Landlord Troubles

[Eli]

We moved into a new place in February to support the business growth - has a nice attached shop. We signed a year lease.

The first issue is that we live next door to the landlords' organizations' clubhouse. They host gatherings every Saturday night, complete with loud music and screaming, unattended children - often until after midnight. We can hear this inside our house with the doors and windows closed, never mind having a nice peaceful BBQ on the back patio. This was verbally acknowledged when we moved in, but misrepresented - "every few weeks", not every single weekend.

We have yet to complain about this issue because - well, quite frankly, it's a no-win situation. Making enemies with your landlord is like making enemies with your mailman - it just won't end well for you.

However, now they want to modify our yard. The house sits on a half acre parcel. They fenced off about 1/2 of the yard - the part without trees - to facilitate having a picnic etc area for their clubhouse. This was agreed upon when we moved in and is fine - the trees provide a nice privacy barrier, and it is less for us to mow and care for.

But they now want to move the fence towards our house by about another 25' - bringing it to the house side of the trees. Worse, they want to cut the trees back to above fence height, opening up the whole south side of the house and patio to viewing by all.

Our "Yard Care Addendum" clearly states in writing that the fence will be installed behind the trees.

Is there any precedence for our lease being broken here? Can a landlord just do whatever they want to your yard - are we just renting the building? Seems a little sketchy. It's not like this is a yard improvement - quite the opposite, they are taking yard away from us and de-beautifying it by removing the landscaped vegetation.

We're going to ask them to both put up a wood privacy fence, rather than chain link, and reduce our rent as compensation for the noise and lost yard.

But I suppose we should just mentally prepare to move if we actually go forward with this. And we were looking forward to staying here for another year if it continued working out as well for the business as it has. Sigh.

WWATOTD?

 

[Vic Vega]

Move on. It's his yard and he's going to do what he wants. You can make enemies by challenging him but this is pointless.

If you want to "feel him out" you can suggest he waits until spring when you are planning to move - if he actually wants to keep you his reaction to this statement will show it.

 

[highland145]

Tell him to pound sand on the fence.
Prepare to move.
Call the police every 5 min after 9:00.
Your landlord is your enemy, like it or not. Inconsiderate bastard.

 

[Eli]

Move on. It's his yard and he's going to do what he wants. You can make enemies by challenging him but this is pointless.

If you want to "feel him out" you can suggest he waits until spring when you are planning to move - if he actually wants to keep you his reaction to this statement will show it.

Right, I know. But remember, we still have 6mo left in our lease. So either we fight this and plan on moving in 6mo(or less), or we say nothing, are miserable and want to move in 6mo or less.

I guess there's no way around it, time to move on like you said. Bleh, I hate moving.

 

[SlickSnake]

You need to look into zoning issues. It's possible he's doing all this late night partying (because that's what it is) without the proper city permits, or he is violating his proper use permits as it is.

And just because he owns the property does not mean he can do anything he wants to with it, including changing a preexisting fence line due to zoning setback restrictions, ect., especially if it's in a city with strict city zoning rules. Now, if your living in a county area, you may be screwed by these zoning issues completely, but even a county usually has special use permits of some sort that are required for an organizations clubhouse activities to ensure they are up to codes.

 

[lxskllr]

It's 6 months, that's nothing. Regardless of what your legal options are, I agree it's bad mojo to make enemies with the landlord. Just deal with it, and use the time to find a new place.

 

[highland145]

It's 6 months, that's nothing. Regardless of what your legal options are, I agree it's bad mojo to make enemies with the landlord. Just deal with it, and use the time to find a new place.

Account has been hijacked.

 

[lxskllr]

Account has been hijacked.

:^D

I'm mellowed out after getting pissed at my lawnmower with a broken belt. My yard's half mowed, and I let it get a bit too long, so the reel mower will be too much of a workout. Check the price of belts lately? I could get a cheap tablet for the cost of a circle of rubber and fabric :^S

 

[highland145]

:^D

I'm mellowed out after getting pissed at my lawnmower with a broken belt. My yard's half mowed, and I let it get a bit too long, so the reel mower will be too much of a workout. Check the price of belts lately? I could get a cheap tablet for the cost of a circle of rubber and fabric :^S

Chidrens, get mo chidrens. Your wife will understand.

:biggrin:

 

[IronWing]

Tell him to pound sand on the fence.
Prepare to move.
Call the police every 5 min after 9:00.
Your landlord is your enemy, like it or not. Inconsiderate bastard.

Never forget this.

"C"-"I"-"L"-"L" my landlord. - Tyrone Green

 

[SlickSnake]

:^D

I'm mellowed out after getting pissed at my lawnmower with a broken belt. My yard's half mowed, and I let it get a bit too long, so the reel mower will be too much of a workout. Check the price of belts lately? I could get a cheap tablet for the cost of a circle of rubber and fabric :^S

Real Vikings make their own belts out of tanned bear hides and use their goat herds to trim the grass .

 

[lxskllr]

Real Vikings make their own belts out of tanned bear hides and use their goat herds to trim the grass .

I wish I had goats. It would make my yard life much easier. The gears were already turning on making my own belt. I wouldn't want to waste my good leather, but I was contemplating making one from nylon. It would probably just break, but I might give it a shot just to see if it works. I still have to dig through the basement. There may be something interesting down there. I know I have a brand new VW belt somewhere, but I think it's too small.

 

[highland145]

Never forget this.

"C"-"I"-"L"-"L" my landlord. - Tyrone Green

QFT lol

 

[twinrider1]

First, I need to know more about this organization.

 

[Eli]

First, I need to know more about this organization.

Well, I didn't mention this specifically because, if I did, it would have been perceived as racist. It really has nothing to do with the issue at hand.

But since you asked, it is the Syrian-Lebanese American Club. Which I have no problem with... nice people overall. They're just.. loud.

 

[lxskllr]

What kind of music do they play?

 

[Eli]

What kind of music do they play?

I don't really know. Not to throw fuel on the racial tension already building in this thread, but quite frankly.. it sounds like Mexican music. Two note bass lines and horns.

It's certainly not stereotypical Arabian music, I would probably actually enjoy that.

 

[BoomerD]

I don't know where you live, but cities and counties USUALLY have noise ordinances...in MOST situations, loud noise after 10 PM will earn them a warning...then a ticket for disturbing the peace.

Sounds like it's time to piss off the landlord...

 

[lxskllr]

I don't really know. Not to throw fuel on the racial tension already building in this thread, but quite frankly.. it sounds like Mexican music. Two note bass lines and horns.

It's certainly not stereotypical Arabian music, I would probably actually enjoy that.

That's what I was wondering. I could dig some Arabic music myself. Sounds of Morocco(dunno if that's anything like Syrian) would sound good with the crappy summer heat.

 

[Colt45]

I'd definitely want reduced rent if they take your yard away.

syrian, lebanese isnt a race

 

[Eli]

I don't know where you live, but cities and counties USUALLY have noise ordinances...in MOST situations, loud noise after 10 PM will earn them a warning...then a ticket for disturbing the peace.

Sounds like it's time to piss off the landlord...

We're in the middle of Portland, and 10PM is indeed the cutoff. I suppose we could make anonymous complaints. That might stop the noise at least..

We'd probably live with the noise, just to keep peace. But they want to destroy/reduce our back yard. It most certainly would have influenced our decision to live here. I value trees and privacy, especially living in the middle of the city where that is hard to come by.

 

[edro]

You gotta live with it...
Move out at the end of the lease.

OTOH, I am sure he would love to keep you for multiple years if possible.
I know I would make all kinds of changes in an attempt to keep my tenants; they are great.

 

[W.C. Nimoy]

This is a can't beat'em/join'em situation.

You're clearly going to have to become a member of that organization, and just get drunk & play ping pong right in there with them.

 

[waggy]

1st thing to do is talk to the landlord and send your grievance in writing.

IF he does not agree move in 6 months at the end of lease. Call PD every time they have a loud party in the mean time.

nothing else you can do.

 

[olds]

This is what I would do.
Tell him that things are not what I thought they would be. I didn't realize it would be so noisy and that I thought I'd have more yard.
I'd tell him it's his place and he can do as he wishes but I'd ask him to hold off till I moved out at the end of the lease. If he insisted on doing it during the lease I'd ask for a rent reduction because of the noise and loss of yard.
You could probably hold him off till the lease is up by calling the cops on the noise and enforcing the yard size as listed in the lease. But it likely wouldn't be worth it. Especially if your next landlord calls him for a reference.

Anything else you need help with?