thesupertenant
Junior Member
I am a tenant in Florida in a small apartment community. When my girlfriend and I moved into this community we were warned by friends and neighbors, even our landlord, about the property manager who was a bit over the top and vindictive.
We took it to heart and tried to develop a decent bond with the manager, simply just to stay off the radar, and live normally.
We purchased a dog, about midway through the lease. The dog was approved by our landlord, and breed fit all requirements of the association, the dog has never been an issue with noise, and we clean up after it regularly.
Over the next few months our relationship with the manager was quite normal. We even had a roommate move in to the empty bedroom, and once again, went through everything necessary to keep the situation normal. A $100 background check, $50 for access to the gate (a remote and page number).
Through the most of the lease, everything was phenomenal.
A friend of ours who lives in the community invited us to a party at the pool area and cabana one day, and this is where the nightmare began. The party was a group of about 20-25 adults, maximum. There was alcohol provided by our friend, and they kept good track of respecting the policy of no alcohol in the pool area, and simply limiting drinking to inside the cabana. Other residents seemed not to be poorly affected as many talked with some of the guests, as well as myself, and were having a good time.
The property manager showed up, and in a rage ordered everyone out of the area, citing that we were trashing the area and that everyone was excessively intoxicated. The property manager called the police, who arrived and calmly asked us to just comply with the managers wishes. Everyone did as requested as our friends were arguing with the manager, I informed one of the officers that i lived in the community, and if there is anything I could do to assist them or my friends, I would.
The officers asked me to just remove some trash and a keg, and bring it to the dumpster and apartment. As I did this the property manager verbally attacked me, calling me names and telling me I was responsible for the party and too drunk to drive. I apologized for any misunderstanding and tried explaining what the officers had told me to do, but was met with more screaming when the police asked her to step away and let them take care of things.
In the following week, i received a notice from the manager, saying I would be fined for "supplying alcohol in excess to the party" and also "not cleaning up and leashing their dog".
This hit us as well as our landlord as a bombshell, as he knows we strived to do everything in our power to maintain a professional and freindly relationship with the property manager. Our landlord attempted taking the matter up with the manager, to which he didnt receive any reply. Finally, after attempting to patch things up ourselves and explain the situation we were informed that the manager would not let us renew our lease, and we must be off the premises by the day our lease expires.
My questions are as follows:
Is there any way to appeal this, without taking it up with the property manager, who refuses to handle this in a civil manner?
Is it possible to renew our lease with the landlord, who is for us staying, and not have to answer to the property manager?
My family has seen the letter and thinks that the manager stating that I was intoxicated, supplying the party with alcohol and not picking up after my dog could be taken as slander, as none of which are true. Could it?
Any general advice would be greatly appreciated, as we love where we live, our neighbors and location, just need some help with the management. The crazy part is, MANY other residents of our community have had issues with the property manager, from things like pet issues, feeding the fish in our lake, grilling their dinners on the public charcoal grills (which have now been removed for no reason), as well as a parking policy that will only permit one spot per apartment, regardless of how many drivers there are.
So I guess my final question is, what measures can I take to formally complain against the property manager, and possibly have them replaced?
Thanks very much please contact me if you need clarification of any of the above matters.
We took it to heart and tried to develop a decent bond with the manager, simply just to stay off the radar, and live normally.
We purchased a dog, about midway through the lease. The dog was approved by our landlord, and breed fit all requirements of the association, the dog has never been an issue with noise, and we clean up after it regularly.
Over the next few months our relationship with the manager was quite normal. We even had a roommate move in to the empty bedroom, and once again, went through everything necessary to keep the situation normal. A $100 background check, $50 for access to the gate (a remote and page number).
Through the most of the lease, everything was phenomenal.
A friend of ours who lives in the community invited us to a party at the pool area and cabana one day, and this is where the nightmare began. The party was a group of about 20-25 adults, maximum. There was alcohol provided by our friend, and they kept good track of respecting the policy of no alcohol in the pool area, and simply limiting drinking to inside the cabana. Other residents seemed not to be poorly affected as many talked with some of the guests, as well as myself, and were having a good time.
The property manager showed up, and in a rage ordered everyone out of the area, citing that we were trashing the area and that everyone was excessively intoxicated. The property manager called the police, who arrived and calmly asked us to just comply with the managers wishes. Everyone did as requested as our friends were arguing with the manager, I informed one of the officers that i lived in the community, and if there is anything I could do to assist them or my friends, I would.
The officers asked me to just remove some trash and a keg, and bring it to the dumpster and apartment. As I did this the property manager verbally attacked me, calling me names and telling me I was responsible for the party and too drunk to drive. I apologized for any misunderstanding and tried explaining what the officers had told me to do, but was met with more screaming when the police asked her to step away and let them take care of things.
In the following week, i received a notice from the manager, saying I would be fined for "supplying alcohol in excess to the party" and also "not cleaning up and leashing their dog".
This hit us as well as our landlord as a bombshell, as he knows we strived to do everything in our power to maintain a professional and freindly relationship with the property manager. Our landlord attempted taking the matter up with the manager, to which he didnt receive any reply. Finally, after attempting to patch things up ourselves and explain the situation we were informed that the manager would not let us renew our lease, and we must be off the premises by the day our lease expires.
My questions are as follows:
Is there any way to appeal this, without taking it up with the property manager, who refuses to handle this in a civil manner?
Is it possible to renew our lease with the landlord, who is for us staying, and not have to answer to the property manager?
My family has seen the letter and thinks that the manager stating that I was intoxicated, supplying the party with alcohol and not picking up after my dog could be taken as slander, as none of which are true. Could it?
Any general advice would be greatly appreciated, as we love where we live, our neighbors and location, just need some help with the management. The crazy part is, MANY other residents of our community have had issues with the property manager, from things like pet issues, feeding the fish in our lake, grilling their dinners on the public charcoal grills (which have now been removed for no reason), as well as a parking policy that will only permit one spot per apartment, regardless of how many drivers there are.
So I guess my final question is, what measures can I take to formally complain against the property manager, and possibly have them replaced?
Thanks very much please contact me if you need clarification of any of the above matters.