Psyco Landlords; wish I was still liveaboard

sailboy21 · #1 (**permalink**) 12-05-2007

I'm in a state of awe. My land lord is crazy. Not just crazy, but delusional. She also lies. I have been living in this place for 20 days now. I would appreciate a reality check from some sailnetters just to make sure I am not nuts.

So, the story:
I get this crazy answering machine message, left 2 minutes after we left (its a duplex, landlord lives here too). This is first time I have heard any "issues"

We have a big problem, uh, I thought I made it really clear that the dog can not be pooping and peeing on the deck, and I just went out there and there’s a huge pile on the deck, and an obvious spot where it peed. It takes five more minutes, not even five more minutes, five seconds to open the gate and let it in the area where it can poop and crap in the grass. So that’s not going to work for me. And number two we have lessons and students tonight, so the truck has to be parked at the bottom of the hill. And I would really appreciate it if this week you would not drive into the ditch, and into my flowerbed. I spend a lot of time working on my yard, and driving into the flowerbed isn’t acceptable. I replaced the culvert in the ditch once before. It’s very expensive. If you drive over it you can smash it I don’t think you want to replace it and I know I’m not going to. So, uh, we got to come to some common ground here. Please, thank you.

Ok... so I wrote a note to apologize, cleaned up the dog poop (one instance)
Where I probably went too far, Is I also included a request that our door locks be repaired(required by law), we receive a CO detector (required by law), and that they uphold another part of the rental agreement which they have been neglecting. I guess she got a little tiffed that I would ask such things, so the next phone call was completely hystorical. She said she rented to us only out of charity (what???) and we could move out etc etc.... She also referenced my employment status. I'm a vet, just got out of the service and moved to a new town. She cuts hair. Then, several hours later, knock knock, crazy page long letter/memo/notice delivered. Doesn't make any sense.. but the last paragraph was a bit concerning:

Since the apartment is so unsatisfactory to you we accept your notice and agree to terminate your lease as of January 31, 2007. We will expect you to have the apartment emptied of your belongings (not including the table and chairs or washing machine and dryer that were included with the apartment) by February 1,2008.

Ummm... notice??? so unsatisfactory? yeah, I had to fix a few things (smoke detectors, electrical outlet plates, hook up appliances etc) but come on????

So should I reply? Get a lawyer? call the city?
Something tells me this isn't going away. I should have stayed on the boat!!!

Here is the "flower bed" which may also be referred to "side of the road" or "ditch":

TSteele65 · #2 (**permalink**) 12-05-2007

Leave. Now. It's not going to get any better.

danjarch · #3 (**permalink**) 12-05-2007

I second that. Your renting from a slum lord, control freak. It will only get worse. Thank the heavens you've found out about so quickly and move on.

max-on · #4 (**permalink**) 12-05-2007

Quote:

Originally Posted by TSteele65

Leave. Now. It's not going to get any better.

I second the motion by TSteele65. How do the members vote?

sailingdog · #5 (**permalink**) 12-05-2007

Find someplace and get out of dodge.... and document everything... so she doesn't try to swipe your security deposit. It just isn't worth staying there if you can find someplace else to live.

TrueBlue · #6 (**permalink**) 12-05-2007

Before buying a single family house, we owned a side-by-side duplex in Newport. After reading your post, one side of me stands up to your convictions of your landlord being unreasonable. But the realist side of me - based upon being a live-in landlord at one time, remains ambiguous.

It's likely that she's a looney, but is possible that you may have inadvertantly upset this lady more so than you're revealing to us? How can we take sides without more evidence? Max, of all people, should take this position as well.

PorFin · #7 (**permalink**) 12-05-2007

1. Don't fight it.

2. Recommend that you document the condition of the apartment (video or still) before you go so that your security deposit doesn't become forfeit for stuff that wasn't broken when you left.

3. Be as good a neighbor as you can be until you move out. Smile and nod everyday (even if you really want to get nasty), and remember that the landlord's problems don;t need to become yours.

Good luck,
PF

sailingdog · #8 (**permalink**) 12-05-2007

Also, if you burn your bridges, getting a referral from her for your next place might not work out so well...and many apartments do check with previous landlords nowadays..

max-on · #9 (**permalink**) 12-05-2007

Quote:

Originally Posted by TrueBlue

Max, of all people, should take this position as well.

That is why I second the motion, but did not vote, so the members could discuss the motion, also to save myself the time not to get into that discussion, which I thought about; I figured I would leave it to the TB's and SD's of the board, who have more free time at the office than I do.

Also, whether the OP is completely in the right or wrong, it does not matter, who needs that kind of conflict where you live, and his remedy ultimately is to go to court, whether he sues the landlord or he is arrested because he got into a conflict with her and things got out of hand.

sailboy21 · #10 (**permalink**) 12-05-2007

Quote:

Originally Posted by TrueBlue

Before buying a single family house, we owned a side-by-side duplex in Newport. After reading your post, one side of me stands up to your convictions of your landlord being unreasonable. But the realist side of me - based upon being a live-in landlord at one time, remains ambiguous.

It's likely that she's a looney, but is possible that you may have inadvertantly upset this lady more so than you're revealing to us? How can we take sides without more evidence? Max, of all people, should take this position as well.

Everything is documented. She did say that I aggressively drove into the "ditch". What really happened, was she requested I move the truck, which I did, at night, and while attempting to park it out of the way the front tire slid into the ditch. There isn't much room down there, no lights, I was backing up a full size pickup with a camper shell. She also said the truck "scares" people. I think she may be thinking that I drive "aggressively" because the truck is old, carburated, its cold as hell out and if you don't gun it right after putting it in gear it stalls out when it isn't warmed up. I'm not really asking anyone to take sides. Just don't know what to do. My father is an attorney, I would call him but he is sailing baja right now! Yuck... I guess I'll just take her up on her offer and move. Unfortunately there are not many rentals available, and even less that allow dogs. Just changed my address too..