I need to vent and possably advice(sorry long)

karmasmom

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So we have lived in our new place for almost a year now. We only share one wall with one neighbor. She is the problem.

Tonight is DH's birthday. We have music on, no louder than a tv would normally be but it is music so it may sound different. We are partying a bit, hey its his birthday, we are adults we are aloud to do that. When just about 10 pm she banged on the wall, hard. It was hard enough to knock some things off shelves and scare that cats. I take big offense when someone scares my babies. About 15 minutes later a cop shows up. We had already figured that she banged because of the music so we turned it down. Now its so low we may as well just turn it off. The cop told us that it was at the descretion of the complainant if the music was too loud and he really could not tell us if it was too loud or not. He did seem annoyed to be here and I could tell he thought it was a false call. We have called our manager who is also the owner of the building and told him our side of it. We know she did the same thing.

This woman has been nothing but trouble. She does not like us because we are friends with tenents she does not like. One of those tenents is my own cousin. He called her out on the fact that she lets her dogs poo where ever they want and does not pick up after them. She got all defensive and in his face about it when all he did was say hey try to pick up after your dogs. He did it in a nice way too, we heard the whole thing. She flipped out on him. We have also been warned by the owner and other tenents that she is one a multitude of pain pills and has had issues with others.

We have heard from other people who have lived in the neighborhood that they have seen her physically abusing her son. We have never seen it but I think on a few different occasions I have heard it. The walls are very thin. She leaves her dogs locked up fo hours, not just the recomended 4-5 hous but for 8-10 hours a day. Sha never walks them and they stink. One of our other neighbors who is a vet tech said a few days back when her dogs walk by they have the smell of yeast. The smell from her place is starting to come into our place. It smells like urine and mold.

I have tried changing litters and everything, tinking it was the cats. Well I smell the same thing on our pourch after she has let the dogs out. So that tells me its not my babies.

We have been very patient. Her son lets the dogs out an yells at them at 6 am. I work untill midnight, sometimes later. 6 am is right around the time I fall asleep. I never once have complained. She leaves her laundry in the machine for hours at a a time. I mean like 5-6 hours, to the point where no one else can use it. DH has even seen her start a load at 2pm and not put it in the dryer untill the next day. We know she is doing it to try and start something with us. She is very passive aggressive.

The owner has also told us that she has been calling and complaining about mice and cockroaches in her unit. We have not seen any yet, thank god for kitties. The idea that they are right next door scares me. For our health and the babies health.

She is just a problem. The owner is afraid to deal with her, why we don't know. He doesn't like her and neither do his employies or his partner. She pays WAY less than everyone else int the comlex. Her rent is about 200 less than ous for the same unit. She is also on secton 8 and god knows what else.

Sorry this is so long, I just needed to vent. If anyone has any ideas on how to handle this please tell me. We want her out of the building but because of her its not such a nice place to be. Now we are debating do we call animal control or child services? Flat out I just don't like her.
 

addiebee

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Wow, sorry for your trouble. If she is creating a health hazard, abusing animals and/or children ... then something should be done. Why is the owner such a scaredy-cat about it?? He has the legal right to do something about it if he chooses. Maybe she has threatened him or something?
 

gailc

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I don't know why the owners should be afraid. She my be contributing to the decline of that apartment-esp if pest problems and odors occur.
I think the health dept should be contacted. I would invite friends of yours to come over to see if they can detect any odors-esp ones that may not have been to your place for a while. That might strengthen a case with a housing dept.
I would start documenting situations and have your cousin do so as well as other tenants you are friendly with.
 

cruisermaiden

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The manager may be afraid to act with her for fear of being sued for discrimination since she is receiving government aide. I work in insurance and we get a lot of claims against our clients with rental properties for this. Have people filed formal complaints against her or just talked with the manager? He may need more documentation to back him up before he can take action.

Unfortunately with bad neighbors you donâ€[emoji]8482[/emoji]t have a lot of recourse (that I know of) if the management wonâ€[emoji]8482[/emoji]t act. She already doesnâ€[emoji]8482[/emoji]t like you and has made it pretty obvious there is nothing you can do about it. This sounds really harsh but I would start giving her a taste of her own medicine.

When you hear something through the wall and suspect she is abusing her child – call the police. File a report with the Dept. of Family & Children Services, even better if you can get the person who saw the abuse happening to go with you. I donâ€[emoji]8482[/emoji]t know if you can do much about the dogs if she isnâ€[emoji]8482[/emoji]t physically abusing them, is there a law saying in your area saying how long they can be kenneled unattended?

Check your unit paperwork – is there anything about noise fines or quiet time? I know at my apartment is it 11PM-7AM tenants can get fined for noise complaints. Pet waste? My lease has a clause that they can fine you if you get caught not picking up after your dog too. I would also advise management that you smell mold but canâ€[emoji]8482[/emoji]t find anything in your unit, would they please come investigate it? When they come in they will find the problem is not in your unit but the neighboring one and that may give them cause to go in and check it out. When you file a complaint I would make sure to put it in writing and sign it.

Unless you want to get mean (like that ^^^) I donâ€[emoji]8482[/emoji]t know what else to tell you, some people are just unreasonable.
 

proudmamiof4

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Wow,I am sorry your having to deal with someone like that! I would definatly call someone if you suspect she is abusing her child and animals....they don't have a voice!
 

rubsluts'mommy

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Originally Posted by CruiserMaiden

The manager may be afraid to act with her for fear of being sued for discrimination since she is receiving government aide. I work in insurance and we get a lot of claims against our clients with rental properties for this. Have people filed formal complaints against her or just talked with the manager? He may need more documentation to back him up before he can take action.

Unfortunately with bad neighbors you donâ€[emoji]8482[/emoji]t have a lot of recourse (that I know of) if the management wonâ€[emoji]8482[/emoji]t act. She already doesnâ€[emoji]8482[/emoji]t like you and has made it pretty obvious there is nothing you can do about it. This sounds really harsh but I would start giving her a taste of her own medicine.

When you hear something through the wall and suspect she is abusing her child – call the police. File a report with the Dept. of Family & Children Services, even better if you can get the person who saw the abuse happening to go with you. I donâ€[emoji]8482[/emoji]t know if you can do much about the dogs if she isnâ€[emoji]8482[/emoji]t physically abusing them, is there a law saying in your area saying how long they can be kenneled unattended?

Check your unit paperwork – is there anything about noise fines or quiet time? I know at my apartment is it 11PM-7AM tenants can get fined for noise complaints. Pet waste? My lease has a clause that they can fine you if you get caught not picking up after your dog too. I would also advise management that you smell mold but canâ€[emoji]8482[/emoji]t find anything in your unit, would they please come investigate it? When they come in they will find the problem is not in your unit but the neighboring one and that may give them cause to go in and check it out. When you file a complaint I would make sure to put it in writing and sign it.

Unless you want to get mean (like that ^^^) I donâ€[emoji]8482[/emoji]t know what else to tell you, some people are just unreasonable.


I know in my apartment complex, the quiet hours are technically 9 pm to 6 or 7 am. So, even if you were on good terms with her, and she were a model tenant (which she most definitely is not), she would have the right to call and complain about the music. You might want to find out what your quiet hours are in your complex. if the management doesn't have them, the city quite likely would.

Formal complaints are one of the few things we can do to combat the scummy tenants. If enough formal complaints are cataloged, the owner/management should stand up to her. Take photos whenever possible.. video is good too. if they're not picking up after their dogs, get photos of them leaving it behind. document everything you possibly can. make copies and give them to the manager and owner, and if the health board gets involved due to the pest problem, them as well.

And for the record, if the dogs are looking ill treated, the 'animal cops' in your area should be called. it may not be physical abuse, like hitting, but it is neglect. if the dogs have longer fur, and they're not getting groomed properly, that fur can mat and cause a lot of pain to the dog. and with pests in the house where they're locked up all day, they run the risk of disease from bites, ticks, etc...

Stepping off my soapbox now.

Sure, there may be a reason for her place being so bad, but it's just as likely that it's sheer laziness/meanness on her part. Someone is angry at the world...
 

kittyl0ve4

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Along with other suggestions, the laundry thing is something i would just take into my own hands. Some people who work only have certain days they can do their laundry, and if she is hogging up the washer and dryer, i would just take her clothes out and leave them on a chair, do what i have to do, and replace hers when im done. I dont have time or patience for ignorant people like that. Then, id go to the owner of the building, and explain the laundry situation, and ask him to set up a rule, like saying each person has this much time to use the machines a day. Also, as suggested by another poster, get PROOF that she isnt cleaning up after her dogs. set up a video camera, take shots as she is walking her dogs to prove she is letting them poop and not cleaning up. Complain about the smell. If you keep doing it, somebody has got to do something to stop this woman.
 
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