Tenant Neighbors from Hell

[Chris McDaniel]

Howdy BP Invstonauts!

I need some suggestions as this is the first time I have been in this situation. A little background, I recently purchased and rehabbed a new rental only later to find out that I have the neighbors from hell. They are tenants and go out of their way to be the worst people on the street. I think they try to intimidate everyone with their loud metal music and aggressive behavior and rebel flags hanging in the windows. I had several perspective tenants see my house and tell me they did not want it because of the people across the street. Tonight, "mom" was wearing a shirt that said F**K YOU, while her tween kids played in the street with Tom Petty playing so loud it nearly rattled my windows. I spoke with other neighbors and they informed me the hellish tenants have been there 6 years and they have tried to speak with the landlord and HOA but no one has been able to do anything and law enforcement has been there countless times. There have been a multitude of tenants move away and even break their leases because of these people.

I’m going to try writing a letter to the landlord, but if anyone has been in the situation before and can offer any advice, I would appreciate it. Thanks!

[Ellie Hanson]

Keep calling the police and making noise and nuisance complaints. Idk about your state but in Oregon the state can eventually foreclose on your house for nuisance violations.

[JD Martin]

Other suggestions:

1. Buy the house.

2. Put up some serious screening - why can you even see this house? 

3. Sue them 

Outside of those things, and filing complaints when they are truly breaking the law (i.e. breaking decibel ordinances), you don't get to pick the neighbors. Did they wait to play metal music and put up the rebel flags until after you bought the place? That's pretty sneaky...unless, of course, since they've been there for 6 years any one of a number of neighbors could have told you about them. 

If it were my house, I'd make them disappear with fencing, planting, or a combination of the two. 

[Marcia Maynard]

I would do more research on the owner of the property and definitely engage them in a conversation about this, landlord to landlord. Invite the landlord over to your place for a different perspective. Worth a try even if it has been attempted before. Document all disturbances and city ordinance violations, past and present. Present this to the HOA, even if they have been contacted before. Talk to your local code enforcement officer and your neighborhood police officer/police precinct for some suggestions from a code enforcement and law enforcement point of view. Talk with your neighborhood association if there is one. What would it take for them to move? Find that out and pursue it. Good luck.

[Kevin Smith]

Rent your house to a police officer at reduce rent, let him handle it.

[Chris McDaniel]

Thanks everyone for their feedback. I leased the property tonight to a nice couple with 3 small children. Now my focus is going to be on the slumlords who own the house next door!