great.

3) You are super unlucky

I’m not saying it is your fault. Only that it could be.

If it is, that’s a good thing because you can fix that.

If it’s not your fault than you should buy a rabbit’s foot.

[anfilt]

Another common denominator could be also the price point of properties they pay to rent. Some landlords just dont budget/save well regarding repairs. Properties with lower rent prices can make that worse. So when your like hey fix that and this. They may seem begruding about it. Although out of 6 landlords all them doing that seems unlikely. Unless some of these problems where overly petty.

However, I would not consider a rodent problem petty. (probably means somthing is not sealed well) Although getting a cat without talking to the landlord sure is gonna make them more willing to help (sarcasm). Pets can cause serious damage, and can even leave odors after carpet has been replaced. Making the property harder to rent or more costly to repair.