Tenants not using individual garbage

[Michael Gabin]

Hi all,

Looking for some input on an issue I am having. I currently own a 4-unit in Otisville NY. I am house-hacking, but my other 3 tenants came with the property. On the side of the property there are 4 garbage cans, one for each unit. Before I bought this property, it seems as if there was no designated garbage can per unit and the tenants could throw out the garbage in whichever can they wanted. The "PM" would then take the garbage out on Monday night to be collected Tuesday morning. 

Since I have acquired the property, I am changing this rule on garbage to be every tenant is responsible for their own trash. I have had a tenant give me pushback when I mentioned to him to kindly not throw trash in my can, and to please use his own since every unit has a can. He then got extremely rude and hung up the phone telling me that this is not how it has been.

What should I do about this? I am thinking about writing him a formal letter/notice letting him know the rules going forward. Currently they are not under a lease. I am raising rents, but needed to give them 90 days notice. They signed leases for 2/2021.

Thanks in advance

[Nathan Gesner]

They are month-to-month renters. If he's going to fight you over such a simple thing, maybe you should give them notice to vacate and find a renter that can be a better neighbor.

If you want to give him a chance, I would paint his unit number on the can and then give him written notice that he is expected to use his designated can or he is free to move to another rental.