Keep Getting the Owner's Mail.

All I have to say is he should know better than to ask to come in when a 13 year old is in the house alone.

We had this happen with our landlord. Why don't you just tell him you are putting it out side on the BACK patio and he can get it whenever. That way he can just go thru the yard and not bother you. Or just write "not at this address" and put it all back in the mailbox or give it to the mail person. Tell him you are going to do that if it isn't picked up. You are tired of stressing about it and don't want to be responsible for it and don't like him just popping over whenever he wants.

As far as the repairs go, email him and tell him everything that still isn't fixed. That way you have it documented. Ask him if you can just pay it and take it out of the rent. If not, insist that it gets done. Good luck.

I'm pretty sure that the landlord does NOT have a right to come inspect the property without proper notice (usually 24 hours) unless he feels that there is an emergency (like a burst pipe or gas leak).

I would be really uncomfortable about the thought of letting him around my 13 year old daughter when no one else is around. Your daughter is under no obligation to open the door for him, and you are within your rights to chain lock the door so that he can't come in -- even with the key.

He doesn't sound like an experienced landlord. You should start putting your requests for repairs in writing. If you don't like the way he is managing the property, you should find another place to live. If he is not properly maintaining the property, you can break your lease.

If he doesn't live there, he shouldn't be sending his mail there. He is probably trying to hide his online purchases from his wife. If you really want to show him that you mean business, you can refuse delivery of the packages and have the mail/UPS people return the packages to the sender.

Even if the owner is a nice person, he doesn't sound like a good landlord. If you're not happy with the arrangement, you should find another place to live.

Where do you send your rent check? If he has an address or PO box forward the mail and boxes there.

If not put his mail and boxes in a designated spot (maybe in the back or side areas). You could purchase a inexpensive, plastic, waterproof crate at Bed, Bath and Beyond or Target.

Make a list of the things that need tending to and ask him if you can take care of them, save the receipts and deduct it from the rent is he approves.

Very good call on your daughter's part not letting him or anyone else in when you are not at home. In fact does she make sure all doors are locked...back and front?

Blessings.....

Check your lease. There is usually a provision in it that states what procedure he will do if he needs to come inside to inspect. It has to be with good cause though.

He can come in at any time, with his key, to inspect if he thinks there may be an emergency. If he has been called by someone that says they think they saw smoke, or heard chainsaw noises coming from inside the house, etc..... It is his property.

BUT, the law states that while you are living there you do have some expected privacy. He must follow the outline in the lease to come inside at a normal time. If he comes over after saying he'd be there and no one answers the door he can come is using his key, if you change the locks he can call a locksmith and have them changed to something else and then charge you, you may not lock him out of his property, if the lease states he expects you to do certain things you have to do them.

So, check your lease and see what promises you have from him, what you have promised to do for the property, etc....

I would call the postmaster and ask about having the mail stopped that is not yours. It may be he doesn't want the wife to know about this stuff but seriously, he could rent a P O Box and keep you out of it.

ETA: I am sure this varies state-to-state, but when we looked into renting our house out our lawyer informed us that we were to retain a complete set of keys and that we could enter the house (with reason) at any time. Of course, the nice thing to do is to call ahead, but where I am it is NOT required. Check the laws in your state.

He's the owner of the property and has a right to inspect it at any time unannounced.

What would I do with the mail? Put it all in a box by the front door. When he stops by (announced or otherwise), it's all there. Your daughter doesn't need to let him in to give it to him.

As for your lease, review the exact wording of the lease and then offer to have the repairs done yourself... and take it out of your monthly rent. Seriously. Put it in writing and get it notarized, but if you need to repair a rental property to make it livable (not necessarily "nice", but safe and functional) then you can do the repairs yourself and submit the receipts with the amount deducted from your rent... IF he agrees ahead of time.

My husband and I rented a little studio while we were waiting for our house to be built. The owner was a nice guy, but not really quick on the repairs. My husband finally called him and said that he would go to Home Depot, get the parts and make the repairs and just take it out of our rent (with the receipts). The owner was at our apartment the NEXT DAY with updated lease agreement papers and it worked out well.

Check your lease and local tenant laws. My landlord had to give 24 hours notice to enter the premises unless there was an emergency (like the pipes burst). He had to notify us (and ask) about repair people. He couldn't just barge in.

If his mail is being delivered to your address and he's not there, I would ask where he wants it forwarded to. If he's deliberately shipping to your home, I would ask him to stop. You need to start addressing the things in your lease. You signed not only that you would do things like pay on time, but that he would do things like maintain the pool or garden.

I would write the landlord a letter telling him:

1. Please put in a change of address; that you do not want to be responsible for his mail. From now on, he must make an appointment with you to retrieve the mail.

2. If he is not going to show up as scheduled, to be kind enough to call and let you know.

3. He will not be allowed into the house or backyard unless he has called and made arrangements with you. I don't know the law in your state, but in CA a landlord must give 24 hours notice unless it is an emergency situation. If he doesn't show up as scheduled, then just don't answer the door when he does show up.

4. Include a detailed list of all of the repairs he was supposed to make and indicate that as of this date, none of these things have been done.

You need to put everything in writing for your own protection. He's abusing his position as a landlord and he will continue to do so until you put a stop to it.

Call your local post office and ask the post master or superintendent of mails what to do. Make sure your name is on or in the mail box or tape a note inside your mailbox that says "Mail carrier, Please leave mail only for the (your last name) family, Thank you. You can also include a note with your rent check that asks your landlord to file a change of address card at the post office and that in 14 days you will begin to mark his mail "return to sender" and place it back in the mailbox.

Throw away his mail (Huh Sir? None of your mail came here) and OOPS I bet he changes his address lickety split.

For my landlord, I either write "return to sender" on certain things or "forward to this address" and put her current address and drop it off at the post office/fedex or whatever if it's a large package, because she often doesn't show up for her packages either.

As for the lack of maintenance.. I deal with that too. We just keep biding our time so when we move out and she fails to give us our deposit back, and when the time comes to move out, we will throw a fit that we never had working locks, a working dishwasher, rotting cabinets, non working fire alarms, a dead tree that is a liability.... Really, you should be able to fix things and then take it out of the rent. Your landlord may throw a fit though.

Honestly, that sounds a little weird to me, he obviously lives somewhere else, so why hasn't he put in a change of address? Who wants to be bothered with having to drive somewhere to go pick up mail all of the time? Unless there is a reason (which is the weird part to me). He should NEVER just show up and ask your 13 yr old if he can come inside! He's probably oblivious and harmless, but you can never be sure. Do what Mzkitty suggested and tell your daughter to keep the doors locked, all of them.