Property Manager Will not do anything about a tenant

Property Manager Will not do anything about a tenant

Real Estate Investor · Victorville, CA · Member since 2016 · 35 posts · 7 votes

My mother lives in an small apartment complex (14 unit) where it is managed by a property management company. Numerous people have filed numerous compliments about the tenants in one of the units to property management. They are loud and always fighting late at night, always banging on the walls, playing music and video games so loud that it vibrates the walls. The tenants took over the front yard with their dog, bunnies, and kid toys, as well as have blocked the front yard gate with boulders. They have even damaged other people vehicles getting there vehicle out of the parking area.

It probably does not help that they have a family living in the unit directly behind them and they go out every morning at 3am-4am and throw a soccer ball at the each others windows.

Is there anything else my mother and these other tenants can do?

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Member since 2016 · 13k+ posts · 12k+ votes
9y

"Now a days, managers are afraid of getting fair housing violations"

This is only one of the many reasons we are seeing a steep rise in the number of bad tenants.

Government priority in protecting tenants to insure evicted tenants do not fall on the shoulders of government. Government is forcing private landlords to provide affordable housing since the vast majority of bad tenants are in the low income/no income category.

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  • Specialist · CHICAGO · Member since 2015 · 680 posts · 650 votes
    9y

    The city will have nuisance requirements, often times dictating the number of decibels that can be heard from a unit, or noise they are making outdoors. Call the police. Make complaints. Eventually the police will start putting pressure on the management company. You could also try and find out who owns the building (county tax records) and reach out to them. Who knows, it could be a fellow BP'er you'd be helping out...rather than losing all their good tenants. 

    Perhaps, if you ask to speak to the owner as an investor interested in buying the property you will get a chance to explain the problems.

    Good luck

  • Real Estate Investor · Victorville, CA · Member since 2016 · 35 posts · 7 votes
    9y

    My mother has called the police, they did nothing. Just caused them to increase the noise.

    Also, someone stole all four wheels from my mothers car. We reported that and it took the police 6 hours to show up.

  • Investor · Lebanon, OH · Member since 2016 · 144 posts · 87 votes
    9y
    Outside of continuing to complain to the management company and calling the police (when it truly violates the local law), there isn't much more to do. If it has became that unpleasant of a place to live, she might consider asking to be released from her lease and find somewhere that better meets her needs. Good luck! Michelle
  • Rental Property Investor · Jacksonville, Florida Area · Member since 2016 · 106 posts · 48 votes
    9y

    Make a list of the problems. Call the Code Enforcement for your City or county to see if anything they are doing is a code violation. If not, start looking for another place to live. Also try to negotiate with the PM to get out of the lease early. 

  • Property Manager · Cumming, GA · Member since 2015 · 261 posts · 199 votes
    9y

    I would assume your lease is the same as the neighbors.   Take a look at what violations are being committed and how the lease reads for corrective action.   Reiterate those to the management company.   You'd be surprised how some people including landlords don't know what their lease says.

    Take pictures of violations, continue to get police reports, and continue to notify the management company.  It could take some time to remove the tenants per your state laws but having a file papered correctly as opposed to neighborhood gossip will help.  The management company wants uneventful tenants also so team up, don't add to the issues.  Depending on the owner, the call may add fuel to the fire so start with lease and go from there.  

  • Peter MckernanBusiness Member
    Residential Real Estate Agent · Irvine, CA · Member since 2013 · 2k+ posts · 1k+ votes
    9y

    @Ashley Cast

    You can get the SB County Sheriff involved if it is in Victorville, or another law enforcement agency involved with the property is located. Once they get involved they can start paperwork (citing the person/people) going that route will give you some backing to evict the people if that lease you have signed with them is standard? There should be a clause in the lease letting the tenant know that if they are harassing, or bugging the neighbors then they will be in breach of contract and they could be evicted. 

    If that clause is not in the contract and you have a month to month lease, you can give them a termination of lease notice that is a 30-60 day notice. 

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  • Real Estate Investor · Victorville, CA · Member since 2016 · 35 posts · 7 votes
    9y

    Thank you all for responding.

    @Michelle B.

    It is SB County Sheriff and Hesperia City Police the place is located on the border of Victorville and Hesperia.

    We have called the police before when they were outside screaming and yelling at each other at midnight. The dispatch lady said "We are close you will have to wait until we are open for any none emergency problem".

    So from what I just gathered from the lease is that:

    The loudness, from playing their video games that shakes the walls to them playing drums at night to their kids and dogs toys being in a common area (front yard and parking area) as well as the dog poop not being cleaned up, the dog never being on a leash, and them blocking the front yard gate with a blouder is a violation of the lease. Correct?

  • Member since 2016 · 13k+ posts · 12k+ votes
    9y

    What I suggest is she request to be released from her lease and if they refuse tell them she is prepared to organise the tenants to take the landlord to court.

    She can not use excuses of not being able to find another place to move to. Either she lives with the situation or moves it's her choice if she is not prepared to take more serious action. Calling the police once is useless, calling them 50 times gets results.

    Moving should be her first option and is her best option, no excuses.

  • Realtor · Sequim WA & Port Angeles, WA · Member since 2016 · 164 posts · 78 votes
    9y

    the manager can give the tenants a lease violation notice but the courts in CA don't like to evict for anything other than non payment of rent so the manager may actually be afraid to act on this or doesn't want to get involved. keep calling the police, and filing reports and submit those to the manager so that she or he has the documentation needed if they do decide to evict them. They can just do a non renewal of lease at the expiration of their lease if they don't want to evict for lease violation notices. It's probable that the tenants pay their rent on time. Now a days, managers are afraid of getting fair housing violations and attorneys will tell you that you have to have a lot of documentation in the file if you are evicting for any reason other than non payment of rent.

  • Member since 2016 · 13k+ posts · 12k+ votes
    9y

    "Now a days, managers are afraid of getting fair housing violations"

    This is only one of the many reasons we are seeing a steep rise in the number of bad tenants.

    Government priority in protecting tenants to insure evicted tenants do not fall on the shoulders of government. Government is forcing private landlords to provide affordable housing since the vast majority of bad tenants are in the low income/no income category.

  • Investor · Victorville, CA · Member since 2015 · 17 posts · 3 votes
    9y

    Contacting law enforcement is your best route... E mail the manager a list of violations of the lease. Try to provide evidence. (Recording, video...) Are there other tenants that feel the same way? Be sure they call and keep a log. The Sheriff Department does not close at night. They will respond. Report only factual concerns. Also contact code enforcement... I understand what it's like managing properties in the High Desert. We need proof that a violation is actually happening to attempt an eviction. Also, are they paying rent on time every month? The PM may have a hard time getting the owner to spend 900.00 on an eviction that they may not win and more than likely will stop receiving rent until court date... I've seen it all.  Keep reporting and keep a log. 

  • Residential Real Estate Broker · Chicago Suburbs, IL · Member since 2013 · 1k+ posts · 594 votes
    9y

    She and everyone else who lives there need to keep calling filing police reports and contacting management. At some point management *should* figure out they are losing good tenants because of the one bad one. But she should also plan to move out when her lease is up since management may not ever do anything.

  • Portland, ME · Member since 2012 · 616 posts · 550 votes
    9y

    A report made by tenants to police is not acceptable evidence in eviction court.  This is because a report can not be cross examined.  They have a right to face their accuser.  The management company probably wants to evict these people rather than lose all the other tenants, but it's difficult.  If your mother and the other neighbors are serious about getting these tenants evicted, they must be willing to show up in court as witnesses under oath.  Are they willing to take time off work to do this?  Are they willing to face possible retribution?  The bad tenants know where they live and you can be sure that more than soccer balls will be kicked at their windows!  This is why many landlords do month to month leases. 

  • Investor · Orange County, CA · Member since 2015 · 2k+ posts · 3k+ votes
    9y

    Here's an out of the box long shot ... what is the address? Sounds like a good lead on a poorly managed 14 unit apartment complex. Helps you out too, because if an investor on this site buys it, they'll likely run it better ... and if they don't then they'll have the owners contact info for you :) Maybe Alfred Logan would be interested?

  • Real Estate Investor · Sacramento, CA · Member since 2010 · 292 posts · 103 votes
    9y

    The management company is being derelict in their duty to properly manage all tenants and  to get rid of nuisances. I would simply sue the noisy tenants AND the management company. They may retaliate by trying to evict your mother, but she can defend that easily since it's easy to prove it's retalation. I hate to sue, but sometimes it's the best way to let others know you mean business.

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