Harrassment from Tenant's neighbor regarding Tenant's behavior

[nicklandlord]

What is the name of your state? New Jersey.
Hello,
I have tenants living in a property with dog. Due to the job timings and restriction, tenant has to leave the dog home. Everyday tenant's friend leashes the log outside for few hours. During the outside time, dog feces left behind until tenant comes from work. After coming from work, tenant picks up the feces. Now tenant's neighbor has complained to the township and township has sent me notice asking for remediation otherwise there will be court action due to health issues. I warned the tenant to comply with this and make sure to pick up dog feces daily. So tenant agreed to that warning and it's been followed since then. Recently I went to rental property to fix some issues. Tenant's neighbor directly approached me regarding this dog feces issues so I politely told that I will re-warn tenant and if he has other issue then he can call me and I exchanged phone number. After that incident, next weekend that neighbor started calling me and threatening me that I remove the tenant from the property otherwise he will take me to the court on this health issue. He knows someone from political party and he will take his help to take me to court. Can you please help me what is my fault here and what are my options on this threat from tenant's neighbor? I will really appreciate your advice on this.
Thank you.

 

[Gail in Georgia]

Your options are to see that your tenant continues to follow through with the daily picking up of his/her dogs droppings and to ignore the neighbors threats until and if you receive any notice from the court regarding a hearing.

Gail

 

[FarmerJ]

I agree with Gail , just continue to monitor the yard and that may include taking pictures of the yards condition each visit , WHY because Id lay odds that the neighbor is going to keep making a stink and If you hear from the neighbor again I suggest you send a written on real paper letter , make a copy and staple your postal receipt to your copy and send it via confirmed mail delivery and tell the neighbor you are monitoring the problem and they are to cease contacting you. ( be prepared to change your phone number OR perhaps move it to say a cheap cell phone where that 19.95 phone card can last 90 days and just check its caller ID daily, ( I get it that you wanted to try to be reasonable with that one neighbor but I suspect that the neighbor may be one of those entitled acting people who will not stop what ever they are doing no matter what and you will never have any peace from that neighbor again) LAST find out from your city if they have defined the number of poop piles they must see before they write tickets so you know what the threshold is that triggers a ticket.

 

[adjusterjack]

People who own their homes absolute HATE having renters next door. If the homes are that close together that dog feces are an issue with the neighbor I can't say as I blame him for "harassing" the landlord.

 

[Zigner]

I'm trying to figure out what harassment occurred. I don't see any in the OP.

 

[Shadowbunny]

What is the name of your state? New Jersey.
Hello,
I have tenants living in a property with dog. Due to the job timings and restriction, tenant has to leave the dog home. Everyday tenant's friend leashes the log outside for few hours. During the outside time, dog feces left behind until tenant comes from work. .....

I have a bigger problem that he's tying up the dog outside. That is NOT fair to the dog. If it's "just for a few hours" the dog should be able to be in a crate inside which would take care of the problem. But I have a feeling it's more than just a few hours.

 

[FarmerJ]

AS long as the tenant is following a city ordinance about picking up dog poops it doesn't matter if the tenant arranges for another person to come over and connect the dog to a cable and leave the dog out and let its owner pick up the poops then it is what it is. ( in my county a dog at large ticket is 350.00 the second time rover goes onto a neighbors property , rover doesn't even have to pee or poop at the neighbors , if they call the sheriffs dept and report it and a deputy comes out too bad for rovers owner. SO most people I know even here in this rural area tie rover to a cable, cable with a pulley if they don't have a fenced in area.