Right to Limit Tenant's Guests?

[noisefrazzle]

What is the name of your state? CT

Hi All:

Three part question. I posted some months ago about the septic problem I've been having with the rental cottage on my property. We are in the process of figuring out why, though we suspect it's because the tenants tax it. The tenants are well aware of this, yet they continue to tax the septic system with guests. They've had 3-4 day guests essentially every weekend since summer kicked in. Right now there are seven people in a one bedroom cottage. So, my questions:

- if the system works fine when there are no guests, but inevitably backs up when they consistently have extra people, what is our responsibility? We've already had the damn thing pumped 4 times.

- do we have the right to say no guests at all until I get this figured out?

- in general and irrespective of septics, would we be within our rights to say that they must limit the number/frequency of guests, since this is an owner occupied property?

None of this is covered in the lease.

Thanks so much!

NF

 

[FarmerJ]

Before the lease renews you need to have your new lease ready and written to allow you to address this better by limiting guest visits. including fees for overnight visits over that limit OR even increasing the rent enough to cover pumping fees. Your free to include limiting guest overnight stays as soon as the old lease is expired. Before the old lease expires or is due for renewal get them to sign new lease wich will take affect at aniv date. If they refuse then send notice out ahead of time telling them they have to move and get the system redone. Have you researched exactly what your county requires for new septic systems so you are more aware of new rules ?

 

[noisefrazzle]

Thanks, FarmerJ I have guest limitation provisions in my other leases, unfortunately I did not write this lease. I won't be renewing with these folks at any rate. Somewhere around March 31 2008 you'll see my husband and me linking arms and high kicking down the street behind their moving fan.

We are actually going to go for a consult with an attorney. I had to have the septic pumped today; my husband mentioned that their three guests might overload the system. What does the guy do? He's added three additional guests. So now there might be 10 people in a one bedroom cottage.

Thanks for the reply, though!

 

[BL]

Check with your local authorities regarding overcrowding safety laws .

If you can actually prove the guest are staying extended overnights , you should speak with the tenants and tell them due to safety regulations , they must ask their guest to sleep elsewhere , other than visiting .

 

[nextwife]

You CERTAINLY can limit VEHICLE storage, I would think. Check with your attorney, but I wonder if you could notify tenant that any vehicles not his that a e there after three am will be towed.

 

[justalayman]

Hopefully you can limit guests. I haven't consulted the Conn laws but some states do not allow you to restrict day guests.

I've got a heck of a novel approach to this thing though.

Fix the septic system.

If you have had it pumped 4 times this year, chances are there is no, or very small, effective leachbed left. It would seem you are simply pumping the tank after it fills up.

Now if they are sleeping at the house, you might look into this section of law:

Sec. 47a-54a. (Formerly Sec. 19-346). Overcrowding in tenement and lodging houses. If a room in a tenement, lodging or boarding house is overcrowded, the board of health or other enforcing agency may order the number of persons sleeping or living in such room to be so reduced that there shall not be less than five hundred cubic feet of air to each person over twelve years of age who occupies such room, and three hundred cubic feet of air to each child under twelve years of age who occupies such room.

Not sure if it could be applied to guests but I don;t see where it can;t be.

 

[noisefrazzle]

JALM, you make me smile! We are getting the septic fixed but need to know what's wrong, first, and are in the process of doing that. I see big dollars going out the door...

Thank you everyone, for the answers and suggestions. I hope everyone is having a good weekend

 

[justalayman]

JALM, you make me smile! We are getting the septic fixed but need to know what's wrong, first, and are in the process of doing that. I see big dollars going out the door...

Thank you everyone, for the answers and suggestions. I hope everyone is having a good weekend

good to hear.

(btw: the leachfield is saturated) and yes, big dollars pretty much sums up the cost of repair.

 

[noisefrazzle]

Hello again everyone, two more quick questions and then I will leave you all alone, I promise I've been reading through the Connecticut LL/T law for two days and am now more confused than ever about certain things. (What is it about the CT law? I've never had trouble understanding Rhode Island LL/T law, where my other rentals are!)

When the time comes to let the tenants know that I won't be renewing their lease, do I use a "notice to quit" or is that only if they become holdovers? Also, I planned to give them 60 days notice of non-renewal but on one website I read that in CT, if the lease term ending is one year plus, then 90 days notice is required for non-renewal. However I've not been able to confirm this on other LL/T websites.

Any insight appreciated. Thanks! NF