Complaints about Tenant

A couple of weeks ago I received a call from an alleged neighbor of my tenant complaing about the tenants, the dog, the property etc etc. Paid a surprise visit to tenants and did not see any issues at all. Even with two little kids the house was in good shape. Wrote this off as a problem neighbor. Today I received another call from this irate neighbor, on my VM though and no number stored on my machine. I am planning to call the tenants and play the message for them. As for the irate neighbor, I plan to tell her if she has a problem she HAS to call the police so there is some official documentation that I can use for not renewing the M-T-M lease. These tenants pay on-time with no stories and I really don't see any issues. Does this irate neighbor have any ground to cause me trouble if she hasn't filed a complaint with the police?? I realize I might have some liability if I knew they were dealing drugs out of the house but it is just a young working couple with a couple of kids. I think my tenants have a neighbor problem, I don't think this is my problem. Advise? Opinions?

Thanks All --68.229.xx.xxx

Complaints about Tenant (by Smokowna [MD]) Posted on: Jul 4, 2008 7:44 PM
Message:

I would wait before playing the message. If this proves to be nothing more than an unusual neighbor, your good tenants may begin to feel uncomfortable and move.

Of coarse I don't know what was recorded on the message. If you are not finding any evidence of wrong doing, I don't see a need to bother the tenant. --72.83.xxx.xx

Complaints about Tenant (by Richard [RI]) Posted on: Jul 4, 2008 8:07 PM
Message:

I don't think they'd move. Their famlies are close by, rent is very reasonable ETC. They've even asked about buying it (which I'm very tempted to consider). I am more ticked at the complainer. I feel she's coming close to harassing me!! I actually want to play the message for the tenants so they know what's going on since I've already confronted them with the first instance. --68.229.xx.xxx

Complaints about Tenant (by Richard [RI]) Posted on: Jul 4, 2008 8:08 PM
Message:

Forgot to mention, this is an SFH rental, not an apartment type problem. --68.229.xx.xxx

Complaints about Tenant (by Sandy [SC]) Posted on: Jul 4, 2008 8:15 PM
Message:

Is it possible that this irate neighbor is a nut?

When we had the condo's we had a tenant (I didn't rent to her-my dad did while we were out of town..) that was bi-polar plus some other issues.

She would fixate on another resident and could be quite irritating--she'd call us at the drop of hat to complain about all kinds of things.

You might want to hold onto the recordings and screen for any other calls recording them as they come in.

Check out the neighbor with other neighbors.. can't hurt. And if she gets abusive on the recording--call the police yourself. Here in SC we have "illegal use of the telephone"..

--74.179.xxx.xxx

Complaints about Tenant (by Carolyn [MO]) Posted on: Jul 4, 2008 9:15 PM
Message:

I wouldn't play the message to the tenant.

I have had neighbors who called with absurd complaints. At first I would check them out. But after several of these I would listen and then ignore things. --64.12.xxx.xxx

Complaints about Tenant (by Wallace CPM [VA]) Posted on: Jul 5, 2008 3:18 AM
Message:

Yes - don't address this with the tenants AT ALL unless you want to receive THEIR 30 day notice.

This may be a crank or someone who is calling about the wrong property....if you don't have first hand knowledge of any problem, don't let the tenants know anything. --205.188.xxx.xxx

Complaints about Tenant (by Bill [TX]) Posted on: Jul 5, 2008 5:26 AM
Message:

No good will come from playing the recording for your tenants.

What do you expect to gain?

Bill --75.22.xxx.xx

Complaints about Tenant (by June [PA]) Posted on: Jul 5, 2008 6:45 AM
Message:

I'd call the neighbor. Tell her that you've investigated her complain, can find nothing wrong with your tenant.

Tell her that she should stop calling you and call the police. ie this is not YOUR problem. --64.12.xxx.xxx

Complaints about Tenant (by billy button [MA]) Posted on: Jul 5, 2008 7:10 AM
Message:

suggest the victims call police. --208.58.x.xx

Complaints about Tenant (by Andrew,Canada [ON]) Posted on: Jul 5, 2008 8:22 AM
Message:

I would NOT tell teh tenants. No good will come from it and you have no evidence that they are the problem.

I would tell your neighbour that you need more information from her regarding the "problem". document everything. --99.234.xx.xxx

Complaints about Tenant (by Barbara [CA]) Posted on: Jul 5, 2008 9:46 AM
Message:

Tell her to call the police.

Stay out of this.

If the neighbor is really upset about it she will call the police. --71.202.x.xxx

Complaints about Tenant (by Richard [RI]) Posted on: Jul 5, 2008 9:56 AM
Message:

OK. I am not planning to talk to the tenants since in my estimation they are fine. If this neighbor calls again, I plan to suggest she call the police when the problem is occuring. Any more calls to me from her I will consider harrasment and report her. I don't actually know who it is, just a rant and rave and a phome number on my answering machine. Real PITA. --68.229.xx.xxx

Complaints about Tenant (by Sandy [SC]) Posted on: Jul 5, 2008 10:07 AM
Message:

Unless that number is a cell phone you can look it up for the address to see who is call you.

Just use .anywho.com or one of the others. You can do a reverse lookup w just the phone number --74.179.xxx.xxx

Complaints about Tenant (by Steve [FL]) Posted on: Jul 5, 2008 10:51 AM
Message:

They're probably afraid to talk with your tenants. Too bad for them, I wouldn't say another word to the tenants unless there was something valid to address. And no way would I play that message. There is no value there. --205.174.xx.xx

Complaints about Tenant (by Tea [FL]) Posted on: Jul 5, 2008 12:39 PM
Message:

Agree. You have a whiner neighbor. I wouldn't even tell the neighbor to call the police. Instead, I would ignore the neighbor and not even call neighbor back to respond to the VM. There is no law that you should respond back. Besides, you checked the situation out and found no issue. If you respond to the neighbor, then the "ball" is back in neighbor's court and neighbor will tehn try to take other action. Now, the ball is in your court. Just leave it be and don't respond. Kind of like when you see email battles...if you keep responding, you'll keep getting responses. So don't respond and hopefuly neighbor will see that complaining to you gets no results. --71.100.xx.xx

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Complaints about Tenant

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