When a landlord refuses to put it in writing
Answers
You do not need their cooperation to create a written record, only theirs to contradict it.
Why they are doing it
Sometimes informality, often deliberately. A refusal in writing with a bad reason is evidence; a refusal on the phone is a disagreement about what was said. A provider who will discuss it endlessly and never confirm anything is usually aware of that.
Write it yourself
After every conversation, send a short email the same day: the date and time, who you spoke to, what you asked, and what they said. Close by asking them to correct you if you have misunderstood. You do not need their reply. An unchallenged contemporaneous account is real evidence, and it costs you five minutes.
What to include
- Thank you for speaking with me today about my accommodation request.
- My understanding is that you said the following.
- I am requesting a written decision, with reasons, by a specific date.
- Please correct me if I have misunderstood anything above.
On recording calls
Recording law varies. Some states require all parties to consent, and recording without that can be a criminal offence and can make the recording useless anyway. Do not record a call to create evidence without checking your own state rule first. The follow-up email achieves most of the same thing and carries none of the risk.
Common questions
- They never reply to my emails.
- That is its own evidence. Unexplained delay can amount to a constructive denial, and a file of unanswered written requests is a strong position.