Dealing with a nasty neighbor

[Matt S]

Wondering if anyone can lend some advise in dealing with a family of renters who live next door to me. The owner has never occupied the house since it was built, so I have no clue how to contact them. I just had to have the Town go by and warn them with fines if they didn't mow their grass as it was probably 3 feet tall in their backyard. They had yet to mow at all this year. At least the note today seemed to be effective, as they broke out the lawnmower just recently.

I was actually okay dealing with their crappy yard until this morning, when I went outside to go to work and found a used condom in my backyard along the fence we share (these are townhouses). Unless my gf snuck out in the middle of the night and was stupid enough to leave evidence, it came from next door.

I don't even know how to react to something like this. It is just so foul and indecent, I have been seething over it all day. Why out of everyone in this relatively new neighborhood, do we get stuck with these awful people next door? If this happens again, is it littering? I mean there has to be SOME sort of recourse for this type of thing.

I just fired off a complaint to the HOA, but I don't know what else I can do. I think I may be getting a surveillance system for the backyard, but there seems to be a dead zone in the "inexpensive and good" department of these types of systems. If I see someone toss something over the fence, maybe I could use it, but again..towards what? What would the police even charge them with?

 

[citizensoldierny]

I think it is high time you shoot, shovel , and shut-up.

 

[echelon3]

Matt, you mentioned a HOA; is there anything in your CC&Rs that might address either the property being turned rental or the condition of the place?

 

[coyotewhisper]

Have the city come out make a dweliing inspection. If that does not work call the Health Dept.

 

[pal]

I think it is high time you shoot, shovel , and shut-up.

I have never heard that one.

Seriously, don't try to handle this in person. Use the authorities in you city. That is why you are paying taxes.

 

[wdwrx]

"Good fences make good neighbors"

Sounds like you need a better fence.
Just kidding.
In all seriousness, I would contact the landlord. The owner should be a matter of public record, but may require a trip to the town offices/ city hall. A quick call to them may help improve the situation.
Barring that, I would guess that renters tend to move more frequently, so maybe they won't be there that long. (doesn't hurt to hope)

We have a neighbor that never mows their lawn, nor do they do anything about their dandelions, so what I do is surreptitiously weed-ex their lawn when they aren't looking, and I mow part of their lawn (just over the property line), which makes it obvious to passersby exactly who it is that's too lazy to mow their own damn lawn.

As for the used condom, I would just flick it back over the fence, use a long stick, and burn the stick when you're done!

 

[RobertH]

In my experience there's nothing you can do. All you can do is develop patience and the ability to ignore every single thing about them that bothers you, and I mean every thing.

I've had this scenario happen in several of the different houses I've lived in over the years. I've tried every solution, and in the end there's only one way to deal with this kind of scenario, but it's too late for that for you. If you start calling authorities, or retaliating you'll just make it worse I guarantee it. The kind of people you're dealing with are USED to being jerks to others, it's how they live their lives. They are better at it than you are, I guarantee you. In the end properties laws are generally so weak and ineffective they never cover every little thing that will bother you or they'll do to get back at you for reporting them. You can't buy enough video cameras to cover everything they can do, and if you don't have proof they can do anything to you in the end.

The only way to head off this scenario is to begin immediately upon you moving in or them moving in with a majorly positive relationship, building respect for each other, and then in the end the problems never happen. That's the only way to prevent this kind of thing. It sucks but it's too late for you in my opinion if you've already started reporting them to the city and what not.

For your own happiness you need to learn to not care if he doesn't mow his lawn, and ignore any other types of insults thrown your way.

 

[Sue]

Your county ordinances should be accessible online. Read thru those that pertain to your situation such as property maintenance and noxious weeds/rubbish.

Note the ordinance number(s), and write a professional (non-emotional) letter to the owner of record with a cc to your county clerk or vice versa depending on what you deem appropriate by the wording of your letter. Reference the ordinance number(s) in your letter.

You can find the owner of record with a call to the county clerk or here all properties are online.

I've done this with a viscious dog next door after friendly discussions went south. Initially the dog rolled my grandson/toy and grabbed his clothes while on the sidwalk in front of our house in a ride-on toy. The dog later attacked another neighbor and then my husband on two different occasions. Several times the owner was laying on the ground holding the dogs collar and being pulled by the dog trying to attack someone. It got so bad that neither of us went out back alone. I think I still have a splitting mall stored in an easy to grab place.

I finally got the attention of the sheriff and the county, including the prosecuting attorney. The owners and the dog are long gone.
Sue

 

[kg4ghn]

Wow that dog would have been dead the first time it touched my son in a threatening manner. Luckily my town has a leash law that is fairly heavily enforced.

Cats now, jump all over my truck every time I wash it and leave paw prints. That is kind of annoying but they are very skittish and it doesn't put my kid in danger so I just shoo them out of the yard when I see them.

 

[Sue]

Wow that dog would have been dead the first time it touched my son in a threatening manner. Luckily my town has a leash law that is fairly heavily enforced.

Cats now, jump all over my truck every time I wash it and leave paw prints. That is kind of annoying but they are very skittish and it doesn't put my kid in danger so I just shoo them out of the yard when I see them.

Yep, had my husband (an avid open range hunter of 40+ years) been healthy then, something in his gun cabinet would have been unlocked.

We called the sheriff when the dog was after the neighbor. He was defending himself with a running push mower-blades up and the dog didn't back down. The sheriff appeared momentarily and down on his knee, had a bead on the dog. The owner called him back to his property so he then couldn't shoot it.

Last I heard the owner has a room w/meals courtesy of the State and his new 4x4 truck and possesions confiscated permanently. Can take a guess at why he had such a dog.

Cat paw prints on a just washed black car.......... we later switched to a white car. They don't show too bad unless they walk on the windshield. There's something kinda funny about looking at the rear-view mirror and seeing paw prints to the roof of the car.
Sue

 

[Matt S]

Thanks for the response guys. The complaint I lodged with the town government today was in response to an ordinance governing the length of your lawn. I didn't see anything else in there I could use.

We have to find the copy of HOA rules to see what else applies. I sent the email tonight to the property management about them being renters (sometimes you need to register the lease), the patch of clover that represents the only green part of their front lawn, and the condom. I mentioned I would hope the HOA would be able to force these owners to be responsible landlords. It is unfortunate we didn't act sooner, as I bet there was a rule in there about owner occupied units in the first year of ownership. As I said, these owners never moved in, and we didn't realize these folks weren't the owners until I looked up the property record. By then it was after a year.

Which leads me to my issue on finding the landlord. The county's online database lists this address as the owner's address. Clearly they aren't living here. I googled their name with "virginia", "maryland" and "DC" to try and locate a listing of the same two names but I've come up empty. I supposed it is possible they live far away and expected to move here and never did.

As far as ignoring them, I have been for the most part. I grumbled about the tall grass, the dumpy front yard, when they didn't shovel the sidewalk during the snowstorm (only house that didn't), borrowed my shovel and didn't return it (last I let them borrow anything...or talked to them for that matter) and thier lack of regard for deceny with their garbage (often leave it in their backyard, or put it out behind the garages days before trash day...animals love it, I don't). Yet this used condom broke me today.

They have a 15-16 year old son living there, who I suspect is probably the owner of this thing, along with the few half smoked Newports I've found in my grass. Normally I might say parents might care to hear about their son up to this activity, but seeing as though I've witnessed these people dropping f bombs in front of their children...I am guessing punishment would be light or non-existent.

As far as them leaving...well they've been here for 2 years already. Again, I've let a lot slide for the sake of not having sour relations (as opposed to none). My plan now is just to use the ordinances and HOA to my advantage to possibly push the landlord to take responsibility for their renters and hope I don't get stomped by the 6'1 270 lb guy I forced to mow his yard for the first time all year today (he only did the back yard though, the front still needs work). If my girlfriend and I end up getting married, priority #1 will be selling this house. Which is a shame because the house/community isn't even three years old yet. Plus, I don't want to place this burden on another potential homeowner.

 

[dklaiman]

Since you've already involved the HOA, you should ask for a copy of the association's covenants (I'm not sure if that's what was meant by CC&R). They probably have language about property maintenance and may restrict leasing of property--the covenants for my association do. The board of the HOA should keep all complaints confidential and should also be responsible for enforcing the covenants/by-laws. Assuming the board acts responsibly, you shouldn't have to worry about the renters connecting you to the complaints. That being said, the covenants are probably silent regarding used condoms.

 

[Commander Quan]

I don't have any suggestions for you but i to sympathize with you. I had the trashiest people I have ever met renting the house beside me for the last year and a half, till they left in February. If all I had to deal with was tall grass and a condom, I would have been thrilled, instead of the loud music, loitering vagrants, drug dealing, barking dogs, people screaming day and night, and *** cars so loud they would wake you up at night. I hope it works out for you.

 

[rickboone1]

Walk over and visit them in the nude a few times. They'll think you're completely gone and start packing up.

 

[kg4ghn]

Walk over and visit them in the nude a few times. They'll think you're completely gone and start packing up.

Or ask you to come inside for drinks...

 

[Gaston]

Well, if all else fails you could take up topiary:

 

[echelon3]

Since you've already involved the HOA, you should ask for a copy of the association's covenants (I'm not sure if that's what was meant by CC&R).

CC&R meant covenants, conditions, and restrictions, as you guessed. I'm on the other side of the country and that phrase is common here. I would be surprised to see an HOA anywhere in the country without CC&Rs as an addendum to the deed.

 

[dklaiman]

Well, if all else fails you could take up topiary:

Is it just my warped sense of humor, or are you suggesting he provide a target for the used condoms?

 

[dpm802]

It may be that the current occupants of the house are somehow related to the actual owner. For example, the mortgage may have been placed in a grandfather's name to get a lower interest rate.

Just because the Owner of the property doesn't live there, don't assume he doesn't know what's going on. I think that it is HIS responsibility to ensure that the HoA rules and other community regulations are adhered to.

Have you spoken to any of the other residents of the street about this? I'm sure they've noticed the unkempt lawn and garbage strewn about. Perhaps they know some information that might be useful to you. If nothing else, at least they will be able to be witnesses in case you have to go to court over this.

 

[Uncle Erik]

If there's a HOA, there should be an extensive list of HOA rules and regulations. Read them and then make yourself known to the HOA committee. They probably have regularly scheduled meetings that you should attend. If possible, get on the HOA board yourself. Residents can usually join, get elected, etc. The close you are to the association, the more leverage you'll have.

As for trash in your yard, well, what comes over the fence can go back over.

For vicious dogs, you should always call the police and animal control. Almost every jurisdiction has strict dog bite rules. More than once and the dog often has to be destroyed. I don't know what the laws are where everyone lives, but the law almost always takes these things seriously.

Some people down the street had a vicious dog that would jump the gate and threaten people. He came after me a couple of times and would not back down. I called the police and they ticketed the neighbors. That still didn't work. The last time I saw the dog, he had gotten out, went after the mailman and actually bit him. The mailman drove the dog off with pepper spray before I could get over to help. We called 911, the police and animal control showed up, and I've never seen the dog since. I'm not sure, but I think the city put the dog down. Oh, and the mailman is OK.