jeweledsunshine:Is there any way that you could hire it done right and then take it out of the rent?
I wouldn't even think of doing that without talking with a lawyer first. The rent payment is fixed by contract and cannot be altered without both party's consent without some legal maneuvering such as an escrow account to demonstrate that the renter is not trying to avoid his/her responsibility.
If there is a landlord/tenant affairs office in the local govt. I'd go there after talking with the management one more time. Failing that, the only other legal remedy is to sue the landlord for nonperformance on their end of the contract. Or, if you're now in a month-to-month rental, pack your bags and move.
There is such a thing as a "constructive eviction" if the property is is such bad shape that it is uninhabitable or unsafe, but ultimately the definitions of those terms are jury questions.