Tenant sign on door says call the cops

[Dean Klein]

I just bought a duplex 3 weeks ago and have been at the property rehabbing the vacant lower unit. I was outside installing gutter screens and noticed a torn window screen and a slightly open window in the common area. I went up the stairs that my upstairs tenant uses to get to her door because the open window was at the top but not in her apt. I noticed a sign taped to her door that said "If you've made it this far without my permission,  I will call the cops". I need to know my rights to post notices ect, I closed and locked the window and want to make sure I didn't do anything wrong. Her lease clearly states she rents only the space between her apartment walls, not common areas. I am in Wisconsin. I feel like I wasn't in the wrong because I did not go into her apartment, just outside her door.

[Neal Collins]

@Dean Klein @Samantha Klein Welcome to the joys of rental property management. Showing up to do exterior repairs or maintenance, especially for common areas is not going to get you in trouble. You reaching out to your tenant is not harassment either. Additionally there are no grounds for eviction, even if the place is under market rent. If anything you now have a new line item you can add to your future lease that says "Tenant agrees not to post signs on doors or windows".

As I see it you have done what you needed to do which was to open up an avenue for communication and given her instructions on how to pay rent and report issues. What I would honestly do is print off a note that says "I came upstairs to replace the window screen and noticed you had an alarming letter posted about calling the cops. I would very much like to discuss because it is important for us to know if your safety feels threatened. Call me as soon as you get this at (xxx) xxx-xxxx." I would switch that note for the one about the cops.