new manager harassing us

[rony]

What is the name of your state? MI

The new manager at my rental apartment has started getting new rules everyweek. 1st we couldnt take our dog in the court yard. Then she said that people were complaning that my dog takes a pee on their doorsteps (which he does not ), then she said I couldnt take him for a walk along one path beause the dogs living in that aprtment would look at him and start barking and then now I cant take him around the aparments because she claims he poops anywhere !! He does not because I specifically take my dog back in the woods to do his thing before taking him for a walk. Other dogs are allowed whereas my dog is not. And there are many other small things she keeps on doing that are adding up day by day. We lived in this aparment complex for 2 years and never had any problems with our neighbors or the old management. But this new manager is trying to get us out of there. is there anyway to stop all this harasment ??? Please help

 

[FarmerJ]

Are you a month to month renter or do you have a fixed term lease ? If on a fixed term lease does the lease allow for modifications of rules /terms pertaining to pets and uses of common areas or any other so called rules ? Sounds like you should consider just going ahead and looking at first time home buyer progs and plan for buying your own home so when your lease is over with you can never have to deal with property managers again. BTW keep all communication with the property manager in written form sent via certified mail. At this point it sounds like you need to begin to create a paper trail for all matters dealing with this person so in the end if you do end up moving out you have proof of your communications.

 

[rony]

Hi FarmerJ,

I have a fixed lease. It should finish sometime in August. I will go through my lease to see if it does allow for modifications of rules. She has never sent me a letter or anything in writing about these new policies. She usually just comes up to me and tells me I cant do this or that. I am going to ask for all these new rules in writing and I will keep a track of it. I am still a student and cannot afford buying a house for myself so I guess I have to endure such property management people. Thanks for your help !!

 

[FarmerJ]

Just telling you has no standing in any court should this come to that. Oral communications are just about impossible to prove in a court unless all partys agre to what was said. SO your better off getting it in writing , so next time the PM tells you about rules that arent covered in the past my suggestion is to comment some thing like `ohh ill be looking for it in a newsletter or mailings from you` then you will have it in writting other wise at this point all the pm can do is recomend that your lease not be renewed. or really try to push for formal eviction wich means they will have to show a court in writting just how you violated your lease . This might be a good time for you to use the links up top to consult with a real estate atty to make sure about what they can or cannot change as far as lease terms or so called rules. ESPECIALLY if you plan on staying for a while yet.

 

[acmb05]

What is the name of your state? MI

The new manager at my rental apartment has started getting new rules everyweek. 1st we couldnt take our dog in the court yard. Then she said that people were complaning that my dog takes a pee on their doorsteps (which he does not ), then she said I couldnt take him for a walk along one path beause the dogs living in that aprtment would look at him and start barking and then now I cant take him around the aparments because she claims he poops anywhere !! He does not because I specifically take my dog back in the woods to do his thing before taking him for a walk. Other dogs are allowed whereas my dog is not. And there are many other small things she keeps on doing that are adding up day by day. We lived in this aparment complex for 2 years and never had any problems with our neighbors or the old management. But this new manager is trying to get us out of there. is there anyway to stop all this harasment ??? Please help

Any property rule changes MUST affect everyone on the property not just one particular person.

In other words she cannnot tell you that you cannot walk your dog in a certain area without makeing everyone in the complex who owns a dog do the same thing.