Hi ladies,
I think I just need some moral support. We moved last year from a really lovely area. I miss it. We have been homeowners for almost 10 years. Because we moved quickly, we ended up renting. It's not ideal, but it's been fine, and we actually decided to extend our lease by another year because we still haven't figured out where to settle permanently in our new city.
But... someone keeps calling our landlord on us! And for stupid things! First, it was because we don't pick up our dog poop. Except that we DO pick up our dog poop, every time they go! We don't have a yard so we have to walk them, and we pick it up as we go. And I don't have them go on other lawns. I restrict them to our tiny patch of grass to pee and poop. I explained this to our landlord and he asked if I could just try a little harder. I was like, well, I pick it up as they poop. I'm not sure how much harder I can try? Seriously!
Today his wife stopped by because someone called them again, twice, complaining that we don't take our trash can into the garage. Yesterday was garbage day. I pulled our recycling can in, and the pulled the garbage can up to the garage but -- for the first time EVER since we have lived here -- didn't pull it into the garage because my husband got home late and we just had furniture delivered and it was in the garage. I didn't want it near our son's new bed. It was in front of the garage, literally touching the garage door, just not inside the garage, and I was going to pull it in tonight after he moved the furniture into the house, this was less than 24 hours after garbage pickup. People around us routinely don't even pull their garbage cans into the garage at all. I pull mine in right after the garbage man comes every week. The fact that someone called our landlord that quickly is insane. And to say it's the second time it happened is an outright lie.
The landlord's wife was really rude and made it clear this is ANOTHER complaint about us. There was a piece of garbage, a glove, in the street near out house. When she left she put it on our car. It wasn't ours.
I am so irritated. My husband keeps telling me to calm down but for some reason, I am just so upset by this whole thing! It would be one thing if we were trashy tenants, but honestly, we treat this place like we own it, and will leave it in better shape than we found it. I think someone in the neighborhood just doesn't like us? We have three kids and two dogs, so yeah, we're a tornado. But we don't even play outside. I take my kids to the park to get their energy out. If we're in the front, it's maybe for 10 minutes, so we can't possibly be annoying anyone that much -- can we?
I can't figure out why this is bothering me so much, except maybe that I didn't DO the things we are being "reported" for and now I feel like we're tainted in the eyes of our landlord.
Any thoughts mamas? Why do I even care about this? =(
BOO HISS.
This sounds like a neighbor or even better a home ownder association member who is pissed that there are renters and who has a ton of time on his/her hands. I am sorry you are dealing with this. Lamaze breathing didn't do a think for my two labors, but I do use it for situations like this. ANd if I were you and finances were not a problem, I would buy a home asap.
I'm sorry. I would have told the land lady that these trivial things are borderline harassment and she better back the hell off. I'm home owner and the times I've rented I've never had a complaint. But I don't ALWAYS pick up my dogs poo right away and I don't pull the trash cans off the sidewalk right way. Life's messy. I like things clean. But no one is perfect.
I Hope that whoever it is gets over themselves.
Don't you HATE the feeling of being treated like garbage when you are innocent? We are going through something similar . I'm interested in the responses.
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Well whoever is complaining about you, repeatedly... they are watching you VERY closely... to know... about all of those habits that you do or not do.
THAT... is very creepy.
And that... is what I would worry about.
If they are watching your exterior... hope they don't know about your life in your house.
Since they know all about you... outside your house.
It is all very creepy... and well the Landlord seems to be "friends" with this Complainer.
You are probably right, someone has it out for you. Still the complaints, unless it is spelled out in the rental agreement have no merit. If nothing they are complaining about violates your lease you may want to consider telling your landlord to stop harassing you.
Sounds to me that you live in a condo. I have lived in condos years ago and I will NEVER live in a planned community or condo again. I don't need a bunch of busy bodies HOA bitches watching my every move. I had the same trouble with the doggie poo -- it wasn't from my dog but we got blamed.
I would look for a new rental, but not in a planned community. Some people love being told what to do all the time.
Personally, I feel that if I worked hard and bought my own place and I own it, no one has the right to tell me what kind of flowers to plant or if I can put a fan in my window, or where to store my garbage cans. But hey that's me.
Are you one of the only or possibly THE only renters in your neighborhood? It's possible that a neighbor is disgruntled that there is now a rent house in the neighborhood and is picking on you to get you out. I hope you get it figured out! Good luck!
My thought was - what if the landlords are 'checking up' on you and using the excuse that someone is calling them to complain??
And even if a neighbor did call the landlord to complain about this stuff, the landlord should push back and tell them that its no big deal.
Make sure you take detailed photos of the place when you move out.
P.S. you care about this because you genuinely want to do the right thing and try to do the right thing. But for some people (cranky neighbors) even perfection isn't good enough.
This sounds like harassment. You are fulfilling your lease and should not have to put up with that.
I would call your landlords and say that you don't appreciate how she put garbage from the street in your car and say that they next complaint that comes along will have you calling the police to investigate who is harassing you.
Your landlords sound like jerks and, too bad for them! You sound like dream renters and they should be lucky to have you!
Jennifer,
Was the property you are renting previously occupied by your landlords or has it been a rental for awhile? I believe Lauren has a point you should consider. If this is a new rental, someone in the neighborhood may be miffed at your landlords - and not necessarily you. They probably know this couple, tried to dissuade them from renting and are trying to prove a point with them - not you. Something to the effect of "see how much trouble it is to be a landlord. I told you you shouldn't rent that property out."
My husband and I have two homes that we rent. We get that occasionally from a neighbor. When most of the neighborhood is owner-occupied, some people get very upset about tenants in the neighborhood. Just keep trying to be a good neighbor and it will eventually blow over.
I agree with a lot of the posts. If it were me, I would go through my lease with a fine tooth comb. Look for any information regarding dog poo and garbage cans. Then if they (the landlord) call you again about something not in your lease, I would call a lawyer. That has to be some sort of harrassment.
Sorry this is happening! Best of Luck!
P.S. - I would be feeling the same way you are!!! If I am doing that stuff, then fine I will accept the landlord confronting me, but if I'm not I'm going to be p%$#ed!!
You're not annoying anyone or doing anything wrong. You not only have a creepy neighbor but you have a psycho landlord. They both need to get a life and mind their own business. Why would they nit-pick such nice good neighbors? There is something wrong with them. Try not to dwell on this. Don't let them ruin your day.
I know exactly how you are feeling, I am the same way when it comes to situations like yours. I hate knowing that someone acts like I'm lying when I am absolutely telling the truth. It is beyond frustrating. I understand that not everyone will love me, or even like me, but I do not like being called a liar.
Some people just need to be busybodies and tattle on people, even when nothing has been done worth tattling on. They elaborate and tell stories, and unfortunately your landlord must be believing them. All you can do is keep living like you are, continue to respect the property, be nice to the neighbors, and, most importantly, get moving on your search for a new home to settle into. One thought, my husband does this and I always make fun of him for it, but in your case it could help... When you take your dogs outside to do their business, take a plastic grocery bag in your hand, and keep it visible to onlookers at all times so there will be no questioning your intention to pick up after them. As far as the garbage bin thing, whatever. Is there some sort of rule written into your lease requiring you to keep the bin in your garage at all times? A city ordinance? If not, that is ridiculous for them to even care. If you otherwise take good care of the place and pay your rent on time, they have no reason to be upset with you, you've done nothing wrong. Good luck in your search for a new place! Grand Rapids is a nice area, I have a lot of friends out that way :)
Put the glove in an envelope addressed to the wife with the next rent check.hehehe. Say, "oh, I thought you dropped it!"hehehe. Don't let them treat you bad if you are innocent!
Check the lawsi in your state...some states have laws that protect tenants from landlords dropping by unannouced. I know when I rented years ago that our landlord had to give us 24 hrs notice before they could come over.
Now of course she was a family friend and I didn't mind her dropping by cause we never violated our lease agreement. But the guy next door was a total D@$K. (all caps btw)...he tried to say that I "farmed his yard" one night...So she called me asked me if I did it I said "no"...she said ok...so two weeks later he calls and says I did it again...I said..."the car is the driveway come on by and look at my wheels...you'll find no mud on my tires and you can see that I haven't washed the car in weeks"...she did it cause she knew I was telling the truth...she went crazy on the neighbor...
Good luck!
It sounds to me like someone doesn't like you very much. Do you ever talk to any of your neighbors, or do you have an idea of who it could be? Perhaps someone who is friends with your landlord? I'd be pissed in your situation. If it happens again, I'd try to explain to the landlord that you don't know who he/she's talking to, but it's borderline harassment to hover over you like that. As long as you're following through with your end of the lease, there's not a huge problem, just more of a pain in the butt. Maybe it'll blow over after a little bit. Good luck.
It sounds like someone does not like a rental house in the neighborhood.
They are going to complain no matter who lives there.
(And some renters would figure - if they are going to complain no matter what we do - let's REALLY give them something to complain about - as long as they are not breaking any laws).
If the landlord wants the property rented (and bring in income), he's going to have to get real about some of these complaints and learn to ignore them.
Look at your lease carefully - is there any clause about the landlord being able to break the lease over neighbor complaints?
Do you pay your rent on time and take reasonable care of the property?
Good renters are hard to find - if your landlord is going to throw YOU out - he deserves who ever will come after you (I'm betting they won't be nearly as accommodating as you are).
Since you are there for another year, be nice as you can for as long as you can, but keep looking for a new place to live/buy.
I am a landlord. If someone calls and complains, I call the renter right then to let them know. I would listen to neighbors who wanted my property kept up to keep their values up. This is what I would do in your situation. I would phone the landlord and explain that you understand they want their property and relationship with the neighbors maintained.
You are doing everything you can including treating this house better than your own. Tell them you are upset about being phoned on for things you didn't do. Explain the furniture. Then you feel heard and can move on and they know you are seriously doing the right things.
Never saw a lease that said that you must pick up your dog poo right away and that you could never have a trash can out. Tell them to leave you alone. I would NOT be renewing that lease. That would drive me insane!!!!!
Do you share a wall, or yard fence with someone? Are you sure youre not making noise early mornings, or late nights? Are the dogs barking? Do you drive too fast on the street? Do you have parties? Too many cars? Are you maintaining the yard and watering and mowing? Do you smoke and leave windows open so neighbors smell it? Do you come and go early mornings when others are sleeping? Or come home so late at night it bothers them? Do you park where someone else wants to park their car? So much stuff that bugs people and its so minor but it still bugs them and to them its major. Sometimes you just cant please anyone. I wonder if you have the right to know who is complaining? Really, legally do you have that right? Id want to know who it is so you could discuss it and maybe settle the discord. Id ask the landlord to come in and visit, and show how well you take care of the home, and garage and how your dogs are, and prove to them you are not the terrible threat someone is claiming you to be. I wonder too, if its the big ugly problem of different races. Any chance you have a biggot for a nearby neighbor?
At that poin i would delibertly annoy the other people who keep making false accusations anyways.... neon paper on the side of the curtains facing the road, so they can see it but you cant when ur inside... setting off my car alarm randomly all day long... pink flamingos in the front yard... oh man, I would be aweful!!! And for what, have the lanlord take youto court to evict you because "um your honor, they left the trash can outside for 5 hours and on occasion in the neighborhood we have found dog feces.. cant prove it it their dog;s feces, but it must be because the trash can was left out"..... great reasoning!!! i would be sooooo annoyed at the land lord, you have already signed another contract with them so tell her to mind her own business, call before showing up cause otherwise is harassing, and unless the house is on fire or flooding tell her to keep away.. then do not rent from them again! :)
Sounds like it's probably the same neighbor who is LOOKING for something to pick on you about.
We've got neighbors who have taken three neighbors to court because their dogs pooped on their lawn. The reason they could prove it is because they had a video camera in the front window of their house They have also filed police reports against two neighbors because their dogs were barking INSIDE their own houses-- not in the back yard. Unfortunately because of the noise ordinance those neighbors were fined. (We live in single family homes, not duplexes or townhomes that are connected.) They have called the police on neighbors so many times that the police have told them they are not allowed to call unless it's a 911 emergency. (Of course that's just neighborhood gossip so it might not be true, but wouldn't it be wonderful if it was?)
Hang in there and remember that you're just renting and won't be there forever. At least you know that you don't want to live in that neighborhood. As far as your landlords, they should be thankful they've got someone renting their property and get over the little things.
