Help with landlord and tenants issues.

[dupree812]

What is the name of your state? Ohio

Hello everyone, thanks for reading my post. I need some super advice on what do about a situation that has been going on for about two months now. I have lived in an apartment complex for 7 months now. My partner and I recently had a couple new tenants move in. They keep complaining about us having a lot of noise coming from apartment and it is just not true and we know. One of the new tenants asked my partner and I not to show any affection for each other while in the hallways because she didn't want her son to get the wrong idea, whatever that means. But since they have moved in, our landlord keeps putting letters on our door saying that tenants are complaining of noise, we don't make any noise because we both work 1st jobs. This is something that is just not true. We have had the police called on us twice and we got the same policeman twice. He said he didn't hear anything either times. What do I do to stop these false claims. This is becoming a harassing thing, and we can't take it anymore. It someone files a complaint on you with the police, shouldn't the police keep a log or what they found when they came to the seen of the crime? Thanks everyone for your help!!!

 

[BL]

What is the name of your state? Ohio

Hello everyone, thanks for reading my post. I need some super advice on what do about a situation that has been going on for about two months now. I have lived in an apartment complex for 7 months now. My partner and I recently had a couple new tenants move in. They keep complaining about us having a lot of noise coming from apartment and it is just not true and we know. One of the new tenants asked my partner and I not to show any affection for each other while in the hallways because she didn't want her son to get the wrong idea, whatever that means. But since they have moved in, our landlord keeps putting letters on our door saying that tenants are complaining of noise, we don't make any noise because we both work 1st jobs. This is something that is just not true. We have had the police called on us twice and we got the same policeman twice. He said he didn't hear anything either times. What do I do to stop these false claims. This is becoming a harassing thing, and we can't take it anymore. It someone files a complaint on you with the police, shouldn't the police keep a log or what they found when they came to the seen of the crime? Thanks everyone for your help!!!

My partner and I recently had a couple new tenants move in.

You had them move in , and they complain about noise ?
Are you tenants or landlords ?

 

[dupree812]

I am the tenant

Thanx for the reply. I am the tenant who is getting false complaints, they are trying to get me and my partner evictied because we are gay. They keep calling the police and making false reports. I don't know what to do.

 

[FarmerJ]

Du think about telling this other tenant you expect her to notify the other tenants she doesnt want her child to be exposed to any kind of public displays of affection from them too OR to mind her own business, her kid is gonna see it on tv any way or any number of other places. About the noise complaints, Ignore your LL if you have to make him take you to court claiming your breaching the lease due to noise, BRING with you copys of your police depts report records pertaining to the unit. If the LL cannot offer to the court enough proof that you have breached the lease then ask the court to deny the LL eviction claim. IF you feel you should then by all means see a attorney, If you have to use your local gay community paper to find a Atty. NOW from this point on keep all communications with your LL in writting sent via certified mail and keep a copy of the letters with your reciepts. take a note book and create a log book with dates of all so called incidents. BTW dont expect your LL to renew your lease or the leases of the persons complaining too much. You have 5 months to go, so you should treat the whole thing as if your going to end up in court by having paper trails.

 

[dupree812]

Thanx for the reply

Farmerj- thanx for the speedy reply!!! So is it my responsibily to inform the LL that these are false complaints or should they investigate before sending out letters to me? I don't want to evicted or really I don't feel I should even be threaten with eviction. This is something that is totally not happening. It is getting to the point were it is starting to become harassment. So what should be the steps I should take to protect my partner and I? Thanks for all your help

 

[FarmerJ]

Its up to your LL to do a better job gathering proofs , many LL do just issue notices regarding noise or other complaints BUT when the LL relys on 3rd party complaints with nothing to back it up then complaints are hard to prove. Tenant actions that result in police calls that show legitimate complaints give LLs records that back them up. Example , Tenant a claims other tenant b is turning tricks in apt. Police bust B at home for prostitution. NOW the LL has solid proof that the tenant used the apt in a manner against a law and has proof to begin to evict with. . Next time you get a notice , check with your local Pd to learn if there were any noise complaints listing your units full addy at the time the LL claims it happend then consider writting the LL a certified letter Tell the LL complaint is not true , asking them for a copy of the police report. My guess is that if your state / city /county has no law baring sexual orientation discrimination in housing that this MIGHT be a thinly disguised attempt to get you to want to move out before the lease is up. Either wich way I would plan on them not renewing your lease. BUT do treat the whole thing as if you need to create paper trails proving every thing, this might include sending your rent via confirmed mail delivery for the remainder of your lease. Make sure when you do move that you take pics to prove the final condition of the unit inc the insides of closets, drawers, cabs, fridge, floors, walls, counters, etc.

 

[Hot Topic]

See what help you can get from Fair Housing in your area. It's against Federal law to discriminate against people due to their sexual orientation.

I agree that you need to get in touch with gay rights organizations. They're VERY familiar with the kind of situation you're in and won't hesitate to take your landlord on.

It's possible that the individual may claim she never asked you to avoid displays of affection, but I don't think so.

Many, if not most, landlords won't evict based on the complaints of the occupant(s) of a single apartment.

You do need to write the landlord a letter and send it certified mail, return receipt requested. Address the claims of specific noise that have been made, e.g., your television's on too loud, you run your vacuum cleaner late at night, etc. You do create sounds of some kind because it's not possible for two people never to be heard doing something. You just want to show that it's nothing that would disturb another tenant on a regular basis. If you mention the comment the tenant made to you, do it in a matter-of-fact way, but indicate that you found it disturbing for her to be that personal.

Good luck to you.