Tenant is claiming sexual harassment by our lawn crew

[Aimee Hamza]

Hello out there and thanks for reading this post. I'm a new property manager taking over a small portfolio in Austin TX and I'm wondering how you would handle this one. Tenant sent me an email with a couple of standard maintenance requests but closed the email with this:  

"Thirdly, the men you’ve employed to do the yard work are making me EXTREMELY uncomfortable to the point I’m going to file a police report. They’re peeking in my windows and trying to get my attention while I’m working. I’m being sexually harassed in my own home with my young daughter present. I’ve provided you with a video of them doing this for reference. Please provide me with names and contact info so I can make the adequate reports with authorities."

This lawn company handles several of our properties and I have not received any other complaints. She attached a 5 second video that shows the man working around her back yard and glancing in her direction. This is a tenant that has multiple emotional support dogs one of which she snuck in without telling us. Once we discovered the second dog she sent us an ESA letter for him within the day. I get the sense that she often plays the victim (and knows the system well) and I want to handle this with care. Please let me know if you have any advice on handling this one. Thanks so much and I am always so grateful to you all for being such an amazing community and resource.

[Kyle J.]

@Aimee Hamza Merely “glancing in someone’s direction” is not in anyway shape or form sexual harassment or a crime. However, I’d still be empathetic (since she obviously perceives the encounter as a problem) and handle it as follows. 

I’d tell her that you will gladly cooperate with any ensuing law enforcement investigation. While you cannot release someone else’s personal information (e.g. name, phone number, address, etc) to her directly, just as you wouldn’t release hers if someone asked you for it, you’ll be happy to provide that information to a law enforcement officer should she actually file a police report and they happen to contact you and request it.