State Specific Question About: CALIFORNIA (CA)

I have a pretty specific situation. I live in my own home in a neighborhood with a large apartment complex. One of the tenants in the complex has taken to fixing cars in the street, just off-site of the apartment complex. I have tried to get the police/landlord/code enforcement to act, but have been unsuccessful.

What I'd like to do is to put some pressure on the landlord and threaten suit for the "criminal" acts of his tenant, i.e., violating a local ordinance prohibiting fixing cars in residential neighborhoods or nuisance, or something like that.

If someone could direct me to a case that I could present to the landlord, I would greatly appreciate it!

Thanks, Tom from San Diego

If the tenant shoplifted from the store down the street would you also want to threaten the LL with some sort of suit?

The LL cannot control what others, including his/her tenants, do. About the most control the LL has is if a tenant violates a LL rule while on the LL property. If the tenant is doing this off of the LL's property, there nothing the LL can do.

Go to the next FEW city council meetings and complain in "open session". Have enough pictures for each council person.

I have had several issues with tenants from neighboring properties. When I approach their manager or speak directly to the owner -- I'm told to leave them alone they will do nothing to assist me.

After being told to jump in the lake, I then contacted the owners insurance carrier and point out several issues with the property. Their policy was cancelled and they then had to spend more money to obtain insurance from another carrier -- like 40% more.

Then the next time I had major issues again with their tenant, I parked my 20 ton truck in front of their building making an eye sore...

Then finally the third time I asked the owners to do something about their tenant, and again was given the finger, I rented INS uniforms on Halloween and had friends knock on doors at that property looking for "illegals", causing 1/3 of those tenants to Vacate over night.

Finally after that landlord understood they couldn't just sit back a collect rents and allowing their tenants to poor used motor oil on my lawn. Leave old tires in front of my building. Leave food wrappings on my property. throw excess trash in my dumpster......

It may have taken months, but they got my message....

In my town that tenant would be violating local city codes. What Jim in O C said worked for me as well. My town's local code enforcement has been known to 'selectively' enforce them.

What I did was take pictures with notes and dates. Emailed them to Code Enforcement officers and CC'd to City Manager and Chief of Police. Problems that had existed for over a year were both cleaned up in less than 2 weeks.

Note, when i sent the emails i was very nice about it, but did make note in the emails to all concerned hoped my evidence and information would assist the officials with a 'paper trail' they could use. Same 'paper trail' could be used to show there bosses if they didn't do their job.

Thanks for the (mostly) helpful replies (especially Jim and Greg). I have been doing a lot of what has been suggested (taking photos, notes, looked into counsel meetings, meeting with the apartment folks (who have been very helpful and supportive, but falling short of really doing anything about it)). I was hoping to up the pressure on the apartment complex to take some sort of action, based on a landlord's liability for criminal acts of their tenants (the "criminal" act being a violation of local ordinances).

Thanks again...