Neighbor Harassing My Tenant

[lipepe]

What is the name of your state (only U.S. law)? Maryland

My tenant with two children (grade and middle schoolers) have been leasing my townhouse for the past four years. They seem to be a responsible family and the children basically courteous. Just now she indicates to me she would like to move because her neighbors on both sides have been harassing her family ever since she moved in. This included her children and guests who come to visit her. This was the first time she told me about this problem.

The neighbors to her right would forbid her children from playing on the front lawn and rebuked them when they played in the snow. However, recently their harassment seemed to have lessened.

The neighbors on her left frequently knocked on her door to tell them to stop making so much noise, turn down the TV or radio, even during daytime, or during cookouts in her backyard. When her guests leave, they would come out and walk behind them to tell them not to talk. Their constant belligerency causes her to fear for the safety of her and her children.

She is black from Nigeria and neighbors on both sides are Caucasian.

Since she is a good tenant, I do not want to lose her tenancy. Is there anything I can do, as the landlord and owner, to stop the harassments?

Any advice would be appreciated.

Pepe

 

[Zigner]

When your tenant actually is harassed, tell her to call the police. I don't see anything that rises to the level of harassment from your post.

 

[LdiJ]

When your tenant actually is harassed, tell her to call the police. I don't see anything that rises to the level of harassment from your post.

You don't? I see some elements there. Particularly the walking behind her guests and telling them not to talk bit...that is creepy.

 

[Zigner]

You don't? I see some elements there. Particularly the walking behind her guests and telling them not to talk bit...that is creepy.

It also sounds a bit far-fetched...like something got lost in "translation". Again, based on this second-hand account, I doubt that there is anything that rises to an actionable (for harassment) level.

 

[LdiJ]

It also sounds a bit far-fetched...like something got lost in "translation". Again, based on this second-hand account, I doubt that there is anything that rises to an actionable (for harassment) level.

Have you ever had difficult neighbors? That doesn't sound far fetched at all. I used to have a neighbor that absolutely could not stand to hear a dog bark. He was so anal about it that I could only let my dogs outside unsupervised while he was at work. One night he called me at 2AM screaming and yelling that my dogs were barking outside his bedroom window and my dogs were in the house, on my bed, SLEEPING.

After that one he was embarrassed enough that he let up for quite a while afterwards...and eventually sold his house and moved. Every house around him on our street had dogs.

 

[OHRoadwarrior]

I think the tenant needs to deal with this as any citizen would by utilizing the freedoms to enjoy and laws to restrain the activities she, her children and her guests engage in. If she does not understand these laws, perhaps she should move or you should teach her.

 

[lipepe]

I think the tenant needs to deal with this as any citizen would by utilizing the freedoms to enjoy and laws to restrain the activities she, her children and her guests engage in. If she does not understand these laws, perhaps she should move or you should teach her.

Thanks for those who contributed on both sides of the issue. LdiJ's description of his neighbor in his second posting seems very similar to my tenant's ordeal, according to her account.

As a matter of fact, my tenant did call the police at first and they refused to do anything. Then later she did take the neighbors on the left to court but the judge threw it out.

Moving for her is not the best solution from both her and my positions. She likes where she is, the school her youngest child attends is adjacent to her home and the middle school her older child is attending is within a mile. She really does not want to move and I don't want to lose a good tenant. But their lives are being made miserable by these neighbors.

I have asked my tenant to write down future incidents such as date, time, and circumstances. If the incidents approach anything like public disturbance, threats, bodily harm, etc., a legal case of harassment might be built. But first, I am wondering if a letter from an attorney might do some good.

Any opinions?

Pepe

 

[justalayman]

A scare letter might be worthwhile. You know the people better than anybody here does.